Unauthorized Worship

By

Shelby G. Floyd

February 27, 2010

We have a statement in the Book of Numbers that should cause all worshippers in the churches to take notice of with rapt attention:

“The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Those were the names of Aaron's sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. Nadab and Abihu, however, fell dead before the LORD when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons; so only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron” (Num. 3:2-4, NIV).

This is a reference to the death of Aaron’s two sons who “offered up strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded not” (Leviticus 10:1-3, KJV).

The key phrase is “they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him.” From the very beginning God has been very specific as to how man is to worship him. Cain’s offering was rejected because he did not worship by faith (Gen. 4:3-7; Heb. 11:4). David sinned when he did not make sure that the Levites would carry the Ark of the Covenant in the way God had authorized—with poles through the rings carried by four men. Instead, they innovated a new cart and were rejected for “unauthorized” worship (1 Chronicles 15:11-15). They “did not do it right the first time” and David made doubly sure they did it right the second time around!

God is the same today and commands us that we must “worship him in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). One glaring example today in many churches is the offering up of “unauthorized” music, such as instrumental music, instead of “singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19). God wants and has commanded “singing”—vocal music in New Testament worship today. From the first century to many years afterward that was the style of music in the churches. That is the reason it was called a-cappella—in the style of the church. Singing is still fashionable today among those who respect the word of God and what he has authorized in worship.