Holy Ground

Exodus 3:1-9

1 Now, Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. 3 So, Moses said, "I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." 4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5 Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." 6 He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 The LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. 8 So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 9 Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.”

I began reading the book of Exodus this week. At the beginning of Exodus, Moses, the writer, introduced himself as the son of a Hebrew woman and raised by the Egyptian princess to be a prince of Egypt. This story is very familiar to Jews and Christians. The story is a very strong example of the power and love of God. From a young age, Jews and Christians teach their children this history. This week, I delved deeper into the story. There are several things we should acknowledge and understand, things Moses learned, which we need to learn today. The main question, though, for this story is - Will we recognize God and what He sets apart for His purposes?

Before we study this passage in depth, remember that Moses was a Hebrew from the tribe of Levi. His mother laid him in the Nile River in a woven wicker basket coated with tar to save him. The Pharaoh mandated at that time that midwives kill male Hebrew babies because of the increasing number of Hebrews in Egypt. God had a plan for Moses and led him in his basket to the arms of the bathing Egyptian princess. While he was nursing from a wet nurse, who happened to be his biological mother, he learned of his Hebrew heritage. Once weaned, Moses was educated as an Egyptian. For forty years, Moses lived as an Egyptian, until one day he saw a slave driver beating a Hebrew worker. This enraged Moses and he killed the slave driver. Moses fled for his life and arrived in Midian. He traveled about 10,750 miles (6,719km) to arrive in the current lower Saudi Arabia. He traveled from Egypt on the Nile across the Sinai Peninsula then across the Gulf of Aqaba to a land inhabited by the descendents of Abraham’s son, Midian. Moses arrived at a well there and met seven daughters of the priest Reuel (Jethro) whom he defended from the shepherds. Jethro was not a priest of Yahweh when Moses met him. Jewish tradition says Jethro worshipped many idols before he believed. He offered a benediction to Yahweh in Exodus 18:9-10; this is when we recognize his acceptance of Yahweh as the true God. From Jethro’s daughters, Moses chose Zipporah to be his wife and for forty years, Moses tended Jethro’s sheep.

After Moses shepherded Jethro’s sheep for forty years, he saw a bush burning, but it was not consumed. This captured his attention. Where was Moses when he saw this burning bush? He was in the Sinai Peninsula, the west side of the wilderness as verse 1 says. Why he traveled so far from where Jethro normally kept his sheep we do not know. We do know Moses encountered God on Horeb, another name for Mount Sinai. What the writer of Exodus (Moses) told his readers is that an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush. God chose to use a weak, small thing, a thorn bush, instead of something grand, such as a cedar. He chose to use a shepherd and humbled man, Moses, instead of a trained leader of the Hebrews, like a priest. We need to realize, too, that in the Bible, people often recognize God as a fire, consider the pillar of fire that led the Israelites. The Old Testament identifies the “angel of the LORD” with God in many passages.

Moses said in the passage that YAHWEH God appeared to him in the fire. Moses turned from his path and went to examine this unconsumed burning bush, and that is where God called to him. Here is where my enquiring mind began to dig deeper. How did Moses understand it was the LORD speaking? How did Moses recognize the voice of the LORD? In retrospect, by the time Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch), he had a history with Yahweh and could recognize His hand out of hindsight. The question remains though, how did Moses recognize God’s voice when he was trained and had lived as an Egyptian for forty years and then lived with a priest of false gods for forty years? My answer, from personal experience, is when a thought or idea comes to your mind that is not in your line of thinking at the time or in your inclination, and is not contrary to the laws of God, you should consider it to be from God. Jewish teaching, Midrash, says when the voice you hear is like your father’s or mother’s voice – authoritative, calming, giving confidence, and giving hope – you hear God’s voice. Jewish teachers teach this to their students. The teaching makes sense, too, when you think about it. Moses understood God was speaking to him.

The remaining verses in this passage show us how else Moses realize God was speaking to him. Upon following his instinct, Moses turned aside to examine the bush. God told him not to come near the bush and to take off his shoes because the ground he was standing on was holy. He identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, too. God taught Moses three things here. Humankind cannot be too near God for His glory is too great for a sinful human to bear. When in the presence of God, you are on holy (set apart) ground. He is Yahweh, the One his mother spoke of to him when he was a toddler. Moses surely was overawed and humbled. The God whom his mother spoke of was speaking to him, one who had not followed Yahweh. His immediate reaction must have been to humble himself in the manner he understood from his days as a receiver of reverence, hiding his face and bowing low to the ground. Moses could have chosen to hear God calling him, but chosen not to acknowledge Him. Many people do that today. They realize God wants to lead them in their moral and life choices, but they choose not to recognize God’s glory and power and, instead, follow their own plans. Moses’ curiosity led him to the bush. His recognition of a voice not from himself led him to follow God. His humility led him to acknowledge God’s majesty and obey. Moses spirit spoke to him to recognize, acknowledge, and obey God. God’s presence set the place apart as holy. He called Moses for His purposes. From this point, God set Moses apart as His instrument of power, freedom, guidance, and provision.

Let's take a closer look at this encounter between Moses and Yahweh. Let's consider God's command for Moses to remove his sandals. This was a common custom in the Middle East and Asia at the time and continues today in places. It is a sign of reverence and respect for the persons of the house. With respect to God, this action is a token of respect and submission. Removing one’s sandals is the expression of inward reverence through outward behavior. By taking off one’s sandals before entering a holy place or holy ground, it keeps the dirtiness of non-holy ground from the holy and sanctified place. God taught Moses to prepare himself to be in His presence. We must understand, too, that the ground was no more holy than any other until God chose to meet with Moses at that moment in time at that place. The ground was holy because of God’s presence. Any place can be holy. God can meet people anywhere. The question is - are we prepared to acknowledge God anywhere and anytime. What would it take us to be in that position?

