{Exodus 3:1-12}
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned." When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" He said, "But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."
[Rev. Dwight Yoo]
1) When Moses meets God
Moses is on the west side of the wilderness. This is fairly far from where he was currently living. This is not usually where he would be, but this probably was a result of his shepherding duties. It is here that Moses sees this burning bush. This is usually considered the point of Moses' conversion. He probably knew about God. But he didn't know God. Much like celebrities of today, we know much about them. But we don't know them.
2) What Moses learns about God
God meets Moses when he was facing the fact that his life did not turn out the way he expected or wanted.
God meets Moses through this burning bush... What does this mean?
God was the God over all nature and creation. God was able to take a bush, set it aflame, and keep it continually burning. A fire that does not consume is not natural.
God is a holy God. Fire is symbolic of holiness. God meets Abraham as a firepot. God tells Moses to take off his sandals. This is a sign of respect. Not only that, but Moses hides his face in terror. God is so holy, it is terrifying.
God is a personal & loving God. He calls Moses, "Moses, Moses". The repetition of a name is a term of endearment. God draws Moses near. He desires us to be near. He talks of the affliction of Israel and His desire to deliver them. God has a love for His people.
But there is a tension here. A terrifyingly holy God who has a heart for sinners. The holiness of God would cause sinners to die. So what then?
3) The Result of meeting God
We are humbled into His service.
Instead of everything revolving around us, our world begins to revolve around Him. We make God into this genie. We ask God for things & miracles, but we are not here to serve Him.
It makes us bold for His service.
God is with us while we are serving. This is not just the "comforting" God. He is also the God who parted the Red Sea, who does miracles. That is also the God who is with us. We can do all things in Christ.
Christian Medical and Dental Association
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