Exodus 3 - Burn Bush Burn - Desert Inferno!

 

Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the back of the desert and ended up at Horeb, the mountain of God. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. He looked and saw that the bush was burning, but it was not being consumed. Moses' curiosity got the best of him and he decided to go towards the bush to see why it was not consumed by the fire. From what we've seen of Moses' character in Exodus 2, we can't be surprised that he went to check out the burning bush. However, a bush on fire, but not being consumed would have peaked the curiosity of most of us. When the Lord saw that Moses was curious about the burning bush, God called him by name from the midst of the bush. Moses answered, "Here I am." Verse two says it was the Angel of the Lord whereas Verse four says "God". So, I googled. Some sources say it was an Angel speaking on God's behalf and others say that it was God, Himself. The subsequent Bible verses say "the Lord" or "God". The bottom line is that only God could cause an intense fire of a bush and the bush isn't destroyed by the fire. God told him not to come any closer and to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. Then God told Moses that He is the God of his father - the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look upon God. God acknowledged to Moses that He saw the oppression of the Hebrews and that He heard their cry because of the Egyptian taskmasters. God said that He knew their sorrows. God told Moses that He came down to deliver the Hebrews out of the hand of the Egyptians and to take them to the land flowing with milk and honey. He was taking them to the land of the "ites" as I call them - the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites.

God repeats that He heard the cry of the children of Israel and that He has seen how the Egyptians are oppressing them. God tells Moses that He is sending him to Pharaoh so that he can bring His people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. Moses says to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" Has God ever given you a task (calling on your life) that you didn't feel qualified to do? God promised to be with Moses. The sign to Moses that God sent him will be that when he has brought the people out of Egypt, he would serve God on that very mountain. Moses was to tell the people "The God of your fathers has sent me to you." Then Moses asked God what was he to tell the children of Israel when they ask him, "What is His name?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." God told Moses to tell the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you." He elaborated even more by saying, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: 'The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.' Moses was instructed to go and gather the elders of Israel together and tell them that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob appeared to him, saying, "I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt." Moses was also to tell them that God will bring them out of the affliction of Egypt to the land flowing with milk and honey, the land of the "ites". Then the elders would heed to what Moses said. Afterwards Moses and the elders of Israel should go to the king of Egypt and tell him that the Lord God of the Hebrews met with them and they should ask for permission to go three days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to Him. God told Moses that the king of Egypt would not let them go, not even by a mighty hand. Then God said that He would stretch out His hand and strike Egypt with all His wonders in its midst; after that the king would let them go. God also promised to give the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that when they left, they would not be leaving empty-handed. Every woman was to ask of her neighbor for articles of silver, gold and clothing. They should put them on their sons and daughters. They were to plunder the Egyptians. God basically told Moses what was going to happen. Sometimes God reveals to us what the outcome of the charge He has given us will be and sometimes we have to just go in faith knowing God is with us. Are you willing to still go and trust God when He reveals that you will face opposition in fulfilling His call on your life?

We're stopping at Exodus 4 next.

To God Be The Glory!

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