Moses learned quite a bit that day. He learned how God’s voice sounded. Moses learned how to approach God. He learned that anywhere God is He makes holy. Moses learned God uses the humble and weak to show His power and majesty. He learned God had a plan for Him. Moses learned to adjust his life to follow God’s plan.

We should learn the same three lessons - 1) recognizing the voice of God, 2) knowing that where God is is holy ground, and 3) knowing how to approach God.  We should be prepared at all times to be in God's presence, hear His voice, and obey Him. How do we do that? We should always recognize our sinful, finite, powerless selves. We should be humble, confessing our sins and need for God, and looking always to see where God is at work, seeking Him. If we keep an attitude of humility and realize God is near and may at any time reveal Himself and His will to us, we will be able to recognize, hear, and obey Him.

Do you need to adjust something in your life to hear God speak to you? Are you too self-focused and busy to see and hear God? Is God trying to get your attention? When He has our attention and we are listening, we are on holy ground. To be in a relationship with God, we each must attend to Him, by recognizing, listening, and heeding Him.

Be prepared for God to speak to you. Be humble and recognize God’s voice. Give reverence to Him and listen to Him. Be ready to obey what God tells you, even if just to “remove your sandals.”

God can make any place holy ground.

Are you willing to recognize Him and what He sets apart for His purposes?

Light Bearing

God’s Word brought to my attention again we who profess Jesus Christ as Lord are supposed to have the countenance of Him showing upon our faces. Considering that has made me think back to the last time someone commented upon the “shine of Jesus” in me. Has it been a while for you, too? Do not get me wrong; I do work for Jesus in the ministry to which He has put me. I do study His Word and pray regularly. Yet the question makes me think. 

In 2 Corinthians 4:6-7, Paul spoke about the light shining in the darkness and making the glory of God known. He, however, did not leave it at the “oh that” stage. He took it closer to home and stated, “We possess this precious treasure, the divine light of the Gospel…” (AMP) Wow, did that surprise you? How long has it been since you thought about being the bearer of “light?” What is this light? Have we ever really grabbed hold of it? Have we ever really considered we are supposed to bear light in our world every day? 

In looking back through the Bible, God’s first command was “Let there be light.” You may be wondering, what the creation of light has to do with being a bearer of the light. Well, let us continue on our journey. Consider this, before there was light, there was total darkness; nothing was visible. This prefaces God’s providing of light again later during the history of humanity. God’s countenance is so blindingly light; therefore, people cannot look upon His face.

Remember Moses, the man who saw a burning bush that was not consumed ? Yes, that is he. Moses was the one whom God called to Himself. He called him to the burning bush. God called Moses to climb Mount Sinai. Remember, when Moses came down from the mountain after being there 40 days, his face shone with the radiance of God. Exodus 34:29 says, “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hand, he did not realize the skin of his face shone and sent forth beams by reason of his speaking with the Lord.” [AMP] The Author of light became THE Light for His people. It makes sense since the creation of light pushed back the darkness of the earth, the word "Light" is more than a metaphor meaning to push back the darkness of humanity’s mind and circumstances. (Remember, the prince of darkness roams in our fallen world now and the Light of God must illuminate for humanity the error and depravity to which Satan introduced us.) 

Advance through history another 3500+ years and you find another Light coming in the world. John was the forerunner for this light, proclaiming His certainty before he had himself seen it. (See, it is not so farfetched an idea to think of Light in more terms than natural light of day.) John proclaimed in chapter 1 this Light was present in the beginning, at the time of creation, yet God did not create Him. He created the light. John said, now [at his time] the Light was coming into the realm of humanity to bring light/enlightenment for the world to see truth and return to the Father/Creator God. In John 1:9, John stated, “There it was – the true Light was coming into the world, the genuine, perfect steadfast Light that illumines every person.” [Amplified Bible] At that time in history, the Jews knew of the prophecies of a Messiah. They heard from Isaiah when God spoke with him and said, “He [God] says, ‘It is too light a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of the judgments of Israel; I will also give you for a light to the nations, that My salvation may extend to the end of the earth.’” (Isaiah 49:6 [AMP]) The Jews knew of this and other prophecies, so they clamored to John for baptism as repentance for sin; yet, they did not know Jesus. They did not accept Jesus to be the Light of whom John spoke. The Jews were eager for the Messiah but did not claim Him as their own. 

From that point in time onward, the apostles spoke of the Light often. Paul spoke of it most, but in a different context from what people heard previously. Paul and Barnabas spoke to the Jews in Acts 13:47 saying, “For so the Lord has charged us, saying, I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles (the heathen), that you may bring eternal salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.” [AMP] Further, in his ministry to the Gentiles, Paul spoke to the Corinthians and said,

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:5-7 [AMP])

The Light that separated darkness from day and the Light from the Creator/Author, became Light to show us, all humankind, the way in a dark world. 

Can the light that shone from Moses' face, Paul’s sermons and face, and the faces of Christians throughout the ages still be seen today? The challenge stands: when was the last time someone said your face was radiant after your time with the Father? Maybe it was just today. If it has been a while, then you need to do something.

Go back into the presence of the Lord.

Worship and adore Him.

Confess and seek forgiveness.

Thank Him for His hand is your world.

Commit yourself anew to His service.

The biggest thing, though, is to remain in Him.

Are you as near to the Father as Moses, Paul, and Abraham were or other people today, such as well-known evangelist Billy Graham? We are weak earthen vessels and we must strive to remain in Him. Yet God chooses us to bear His light. He does not choose us because of what we have done or can do, but because of Who He is, His power, and for whom He still wants to be God.

What is stopping you from bearing the Light?