What do you think of when you hear the word footstool?

A footstool is defined as something that you put your feet on to raise them off the floor or ground when you are sitting.


Today we refer to a footstool as an ottoman. Ottoman is considered the proper name. An ottoman is defined as a  low upholstered seat, or a footstool, without a back or arms that typically serves also as a box, with the seat hinged to form a lid.


But where did the word ottoman come from?


The  word Ottoman is a historical anglicisation of the name of Osman I. Osman I was the founder and ruler of the House of Osman. This was also known as the Ottoman dynasty. Osman's name in turn was the Turkish form of the Arabic name ʿUthmān (عثمان).


Uthman, also spelled Othman, is a male Arabic given name with the general meaning of "wise, most powerful, dragon cub". It is popular as a male given name among Muslims.


What I find interesting is that the Ottoman Dynasty no longer exists. That may be because they considered themselves as being more powerful than God or just felt they were powerful enough to do it on their own. 


Isaiah 66:1 in the Bible states, "Thus says the Lord, 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?'". 


In  Jonathan Caan's book “The book of Mysteries” he writes, “the earth is the place where God puts his feet! His resting place is in Heaven, He does not put his weight on earth and we shouldn't put our weigh on earth either.” 


He also writes,  “You live in a footstool world…It isn't the place on which you can rest all you weight or your well-being.  Its possessions are only footstool possessions.  Its issues are only footstool issues.  It's problems are only footstool problems.  And its glory is only a footstool glory. You don't sit on footstool glory. You don't sit on a footstool; you just place your feet on it…on top of its problems,  on top of its issues,  on top of its glories. You rest your feet on it…lightly. That's how one must live in a footstool world.”


The biblical point of the ottoman is the enemy is vanquished, humiliated, and completely at the mercy of the victorious king. So the imagery of Jesus using his enemies as a footstool means that he won and his enemies are completely subjected to him. So this means that Satan was defeated through Jesus Christ.


Revelation 20:10 states, “Satan is a defeated foe! By His death and resurrection Jesus Christ conquered death and Hell and Satan! And someday that victory will be complete, and "the devil, who deceived them, (will be) thrown into the lake of burning sulfur" 


John 10:10 states, “ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (eternal)”


Galatians 3:13-14 states, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.


Choosing Christ means we are resting our feet lightly on this earth, making it our footstool or ottoman, and not claiming it as our kingdom. We are choosing to live a heavenly path. Even though we have the struggles on this earth our peace of mind comes from knowing it is not our eternity.