Burning Bush

LISTEN

Text

Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.

So Moses said, “I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.

So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.

Commentaries

The years of the life of Moses are divided into three forties; the first 40 he spent as a prince in Pharaoh's court, the second as a shepherd in Midian, the third as a king in Jeshurun. How changeable is the life of man! The first appearance of God to Moses, found him tending sheep.

This seems a poor employment for a man of his parts and education, yet he rests satisfied with it; and thus learns meekness and contentment, for which he is more noted in sacred writing, than for all his learning. Satan loves to find us idle; God is pleased when he finds us employed. Being alone, is a good friend to our communion with God. To his great surprise, Moses saw a bush burning without fire to kindle it.

The bush burned, and yet did not burn away; an emblem of the church in bondage in Egypt. And it fitly reminds us of the church in every age, under its severest persecutions kept by the presence of God from being destroyed. Fire is an emblem, in Scripture, of the Divine holiness and justice, also of the afflictions and trials with which God proves and purifies his people, and even of that baptism of the Holy Spirit, by which sinful affections are consumed, and the soul changed into the Divine nature and image.

God gave Moses a gracious call, to which he returned a ready answer. Those that would have communion with God, must attend upon him in the ordinances wherein he is pleased to manifest himself and his glory, though it be in a bush. Putting off the shoe was a token of respect and submission. We ought to draw nigh to God with a solemn pause and preparation, carefully avoiding everything that looks light and rude, and unbecoming his service.

The Hebrew expresses that this was his regular occupation. Understand by flock either sheep or goats, or the two intermixed. Both anciently and at the present day the Sinai pastures support these animals, and not horned cattle. Of Jethro, his father-in-law.

The word translated father-in-law is of much wider application, being used of almost any relation by marriage. Zipporah uses it of Moses in Exodus, it is applied to Lot's sons-in-law; in other places it is used of brothers-in-law. Its application to Jethro does not prove him to be the same person as Reuel, which the difference of name renders improbable. He was no doubt the head of the tribe at this period, having succeeded to that dignity, and to the priesthood, when Reuel died.

He may have been either Reuel's son or his nephew. The backside of the desert, behind or beyond the desert, across the strip of sandy plain which separates the coast of the Elanitic Gulf from the mountains, to the grassy regions beyond. He came to the mountain of God, even Horeb. Rather, the mountain of God, Horeb-way, or towards Horeb. By the mountain of God Sinai seems to be meant. It may be so named either by anticipation as the land of Rameses, or because there was already a sanctuary there to the true God, whom Reuel and Jethro worshipped.

A theophany is a temporary visible manifestation of the presence and glory of God. This may be in natural phenomena such as cloud or fire; furthermore, in a human form or in a prophetic visionary experience. It was an angel of the Lord that appeared to him; some think, a created angel, who speaks in the language of him that sent him. The second person, the angel of the covenant, who is himself Jehovah.

It was an extraordinary manifestation of the divine presence and glory what was visible was produced by the ministry of an angel but he heard God in it speaking to him. He saw a flame of fire; for our God is a consuming fire. When Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt was promised to Abraham, he saw a burning lamp, which signified the light of joy which that deliverance should cause.

But now it shines brighter, as a flame of fire for God in that deliverance brought terror and destruction to his enemies light and heat to his people and displayed his glory before all. This fire was not in a tall and stately cedar but in a bush. A thorny bush, so the word signifies for God chooses the weak and despised things of the world such as Moses now a poor shepherd with them to confound the wise.

He delights to beautify and crown the humble. The bush burned and yet was not consumed an emblem of the church now in bondage in Egypt burning in the brick kilns yet not consumed. Perplexed but not in despair, cast down but not destroyed.

The curiosity Moses had to inquire into this extraordinary sight. I will turn aside and see. He speaks as one inquisitive and bold in his inquiry; whatever it was, he would, if possible, know the meaning of it.

