Bible in a Year - Women’s Thematic Reading Plan | Day 106

Day 106 of the Women’s Bible Plan: Read Leviticus Chapter 10 and reflect on the fear of the Lord within a serving family. Through the sobering story of Nadab and Abihu, this devotional invites women to consider how marriage, family life, ministry, and spiritual responsibility must be shaped by reverence for God, respect for His holiness, and obedience to His Word.

🌸  Dear Sister, welcome to Day 106 of our reading journey. 

Some passages are not easy to read. Leviticus Chapter 10 is one of them. Nadab and Abihu were the sons of Aaron. They had just entered the priestly ministry and stood in a sacred place of service. Yet they offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them, and fire came out from before the Lord and devoured them.

This is a passage that makes us pause. It reminds us that ministry is not casual enthusiasm, and drawing near to God is not something we do in our own way. God is loving, yet He is also holy. He graciously welcomes His people to come near, but He also calls them to serve according to His Word and with reverent hearts.

Today’s theme is not meant to leave us in fear, but to help us reflect: How do we learn the fear of the Lord together in a serving family, in marriage, and in spiritual responsibility? When a household carries spiritual responsibility, the most important thing to guard is not outward reputation or the busyness of ministry, but reverence for God’s holiness, Word, and commands.

A Minute of Grace

Leviticus Chapter 10 records that Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not. Then fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Moses said to Aaron, “This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified.”

This chapter takes place just after the priesthood begins and Aaron and his sons have been consecrated for ministry. In the previous chapter, the glory of the Lord appeared, and fire came out from before the Lord to consume the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar. The people saw it, shouted, and fell on their faces. But immediately after this, Leviticus 10 records the tragedy of Nadab and Abihu offering strange fire. One fire reveals God’s acceptance; the other reveals human presumption. The strong contrast reminds us that serving God cannot be based merely on emotion, zeal, experience, or personal preference. We draw near to Him according to His Word.

From the perspective of “Marriage and Husband-Wife Relationships,” this chapter gives us a serious reminder: if a family participates in ministry, the most important thing is not how much they do outwardly, but whether they fear the Lord together inwardly. Aaron’s household was a priestly family. They carried responsibility for the sanctuary and stood before the people. When such a family loses reverence, holy things can begin to feel ordinary, and God’s commands can be treated as something people may handle casually.

In marriage, husband and wife are not only life companions; they may also become spiritual watchmen for one another. We need to learn to remind one another rather than enable one another, to support one another rather than grow careless together, to exhort one another rather than merely protect appearances. Especially when a family is involved in ministry, teaching, leadership, worship, or any spiritual work, it is important to return often to the Lord and ask: Are we glorifying God, or displaying ourselves? Are we obeying His Word, or doing religious things in our own way?

Leviticus Chapter 10 also shows us Aaron’s silence. He lost two sons, yet stood still before the holiness of God. His silence did not mean the absence of pain. It showed that in a moment of great trembling, he acknowledged that God is holy. For every serving family, this chapter is a deep warning: it is grace that God allows us to draw near to Him, and when we draw near, we must do so with reverence.

Today’s theme, “Family Reverence After Nadab and Abihu,” invites us to reflect: In marriage, family, and ministry, do we still honor God as God? Are we willing to let His Word govern our zeal, habits, decisions, and ways of serving? A truly blessed family is not merely a family that does many things together, but one that fears God together, obeys God together, and seeks God’s glory together.

Whispers for the Heart

1 Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire, which the Lord had not commanded. In your life or ministry, have you ever allowed your own zeal, habits, or ideas to replace God’s clear Word? How does this passage remind you that true service is not “how I want to serve,” but “what pleases God”?

2 Aaron’s family was a priestly household, yet at the beginning of their ministry they experienced a profound shaking. If your family, marriage, or ministry carries spiritual responsibility, do you and your loved ones often remind one another to fear the Lord? Or is it easy for busyness, familiarity, or pressure to make holy things feel casual?

3 In marriage, we may sometimes avoid reminding one another because we want to keep outward peace. We may also avoid facing problems because of pride or fear of embarrassment. Is God inviting you to become a spiritual watchman for your spouse with gentleness and reverence, rather than becoming someone who silently enables carelessness?

As you read Leviticus Chapter 10 today, bring these questions before the Lord. Though this chapter is sobering, it helps us see again the holiness of ministry, the spiritual responsibility of the family, and the importance of mutual watchfulness in marriage. May God remind us through this passage that the nearer we come in service, the more we must not lose reverence.

Take a quiet breath before you begin. Bring your family, marriage, ministry, zeal, habits, and hidden carelessness before the Lord, and let His Word meet you there.

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🪕 Response Hymn: 

Leviticus Chapter 10 (KJV)

10 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.

2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled.

7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

8 And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,

9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:

13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire: for so I am commanded.

14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons' due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.

15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the Lord; and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute for ever; as the Lord hath commanded.

16 And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,

17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord?

18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

19 And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?

20 And when Moses heard that, he was content.

🪕 Response Hymn: 

💡 Closing Thought · The Nearer We Serve, the More We Need Reverence

After reading Leviticus Chapter 10, we see that the story of Nadab and Abihu is not only a distant and unfamiliar Old Testament account. It is a serious reminder for all who draw near to God and serve Him. The closer we come to the sanctuary, the more we must not lose reverence. The more spiritual responsibility we carry, the more we must not treat God’s commands casually.

As we close this page and return to our own families, marriages, and ministry, we may not stand before an altar offering sacrifices. But we do make decisions at home, serve in church, set examples before children, live out faith before our spouses, and choose in daily life whether to honor the Lord as holy. Remember this: the true foundation of a serving family is not how much it does, but whether it fears the Lord together.

May today’s Scripture remind you not to let familiarity produce carelessness, not to let busyness replace reverence, and not to let ministry lose holiness. May your home become a humble, pure, obedient, and reverent home before God. May you and those you love learn together that in drawing near to God, He must be sanctified, and He must receive glory.

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