Remove the sandles

[Christopher88]

I have always wondered something; when Moses' was about to hear from God at Mt. Sinai, he was told by God to remove His sandles; for the place was holy.
Now I know a building in it self is not holy but being in the presence of God is holy; why don't Church's require the removal of shoes?

 

[puritanpilgrim]

I don't know of another time when this happened. God's not more in the church than outside the church. Lilkewise, in the temple they never did this either.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Is the removal of shoes an admission of one's status

1) as a mere human being?
2) as socially lowly or religiously humiliated?
3) as guilty and convicted?

I am not convinced that in our modern culture, any of these indicators (which were commonplace in ancient days) say the things they once did. We note the action performed by Moses or Joshua, which include a stated cause, and cf. David 2Sam.15:30, Is.20:2,4; Jn.13:10.

Moses' being in the presence of God required some fit acknowledgement. Prostration was not demanded by God (though he might have called for anything). Rather, he is satisfied with this outward act of shoe-removal.

We also who enter into the presence of God must be given a token "washing," i.e. baptism. This is a one-time humiliation, and thenceforth we are reckoned clean. We humiliate ourselves inwardly. We do not read of the nation of Israel removing their shoes to stand in the temple. I question whether this was an ordinary encounter, and an ordinary act of worship.

 

[Jack K]

Joshua was also ordered to remove his sandals when he encountered and worshiped the Commander of the Lord's army outside of Jericho in Joshua 5. So it indeed seems to have to do with a special presence of God.

We do not encounter the presence of God in this way by stepping into a church building. The current thread on "Church Building - Sacred in Any Way?" has a lot of good comment on this.