Nadab and Abihu were going to burn incense before the LORD, something they were supposed to do. But the way they went about it was wrong. So they got struck dead with fire from God.
Man, God was so stinkin' picky back then. Nadab and Abihu were most likely at fault in one or both of two areas: The How and/or The When. They brought fire from the wrong source and/or they brought it at the wrong time.
I bet if they hadn't been struck down nobody would have thought they were at fault. People would have probably thought that they did a good thing.
I see the same thing today. Stuff that seems good, but it's done at the wrong time or in the wrong way.
After striking down two of Aaron's sons God had a little talk with Aaron and made a big deal about distinguishing between the holy and profane, clean and unclean. Then in the next chapter God makes a big deal about what animals his holy people can or cannot eat.
Peter repeats God's command from this chapter, "Be holy because I am holy." What God has called clean or unclean, holy or common no man has the authority to call otherwise. And God doesn't change his Word, Thank God.
Holiness is a very tricky thing. It's an impossible thing. It always has been and always will be. But God can see us as though we are holy even though we're not. It has always been this way. If God calls a person holy, then that person is holy, no matter what.
God's word is final and unchanging. If only more people could accept that wonderful fact.
But it's more comfortable to pretend that God is an easygoing guy that just lets stuff slide. Some people like the thought that God is too big to care about the minute details of each person's life. The thought that God doesn't care about every little thing would terrify me.
God is holy. God is picky. God is who God is.
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