Long, long ago, when vengeance was called for, one of the victim's family members was designated as the one to carry out that act... he was called the "kinsman redeemer." If, for whatever reason, he could not execute justice, the tradition was that he removed his shoe and handed to the one who take that role in his place.
Even as a young man, Moses knew that he was called to lead God's people out of captivity and into the lands promised to their forefathers. And from what he did as a young man still in Egypt that perhaps he decided to use his own wits, training and charisma to free the Hebrews.
But when God confronted Moses in the desert, speaking out of a burning bush, He told the former prince -- and now shepherd -- to take off his shoes. Yes, this was an act of respect for the land which God had declared to be holy. And yet, there is a deeper meaning, for God's plan was to free His people Himself.
Exodus 3:7-8a
And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey
Did Jehovah use Moses in a mighty way to accomplish His plan? Absolutely.
Does He now use you and me to bring the Gospel to all people, thereby accomplishing His plan of salvation? Certainly.
But, Moses could not rescue God's elect, and neither can we. We must take off our shoes, as he did, and stop thinking that we are saving people. For the glory of that act must always be the Lord's.
Be encouraged,
José
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