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Remove Your Sandals!

“Remove your sandals from your feet!”

In many Asian and Middle Easter countries, it is considered a mark of respect if guests remove their shoes when they enter someone’s home. 

Aside from that mark of respect, removing your shoes before entering a home is an easy and courteous way to keep from tracking in mud and dirt.  This helps keeps the floors clean, especially carpeted areas of the home.

In the Bible, Moses and Joshua were both told to remove their sandals:

  • “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground.”  (Ex 3:5)

 

  • The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (Josh 5:15)

In both cases, they did exactly what they were told to do, they removed their sandals.    And while we can likely eliminate the possibility that it was done to keep the carpets clean, there was an important reason to remove their sandals and it had to do with God’s holiness!  

Some scholars would say that in the Old Testament, when God was present at a particular location, such as a temple or sanctuary or, in this case, the land itself, His holiness became associated with those locations.  Other scholars believe the location itself became holy.  Regardless, it is probably safe to say that when God was present, His holiness was there also.

As to why the sandals had to be removed, some scholars would say that we can’t be totally sure of the original meaning.  It may have been a gesture that honored the associated holiness of the land.  I think it’s safe to say that when Moses and Joshua were both commanded to remove their sandals, they removed them out of obedience to God.  And, based on what we know about Moses and Joshua, we can probably assume that the removal of their sandals demonstrated their reverence, humility, respect and submission to God.

While we may not find ourselves on holy ground today, it could be said that we figuratively remove our sandals when we come into His presence with a heart that is reverent, humble, respectful and submissive to Him. 

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