“So, I used a different fire than what God authorized for me to use. What’s the big deal? Fire is fire, right?” “So, first God tells me to strike a rock and then He tells me to speak to a rock, so I just struck it the second time, too. What’s the big deal? Striking the rock was acceptable to Him before, why not now? Besides, we got the water, and that’s what matters anyway.”
You recognize that these could be sentiments expressed by Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-3) and by Moses (Ex. 17:1-7; Num. 20:1-13). What do these two incidents have in common? On both occasions, these men of God disobeyed a direct command of God. Notice the common thread in God’s response to both actions. “By those who come near to Me I will be treated as holy” (Lev. 10:3). “You have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel” (Num. 20:12).
To disobey God is to tread over the holiness of our God! Perhaps that is why we need to be reminded when we pray, “Hallowed be Your name” (Matt. 6:9).