The Burning Bush, Holy Ground Christian Wall Art

What is painted

A dry, rocky slope of pale limestone falls away beneath immense cliffs of gray and ochre stone that stretch back into a winding desert valley. In the left foreground, a small scrubby bush is on fire, orange and gold flames licking up through its branches, yet its twigs are still intact.

On a flat rock just below it lies a pair of worn leather sandals, set down side by side. The watercolor is loose and granular, in sand, ochre, slate blue and warm cream, with splashes and soft edges that let the white paper show through. There is no text on this print.

Put off thy shoes

The story is told in Exodus 3. Moses, who had fled Egypt years before, is keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro in the wilderness and comes to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appears to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, and the bush burns but is not consumed.

When Moses turns aside to see this great sight, God calls to him from the bush: “Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” In the same conversation God reveals his name, “I AM THAT I AM”, and sends Moses back to Egypt to bring his people out.

By painting only the sandals, the image leaves the viewer in Moses' place, standing barefoot before something that cannot be explained.

For a study, a church or a confirmation

The fire is small and the cliffs are enormous, and that difference in scale is what makes the image work on a wall: it draws you in close. This is a quiet, thoughtful piece for a study, a library wall, a pastor's office or a church classroom where the Exodus story is taught. Its desert tones fit well with wood and leather, and without any lettering it suits a modern or rustic interior.

It is a meaningful confirmation gift, a present for someone entering ministry or answering a call, or for a father on Father's Day. This Christian poster is printed to order in the US on heavy archival matte paper and ships unframed. A digital file is also available.