DIVINE DISTANCING

There are some interesting mandates from God about distancing.

+”Don’t eat the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden.”
So how much distance should Adam and Eve keep from the fruit and the tree?
Apparently more than they did—but they blew it before they touched or ate—got too close just listening.*

+”Take off your shoes, for the place you are standing is holy ground.”
How much distance should Moses keep from the burning bush?
Rest assured, Moses did not treat casually getting so close to the presence of God.*

+”Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of God . . . go forward.”
Israel was a very short distance from a miracle they could not see, about to happen in front of them.
Israel was also a very short distance from the fearful enemy behind, out to get them.
But God . . .*

+Israel at Mt. Sinai, “Take heed, that you do not go up to the mountain, . . . whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.”
The people kept their distance, because the greatest fireworks in history on Mt. Sinai blew them away with fear—from God, on purpose.
And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, for God has come to prove you, that His fear may be before your faces, that you sin not.”*

+Don’t touch the Ark of the Covenant!—“The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark.”
Even “David was afraid of God that day.”
So, keep your distance, or else.
Hmmm.*

+”Touch not the unclean thing.”
So how much distance must we keep from unclean things, from sin, from evil.
“Flee sexual sins.”
“Flee idols.”
“Flee youthful lusts.”
“I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.”
RUN—simply, put as much distance as you can, as fast as you can, between you and evil, temptation, sin.
If God says, “FLEE!”—that means you already had a close call.
Do your very best to keep as much distance as you can from life’s pitfalls, not courting disaster close to the cliffs.

*Same for us?—to fear, or not to fear—take heed, on what basis we expect to get close to God—on what basis we expect a miracle from God.