
Not Consumed
Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed. 3 So Moses thought, “I must go over and look at this remarkable sight. Why isn’t the bush burning up?” —Exodus 3:1–3 CSBz
Theologians believe that between the end of Exodus 2 and the beginning of Exodus 3, 40 years have elapsed.
This would make Moses 80 years old when he encounters the burning bush.
We have no indication that Moses expected anything extraordinary to happen this day.
It’s in this moment that he begins to notice something peculiar — though the bush is on fire, it is not consumed.
Holy Ground
When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered. 5 “Do not come closer,” he said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he continued, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. —Exodus 3:4–6 CSB
This was no chance encounter. God, through His providence, led Moses to the far side of the desert that day.
God did not meet Moses where Moses was, but brought Moses to the place where God was.
Even before God told Moses who He was, He showed him who He was.
For a few brief moments in time and space, this bush was the temple of the living God — the place of God’s presence on earth.
From the bush, the voice of the Lord calls out to Moses and Moses responds, “Here I am.”
With these words, Moses was not simply letting God know where he was, but was placing himself at God’s disposal.
Why remove his sandals? Because the place where he is standing is holy ground.
- Holiness = separation; set apart.
Here’s the problem… We (humanity) were made to gaze upon the glory of God — like Adam, who walked with God in the garden — but we are marred and tainted by sin.
- The only way for us to come into the presence of a holy God, is to become holy ourselves.
- This is why God sent Jesus — His one and only Son — to be our Savior.
Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him… —Colossians 1:21–22 CSB
Therefore, go.
Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors. I know about their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the territory of the Canaanites, Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 9 So because the Israelites’ cry for help has come to me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them, 10 therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” —Exodus 3:7–10 CSB
Here, through the burning bush, God begins to layout His plan to rescue the Israelites to Moses.
This is one of the great paradoxes of God’s sovereign grace: He uses sinful humanity to carry out His saving purposes.
God does His work through the work of His people, accomplishing His will through the willing obedience of His faithful servants.
Who Am I?
But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” —Exodus 3:11 CSB
Imagine the rush of emotions and flood of images running through his mind when he hears God telling him to go back to Egypt…
“Who. Am. I?” – The reason this question is so dangerous, is because it’s so easy for Satan to exploit.
He answered, “I will certainly be with you… —Exodus 3:12a (CSB)
The call to God’s service always comes with the promise of God’s presence.
If God had shown Moses that he was fully qualified for his calling, Moses would have been led to trust in his gifts rather than in his God.
The real question was not who Moses was, but who God was.
At This Mountain
… and this will be the sign to you that I am the one who sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.” —Exodus 3:12b (CSB)
Here’s what’s ironic about this “sign”… Moses would not see the sign before he undertook his mission, but after, because the success of his mission was the sign.
You see, Moses was still worried about going back to Egypt, while God already had His people rescued from Egypt and back at Mount Sinai, singing His praises!
God’s plan was not simply to bring His people out of Egypt, but to gather them in His presence to serve Him with their worship.