V.1-7 Everything which God does is perfect, everything which God gives man to do is quickly spoiled. No sooner is the privilege of going into God’s house, the tabernacle, given to Aaron’s four sons, the priests, than two of them disobey. Instead of taking fire from the brazen altar into the tabernacle, they used some other fire. The two eldest sons die. All worship of God must have the cross of Christ (brazen altar) as its source. Using anything of ourselves — like music, giving money, speaking about our good living — robs Christ of the glory which belongs only to Him.
V.6-7 There was to be no sorrow for the dead sons, for they died because of disobedience. People who think that this was not kind are not obeying God themselves. No one is as wise as God.
V.9-11 In Numbers 6, we read about those who became Nazarites for a certain period of time. They devoted themselves to the Lord by giving up things. Well, here were some of the same things. Wine would produce natural excitement. For us believers today, it means that nothing of nature can have any part in the worship of God. God’s presence only must be felt. Many people are stimulated by emotions, feelings, music etc. This is not worship.
V.16-20 If the blood of the sin offering was not taken inside the tabernacle, then the sin offering was to be eaten by the priests in the holy place. When someone amongst believers does something wrong, then the other believers must take that sin and confess it to God just as if they themselves had done it. Otherwise they might act with a hard, proud heart against the one who had done the wrong. They might set themselves up as judges without realizing it is grace alone which has saved them (Eph. 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)).