Topical Bible: Earth: God's Footstool

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The concept of the earth as God's footstool is a metaphorical expression found in the Bible, illustrating the majesty and sovereignty of God over creation. This imagery emphasizes the transcendence of God, highlighting His authority and dominion over the earth and all that is within it.

Biblical References

The metaphor of the earth as God's footstool is explicitly mentioned in several passages of Scripture. In Isaiah 66:1 , the Lord declares, "Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?" This verse underscores the vastness of God's presence, contrasting the immensity of heaven as His throne with the earth as merely His footstool, thereby diminishing human attempts to contain or limit God within physical structures.

Similarly, in Matthew 5:34-35 , Jesus instructs, "But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King." Here, Jesus reiterates the imagery found in Isaiah, using it to teach about the sanctity and seriousness of oaths, reminding His listeners of the divine order and the futility of invoking creation in their promises.

Acts 7:49 also echoes this theme, as Stephen, in his defense before the Sanhedrin, quotes the prophet Isaiah: "Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?" Stephen uses this reference to challenge the religious leaders' understanding of God's presence, emphasizing that God cannot be confined to temples made by human hands.

Theological Significance

The depiction of the earth as God's footstool serves to remind believers of the Creator's supreme authority and the proper posture of humility before Him. It conveys the idea that while the earth is significant as part of God's creation, it is still under His feet, subject to His will and purpose. This imagery invites reflection on the greatness of God and the smallness of human endeavors in comparison to His eternal plan.

Furthermore, this metaphor encourages a perspective of stewardship among believers. Recognizing the earth as God's footstool implies a responsibility to care for it as part of His creation, acknowledging that it ultimately belongs to Him. This understanding fosters a sense of reverence and accountability in how individuals interact with the world around them.

Cultural and Historical Context

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the imagery of a footstool was often associated with kingship and authority. A king's footstool symbolized his dominion over his enemies and his realm. By using this metaphor, the biblical authors communicated a familiar concept to their audience, reinforcing the message of God's unrivaled sovereignty.

The use of this imagery also served to challenge the prevailing religious practices of the time, which often involved the construction of elaborate temples and idols. By declaring the earth as His footstool, God asserted His independence from human-made structures and rituals, calling His people to a deeper, more authentic worship that transcends physical locations.

Practical Implications for Believers

For contemporary believers, the concept of the earth as God's footstool offers a profound reminder of God's greatness and the call to live in submission to His will. It encourages a life of worship that acknowledges God's rightful place as the ruler of all creation. This understanding also inspires believers to engage in responsible stewardship of the earth, recognizing it as a sacred trust from the Creator.

In prayer and worship, the imagery of God's footstool can serve as a powerful reminder of His nearness and His majesty, inviting believers to approach Him with both reverence and confidence, knowing that the One who rules from heaven is also intimately involved with His creation.

Nave's Topical Index

Isaiah 66:1
Thus said the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that you build to me? and where is the place of my rest?
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Lamentations 2:1
How has the LORD covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven to the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!
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Library

"That which was from the Beginning,"
... to see and look into this mystery, for there is something in it more wonderful than
the creation of this huge frame of heaven and earth, God's footstool! ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon ii that which was.htm

Chapter xvii.
... yet (I make the remark for the sake of the carnal) we must not think that heaven
is called God's throne, and the earth His footstool, because God has members ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/our lords sermon on the mount/chapter xvii.htm

Psalm XCIX.
... is My throne, and the earth is My footstool." [4522] Doth he then bid us worship
the earth, since in another passage it is said, that it is God's footstool? ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xcix.htm

Retirement
... Book First CXIX RETIREMENT. Fresh fields and woods! the Earth's fair face! GOD's
footstool! and man's dwelling-place! I ask not why the first believer [125]. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cxix retirement.htm

A Command to be Obeyed.
... in Ephesus in the long-ago is equally true for all believers on God's footstool
to-day. ... to be filled, not with wine, the fruit of the vines of earth, but with ...
/.../macneil/the spirit-filled life/chapter iii a command to.htm

Thy Will be done on Earth Also as in Heaven
... heaven and asserts that it is Christ, and Earth the church"what throne so worthy
of the Father as Christ? What footstool of the feet of God as the Church ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen on prayer/chapter xvi thy will be.htm

Aron, Brother of Moses, 486, 487.
... Earth, God's saints on, [304]48; lower places of, meaning of, [305]262; God's
footstool, [306]485; things of, cleave to Christians, [307]564. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/aron brother of moses 486.htm

In God's Name I Beseech You Let Prayer Nourish Your Soul as Your ...
... have built Him glorious temples and have striven and exhausted themselves to please
God by all ... "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool: where is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter viii in gods name.htm

Argument. --And That, Although Scripture Often Changes the Divine ...
... out arm;" [5042] or when it says, "The mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things;"
[5043] or when the earth is set forth as "God's footstool;" [5044] or when ...
/.../chapter vi argument and that although.htm

God's Dealings with Adam at the Fall, and with Cain after his ...
... were a bird's nest, and to whom heaven is a throne and earth a footstool; so that ...
And God, I suppose, with His keener vision, [3023] from on high was unable ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xxv gods dealings with adam.htm