Commentators unanimously highlight the profound irony of the event. The same divine fire that had just signified God's acceptance of the sacrifices (Leviticus 9:24) now becomes the instrument of judgment. As one scholar puts it, "By fire they sinned, and by fire they died." This demonstrates that God's holy presence is a double-edged sword: a source of blessing for the obedient and a consuming fire for the presumptuous.