Revelation, or how God reveals God's self to the Jewish people, is a concept we will be discussing throughout this year. An example of revelation is God appearing to Moses in the burning bush:
(ב) וַ֠יֵּרָא מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֵלָ֛יו בְּלַבַּת־אֵ֖שׁ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֑ה וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַסְּנֶה֙ בֹּעֵ֣ר בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְהַסְּנֶ֖ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֻכָּֽל׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אָסֻֽרָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה אֶת־הַמַּרְאֶ֥ה הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה מַדּ֖וּעַ לֹא־יִבְעַ֥ר הַסְּנֶֽה׃ (ד) וַיַּ֥רְא יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י סָ֣ר לִרְא֑וֹת וַיִּקְרָא֩ אֵלָ֨יו אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֗ה וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֥ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (ה) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תִּקְרַ֣ב הֲלֹ֑ם שַׁל־נְעָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔יךָ כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עוֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו אַדְמַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ הֽוּא׃
(2) An angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed. (3) Moses said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn’t the bush burn up?” (4) When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” (5) And He said, “Do not come closer. Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground.
Read through the example from Exodus 3:2-5. Consider this second text from Joshua 5:15. How does God reveal God's self in these examples?
(טו) וַיֹּאמֶר֩ שַׂר־צְבָ֨א יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ שַׁל־נַֽעַלְךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔ךָ כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה עֹמֵ֥ד עָלָ֖יו קֹ֣דֶשׁ ה֑וּא וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ כֵּֽן׃
Why do you think God or God's messenger asks Moses and Joshua to remove their shoes? What is the significance of being on holy ground? Now listen to Craig Taubman's "Holy Ground", you can follow along with the lyrics below.
Lyrics to Craig Taubman's Holy Ground:
Every second, every minute,
Every hour, every day,
Every thing, every one, every place, every way,
Where you walk, where you stand,
Where you love, where you praise,
All of life is holy ground.
Every he, every she, every what, evrey who,
It’s in her, it’s in them, it’s in me, it’s in you,
In the bitter, in the sweet, in the calm, in the storm,
All of life is holy ground.
CHORUS:
So walk as if it’s holy ground,
Breathe as if it’s all around.
Talk and make a holy sound,
Take your shoes off you’re on holy ground.
When you hurt, when you heal,
When you laugh, when you pray,
When you hold, when you keep,
When you give it away,
Evey second, every minute, every hour, every day,
All of life is holy ground.
CHORUS:
BRIDGE:
We are one people, one story, one tapestry we weave.
One journey, one glory, one legacy we leave.
Every second, every minute,
Every hour, every day,
Every thing, every one, every place, every way,
Where you walk, where you stand,
Where you love, where you praise,
All of life is holy ground.
Can you feel the holy ground?
Take your shoes off…..
You’re on holy ground.
Compare and contrast the two texts and the song. What are some ways in which we can honor God today, and "walk as if it's holy ground"?