Holy ground. To me, that is one of the most intriguing passages of the Bible. Moses turns to examine a bush that burns but is not consumed, when he encounters God. That's when God speaks, telling Moses to take off his sandals, go barefoot, because he is standing on holy ground.
That in itself begs a couple of questions. Why is this ground holy? And why does that lead you to take off your shoes?
After all, Moses could have reasoned, this isn't the first time I have been on this hill. Why are these sharp rocks holy today, and they never were before? The answer is God's presence. God makes the place holy.
At this point, I hear someone asking, "Isn't God everywhere? Then isn't everywhere holy ground?" The answers are yes, and no. Even though God is everywhere, holy ground is not. It is more than God's omnipresence that makes for holy ground. It is God's encounter that makes the place holy.
God specifically, personally spoke with Moses. It is the intimate encounter with God that makes the ground holy.
So why the command to go barefoot? I can't prove it, and you may have a better answer, but after struggling with this question for years, I have come to the conclusion that God wanted Moses to encounter Him fully. God called Moses to have nothing between him and the holy presence of God.
To take off your shoes in the midst of holy ground is daring. It is a scary proposition to be fully exposed in the presence of Almighty God. Adam and Eve couldn't handle it when they had sinned. They made loin cloths to hide their nakedness from God.
Sin separates. Sin turns us into very private people, people who want to hide. But God calls us to Himself. He invites us to encounter Him fully.
The burning bush was the first time God had declared the ground holy, and commanded sandals to be discarded. But there was one other time that God chose to repeat this lesson.
Joshua had watched Moses lead for over 40 years. He was a disciple, and an assistant to the leadership of Moses. God Himself broke the news to Joshua when Mosed died, and God Himself commissioned Joshua for the task ahead.
Joshua no doubt knew about the burning bush. The story had been told many times throughout the wanderings of the Israelites. I think Joshua wondered what it would be like to stand on holy ground.
The burning bush experience was a commissioning time for Moses. That was when God told Moses what He was calling him to do.
God commissioned Joshua to finish the task. His mission was to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, defeating all who stood in their way.
Just before the battle of Jericho, the Commander of the Lord's Army came to Joshua. If you don't know Who that is, check out the Commander of the army at the end of Revelation. The Lord told Joshua to take off his sandals. He was standing on holy ground. Joshua was having a personal encounter with the Lord.
Why do I share all of this with you? Simply to ask you a question. Have you ever been on holy ground? Have you had an encounter with the Lord? Do you know Jesus?
Both times, taking the shoes off was only the beginning. Both Moses and Joshua were being called into action by God. When God speaks to you, He calls you to action.
Have you experienced God's presence in your life? Have you known holy ground? When God calls, don't be afraid. Take off your shoes. Let Him be felt in your life. Take off the sin that keeps you away from sharing completely in His presence. And be ready. Because He is calling you to action.
Take off your shoes. Experience His holy ground!
That in itself begs a couple of questions. Why is this ground holy? And why does that lead you to take off your shoes?
After all, Moses could have reasoned, this isn't the first time I have been on this hill. Why are these sharp rocks holy today, and they never were before? The answer is God's presence. God makes the place holy.
At this point, I hear someone asking, "Isn't God everywhere? Then isn't everywhere holy ground?" The answers are yes, and no. Even though God is everywhere, holy ground is not. It is more than God's omnipresence that makes for holy ground. It is God's encounter that makes the place holy.
God specifically, personally spoke with Moses. It is the intimate encounter with God that makes the ground holy.
So why the command to go barefoot? I can't prove it, and you may have a better answer, but after struggling with this question for years, I have come to the conclusion that God wanted Moses to encounter Him fully. God called Moses to have nothing between him and the holy presence of God.
To take off your shoes in the midst of holy ground is daring. It is a scary proposition to be fully exposed in the presence of Almighty God. Adam and Eve couldn't handle it when they had sinned. They made loin cloths to hide their nakedness from God.
Sin separates. Sin turns us into very private people, people who want to hide. But God calls us to Himself. He invites us to encounter Him fully.
The burning bush was the first time God had declared the ground holy, and commanded sandals to be discarded. But there was one other time that God chose to repeat this lesson.
Joshua had watched Moses lead for over 40 years. He was a disciple, and an assistant to the leadership of Moses. God Himself broke the news to Joshua when Mosed died, and God Himself commissioned Joshua for the task ahead.
Joshua no doubt knew about the burning bush. The story had been told many times throughout the wanderings of the Israelites. I think Joshua wondered what it would be like to stand on holy ground.
The burning bush experience was a commissioning time for Moses. That was when God told Moses what He was calling him to do.
God commissioned Joshua to finish the task. His mission was to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, defeating all who stood in their way.
Just before the battle of Jericho, the Commander of the Lord's Army came to Joshua. If you don't know Who that is, check out the Commander of the army at the end of Revelation. The Lord told Joshua to take off his sandals. He was standing on holy ground. Joshua was having a personal encounter with the Lord.
Why do I share all of this with you? Simply to ask you a question. Have you ever been on holy ground? Have you had an encounter with the Lord? Do you know Jesus?
Both times, taking the shoes off was only the beginning. Both Moses and Joshua were being called into action by God. When God speaks to you, He calls you to action.
Have you experienced God's presence in your life? Have you known holy ground? When God calls, don't be afraid. Take off your shoes. Let Him be felt in your life. Take off the sin that keeps you away from sharing completely in His presence. And be ready. Because He is calling you to action.
Take off your shoes. Experience His holy ground!
