"The Sign Of The Sandal"

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was an attestation in Israel. Therefore the near kinsman said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." So he took off his sandal. Ruth 4:7-8

I don't know about you but I've always thought that handing someone your shoe was a weird way to 'sign on the dotted line' as it were, and to make this whole agreement legal and binding. As I read the book of Ruth last week I was struck once again with this thought, "Why the sandal?" As I pondered this question the last few days the Lord began to unfold the answer and has showed me an amazing truth. The sign of the sandal is all about authority.

Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebonon, from the River Euphrates, even to the Western Sea, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand against you; the Lord your God will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, just as He has said to you. Deuteronomy 11:24-25 In Joshua 1:3-5 we find a repeat of this promise from God. "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.

The sign of the sandal in this exchange with Boaz and the unnamed kinsman is all about their understanding of their authority to posses the land where they tread. This custom of exchanging a sandal came about because of their knowledge of the promise of God, and that property was taken possession of by treading upon the soil; and therefore taking off the sandal and handing it to another was a symbol of that transfer of possession, the right of ownership, and the authority that goes with it. So, in this case, the passing of the sandal symbolizes Boaz's right to walk on the land as his property!

Both Moses, in his burning bush encounter (Ex. 3:5) and Joshua, in his face to face encounter with the Commander of army of the Lord (Joshua 5:15) were commanded to ..."Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." Not because the ground in and of itself was holy but because the Presence of God, standing there made it holy, made it His possession. Removing ones sandals was a sign of respect to a superior. It acknowledges their authority. John the Baptist alluded to this when he said, "He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. Mark 1:7 Interesting little tidbit here is that, a disciple was to do all the things for his master that a servant/slave would except this one thing that was considered too menial a task, loosing the strap of a sandal. Yet John felt he was beneath even that in Jesus' presence as he acknowledges with his declaration, Jesus as the Supreme Authority.

One last thought ...Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ...Ephesians 6:14-15 Interesting to note that you and I, the New Testament believer have been given sandals to tread ground with! We too have, not only the responsibility to carry the gospel, but the authority to go forth and do as Jesus said when he sent out the disciples, ..."And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." Matthew 10:7-8


So, tomorrow morning, as you reach down and tie your shoes getting ready for your day, know that, wherever you tread you have the authority to claim ground for the kingdom!