Commentaries:
<< Exodus 3:1 Exodus 3:3 >>
Exodus 3:2-5
Exodus 3:2-5 shows a principle regarding the making of something holy. Because God was present, the ground itself was holy and could not be approached in the ordinary fashion. God commanded Moses to treat it with a respect, a deference, that he would not give to something common. Interestingly, even though Moses knew there was something unusual about what he was observing, God had to tell him that he was on holy ground. Its holiness was something spiritual; it was not physically discernable.
The same presence of God makes the Sabbath holy, a cut above, transcendent, as compared to the other days not declared holy by God. God puts His presence into the Sabbath day for the sake of His people and His spiritual creation. The other six days are common and given to the pursuit of the mundane activities of life. Since God commands us to keep the Sabbath holy, we must strive to avoid those mundane things that make the Sabbath—or promote making it—into an ordinary day.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Fourth Commandment (Part One) (1997)Related Topics: Fourth Commandment | Holy | Holy Days | Sabbath | Sabbath as Holy Time | Sabbath as Spiritual Creation | Sabbath Holy to the Lord | Sabbath Keeping | Sabbath, Keeping Holy | The Fourth CommandmentOther Forerunner Commentary entries containing Exodus 3:2:
Genesis 2:3
Exodus 3:2-5
Exodus 20:8
Exodus 20:8
<< Exodus 3:1 Exodus 3:3 >>
Join 138,497+ readers
A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning
Consistent Bible study is hard to start.
The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.
Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.
What Does Exodus 3:2 Mean?
God's presence made the ground where Moses stood holy, setting it apart so it could not be approached in an ordinary fashion. God commanded Moses to treat it with a respect and deference not given to something common. Though Moses recognized something unusual, God had to tell him he stood on holy ground, for its holiness was spiritual, not physically discernable. This same principle applies to the Sabbath, which God's presence makes holy and transcendent above the other six common days given to mundane pursuits. God places His presence into the Sabbath for His people and His spiritual creation. Since God commands keeping the Sabbath holy, mundane things that make it ordinary must be avoided.