| 3 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” 4 When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. 5 “Do not come any closer,” the LORD warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground (Makom)
Exodus 3:1-5
Introduction: The Place
Our world has been turned upside down. In the matter of a week, our kids have been sent home from school, our churches closed, store shelves have emptied, and our economy has tanked. It is a hard time to stop and think about God. But it is Jesus that we need most at this time.
Now is the time when our hearts turn towards Christ. We need the hope that comes from an eternal Father that loves us. Now is the time to expand our relationship with God and deepen our faith. Let me invite you to spare a few extra minutes and focus on this study. Let there be a blessing at the end of this trial.
Let us dig deep into our relationship with God. Think about the names we use for God. We nearly always use titles for God that describe actions He takes for us. Thus, we call Him creator, savior, lord, etc. The Bible presents us with a number of names for God, that we rarely use. Each one of these names is a unique insight into the nature of God.
There is a very ancient and profound name of God. This name is HaMakom. The name literally means “The Place”. What a strange name for God- The Place. It sounds like a neighborhood restaurant! The name has its origins in Genesis 28:11, as Jacob witnessed the angels of the LORD ascending and descending a ladder from heaven. This miraculous event is said to have occurred at hamakom. The Bible usually goes to great lengths to give us geographic details about events. In this passage, however, no specific location is given other than hamakom. The reason for this becomes clear in Jacob’s interaction with God. Jacob is in the presence of God and that presence changes everything. When God comes to a location it becomes “the place” because God is HaMakom. Our understanding of this process is expanded when God appears to Moses at the Burning Bush. When God appears the ground (makom) becomes holy and Moses is asked to remove his sandals. Later, at Mt. Sinai God appears to Moses as HaMakom, as the Law is given to Israel. The Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem were “the place” (HaMakom) because God’s name rested inside. Even in the New Testament, we witness the extraordinary power of God’s presence. When Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up the Mount of Transfiguration, they experience the HaMakom (Matthew 17:1-13). The Bible even concludes with this concept. Revelation 21:3 tells us, “the place of God is now among His people.” Heaven is another name of HaMakom.
What does all this really mean? And what does it teach us about God? Imagine if you will, a party in Hollywood. All the A-lister celebrities are in attendance. As the party progresses a new actor arrives. This actor is so famous and renowned that the others at the party say, “Hollywood has arrived!” The actor is so important that they represent all the best of Hollywood. The Bible is saying this of God. Where God appears becomes the most important, the most real, point in all the universe. HaMakom reveals to us the awesome reality of God. When He appears in a location, He changes the nature of that place and by His presence makes it the focus of reality. It is no longer any average location; it becomes “the place” once God has appeared. The Rabbis explain the depths of this concept, “God is the place of the world, and the world is not His place.” In other words, God cannot be limited to one individual spot. Rather, God transcends location, and He is accessible to all people in all places. Where God exists is “the place”. What does this mean for us? The Coronavirus has driven us from our normal places. Our lives have been completely disrupted. We are forced to retreat into our homes. Yet, we now can invite God to make our home “the place”. A place where we rediscover the miracle of our children, rekindle the love of our spouses and hear again God’s call for our lives. You are in “the place” to experience God.
|
