For most people, holiness is just a concept of being morally good. So God is holy because He is morally good. But this is only part of the concept of holiness. Firstly, theological holiness is always related to the existence of God. He is the source of holiness. The creative force that created the world. Interestingly, God's holiness brings a certain limit to a finite creation that is full of fragility and unholiness or defilement. Take the Sun for example: The sun is our source of life. But we cannot approach the sun directly. Standing outside at 1pm doesn't make us strong. Let alone approach it directly.
Such is the holy presence of God. He cannot be approached by us who are corrupt. The solution then is that one needs to become HOLY or HOLY. Morally holy and ritually holy. This ritual holiness is what the Israelites emphasised. One must separate oneself from everything that symbolises and brings DEATH. Such as touching people with skin diseases, carcasses, bodily fluids. This makes us ritually unclean, but it does not mean that we are sinful. It becomes wrong when in that unclean condition we waltz into God's holy presence. The Torah tells us how to purify ourselves before entering the temple.
But the meaning of holiness evolves. As it did for Isaiah in our reading. Isaiah was in the presence of God. He knew full well that he shouldn't be there because Isaiah, who may have been corrupt, could not come near a holy God. Then came Seraphim, heavenly beings, who flew to Isaiah with a hot coal and touched it to Isaiah's mouth. Then he said, "Your guilt has been removed and your sins forgiven." Somehow that ember from God sanctified Isaiah and removed his impurity. God's purity was transferred to Isaiah. It thus became possible for Isaiah to fulfil the mission of God. He was enabled to minister because of the initiative of God who had purified, sanctified and enabled him.
Bible friends, be blessed if we are still given the opportunity by God to serve Him. Indeed, it is not because of our greatness, but God Himself who enables us. This realisation brings a new attitude in serving Him, be it through His church or our daily life activities. We can be humble and depend fully on His provision. That is the essence of service and a life dedicated to Him.
