Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

his brother of the words of God, "Before all the people I must be
glorified." Aaron was silent. The death of his sons in so terrible a
sin--a sin that he now saw to be the result of his own neglect of
duty--twisted the father's heart with anguish. But he must not by any
show of grief seem to sympathize with sin. The congregation must
not be led to find fault with God.
The Lord wanted to teach His people to recognize and accept
the fairness of His corrections, so that others might respect Him.
God rebukes that false sympathy for the sinner that tries to excuse
sin. Those who do wrong do not realize the enormity of
transgression, and without the convicting power of the Holy Spirit
they remain partially blind to their sin. It is the duty of Christ's
servants to show these erring ones their danger. Many have lost
because of false and deceptive sympathy.
Nadab and Abihu would never have committed that fatal sin if
they had not first become partially drunk by freely using wine. They
were disqualified for their holy work by their intemperance. Their
minds became confused and their moral senses dulled so that they
could not tell the difference between the sacred and the common.
God gave the warning to Aaron and his surviving sons, "Do not
drink ... when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die."
The use of alcoholic drinks prevents people from realizing the
sacredness of holy things or the permanent authority of God's
requirements. All who were in positions of responsibility were to
maintain strict temperance so that their minds might be clear to
know the difference between right and wrong.
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