Week #4: When Holiness Comes Close
Blog Series Intention Recap
Holiness is not a distant concept—it is the defining characteristic of God and the central call for His people - both Israel and the Church. From the throne room of heaven to the burning bush, from the tabernacle to the trembling heart of a prophet, Scripture reveals that God’s holiness is not just something He has—it is who He is. This four-week series explores how holiness shapes heaven’s worship, how it demands reverence on earth, and how it transforms those who encounter it. As we listen to heaven’s song and trace God’s holiness through Scripture, we are invited to respond with awe, obedience, and lives that reflect His set-apart character.
This page is a post in the series “Holy, Holy Holy: Understanding Holiness According to Scripture.” Click here to see the rest of the posts.
Let’s jump into Week #4:
Dying, Dancing or Going… Uzzah’s death warns us not to treat God’s holiness lightly, David’s restored reverence shows that joy must be rooted in obedience, and Isaiah’s vision reminds us that true worship begins with confession and leads to commissioning. God's holiness is never casual or comfortable—it is weighty, consuming, and set apart from all we know. When we encounter it, we are not invited to stay the same. His holiness exposes what is unclean in us, confronting our sin not to shame us, but to lead us to repentance. It humbles our pride by reminding us that we are not the standard—He is. And yet, in His mercy, He doesn’t leave us undone. He calls us to be holy as He is holy, setting us apart for Himself and giving us the grace to walk in obedience.
Why it Matters:
Holiness demands reverence: Uzzah’s death shows the danger of treating God’s presence carelessly.
Holiness moves with joy and fear: David dances before the ark—but only after learning to honor God’s instructions.
Holiness undoes us before it remakes us: Isaiah was broken by God’s glory, then sent by God’s grace.
Holiness is our calling: As God's people, we don’t conform to the world—we reflect the One who redeemed us.
Go Deeper:
Scripture Focus:
2 Samuel 6:1–15
Isaiah 6:1–8
1 Peter 1:13–21
A Sobering Scene
David was bringing the ark of God back to Jerusalem. It was a day of celebration. Songs. Dancing. Worship.
But then something went terribly wrong.
“Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there…”
(2 Samuel 6:6–7, ESV)
It seems harsh. Uzzah meant well. He was trying to help.
But God doesn’t measure intent alone. He had given clear commands about how the ark should be carried (Numbers 4:15; 7:9). It was never to be touched. Only the priests were to bear it on poles.
Uzzah died not because God is cruel—but because God is holy.
Casual Is Not Holy
David was shocked. He was angry. Then he was afraid.
“David was afraid of the Lord that day…” (2 Samuel 6:9, ESV)
He left the ark in someone else’s house. Only after seeing that house blessed did he try again—this time God’s way.
The priests carried the ark.
Sacrifices were offered.
Worship was full of joy—but also reverence.
David danced, but only after he feared. That’s the proper sequence.
We often reverse the order.
We celebrate before we listen.
We approach before we prepare.
We sing before we stop to be still.
But holiness reminds us: God is not like us. He cannot be managed, manipulated, or mishandled.
Isaiah’s Encounter
Centuries later, Isaiah had his own holy moment.
“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up…” (Isaiah 6:1, ESV)
The earthly king was gone. But the heavenly King was not.
Isaiah saw the Lord. He saw seraphim. He heard the cry that never stops:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3, ESV)
Sound familiar? The same cry from Revelation 4. Because God’s holiness doesn’t change—in heaven or on earth.
Undone Before the Holy
Isaiah doesn’t sing. He doesn’t celebrate. He collapses.
“Woe is me! For I am lost…” (Isaiah 6:5, ESV)
The word lost here means ruined. Isaiah realizes he doesn’t belong in the presence of a holy God.
He doesn’t compare himself to others.
He doesn’t defend his good deeds.
He doesn’t excuse his sin.
He sees God, then sees himself.
That’s what holiness does—it exposes. And it also cleanses.
Cleansed and Called
One of the seraphim brings a burning coal to Isaiah’s lips:
“Your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:7, ESV)
Only after that does God ask, “Whom shall I send?”
And Isaiah says, “Here I am! Send me.”
This is the pattern:
See God’s holiness
Confess our sinfulness
Receive God’s cleansing
Respond with obedience
Holiness doesn’t leave us crushed—it calls us into service. But never on our own terms.
Holiness and the Church
Peter picks up this same theme for the New Testament church.
“As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…” (1 Peter 1:15, ESV)
We are saved by grace—but we are called to reflect the God who saved us.
Holiness is not optional. It’s not for the “super spiritual.” It’s for everyone who belongs to Yeshua (Jesus).
“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16, ESV)
We don’t earn holiness. We walk in it because of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus).
Peter reminds us:
We were ransomed by Messiah’s blood—not silver or gold (v. 18–19).
We are strangers in this world—we live differently (v. 17).
We fix our hope fully on the return of Christ (v. 13).
Holiness is not about perfectionism. It’s about pursuit. We pursue the holy God who pursued us first.
How does this help me understand, “Holy, Holy Holy: Understanding Holiness According to Scripture?”
A Life Set Apart for God
Pursuing holiness means actively aligning your life with God’s character—responding to His presence with reverence, repentance, and obedience each day. Here’s some tips to help you to walk in holiness:
Approach God with reverence – Begin your prayers and worship by remembering who He is, not just what you need.
Confess regularly – Let the light of His presence expose anything unclean and respond with honest repentance.
Obey completely – Don’t pick and choose which parts of God’s Word to follow—honor His instructions in full.
Live set apart – Let your life reflect the God who lives within you—distinct in speech, purity, and purpose.
Living in light of God’s holiness means rejecting casual faith. We must approach God with reverence, confess our sin honestly, and surrender every area of life to His authority. His holiness shapes how we worship, how we repent, and how we respond. Like Isaiah, we are meant to be undone, forgiven, and then sent.
So don’t just admire God’s holiness—let it remake you.