Things revealed belong to us, and we ought diligently to inquire into them. He speaks as one inquisitive and bold in his inquiry: whatever it was, he would, if possible, know the meaning of it. God called to him, and said, Moses, there had been no appearance of God to anyone since Jacob’s descent into Egypt, 200 years before and Moses, being addressed thus by name, must have been much more surprised by what he heard than by what he saw. Divine calls are then effectual when the Spirit of God makes them particular, and calls us as by name. He said, Not only to hear what is spoken, but to do what is commanded.

The invitation he had to draw near, yet with a caution not to come too near, nor rashly. God gave him a gracious call to which he returned a ready answer. When God saw that he took notice of the burning bush, turned aside to see it, left his business to attend it, then God called to him.

If he had carelessly neglected it as an ignis fatuus — a deceiving meteor, a thing not worth taking notice of, it is probable that God would have departed, and said nothing to him but when he turned aside God called to him. Those that would have communion with God must attend upon him, and approach to him, in those ordinances wherein he is pleased to manifest himself, and his power and glory, though it be in a bush; they must come to the treasure, though in an earthen vessel.

Those that seek God diligently shall find him, and find him their bountiful rewarder. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. God called him by name, Moses, Moses. This which he heard could not but surprise him much more than what he saw. The word of the Lord always went along with the glory of the Lord, for every divine vision was designed for divine revelation. Divine calls are then effectual.

When the Spirit of God makes them particular, and calls us by name. The word calls every one! The Spirit, by the application of that, calls, such a one! I know thee by name. When we return an obedient answer to them, as Moses here, Here am I, what saith my Lord unto his servant?

Here am I, not only to hear what is said, but to do what I am bidden. God gave him a needful caution against rashness and irreverence in his approach. He must keep his distance. Draw near but not too near. 

So near as to hear but not so near as to pry. His conscience must be satisfied but not his curiosity and care must be taken that familiarity do not breed contempt.

Solemn declaration God made of his name, by which he would be known to Moses. I am the God of thy father. He lets him know that it is God who speaks to him. To engage his reverence and attention. His faith and obedience for this is enough to command all these.

I am the Lord. Let us always hear the word as the word of God. He will be known as the God of his father, his pious father Amram, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, his ancestors, and the ancestors of all Israel, for whom God was now about to appear. By this God designed. To instruct Moses in the knowledge of another world, and to strengthen his belief of a future state.

Thus it is interpreted by our Lord Jesus, the best expositor of scripture, who from this proves that the dead are raised, against the Sadducees. Moses, says he, showed it at the bush, that is, God there showed it to him, and in him to us. Abraham was dead, and yet God is the God of Abraham; therefore, Abraham’s soul lives to which God stands in relation.

To make his soul completely happy his body must live again in due time. This promise made unto the fathers, that God would be their God must include a future happiness. For he never did anything for them in this world sufficient to answer to the vast extent and compass of that great word but having prepared for them a city he is not ashamed to be called their God.

The solemn impression this made upon Moses. He hid his face as one both ashamed and afraid to look upon God. Now that he knew it was a divine light his eyes were dazzled with it. He was not afraid of a burning bush until he perceived that God was in it.

Though God called himself the God of his father and a God in covenant with him yet he was afraid. The more we see of God the more cause we shall see to worship him with reverence and godly fear. Even the manifestations of God’s grace and covenant love should increase our humble reverence of him.

He lets him know it is God that speaks to him, to engage his reverence, faith, and obedience. Thy pious father Amram, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, thy ancestors: engaged to them by solemn covenant, which I am now come to perform. The more we see of God, the more cause we shall see to worship him with reverence and godly fear.

The notice God takes of the afflictions of Israel. Seeing I have seen not only. I have surely seen but I have strictly observed and considered the matter. Three things God took cognizance of. Their sorrows.

It is likely they were not permitted to make a remonstrance of their grievances to Pharaoh nor to seek relief against their taskmasters in any of his courts nor scarcely durst complain to one another but God observed their tears. Even the secret sorrows of God’s people are known to him.

Their cry. I have heard their cry it has come unto me. God is not deaf to the cries of his afflicted people. The tyranny of their persecutors: I have seen the oppression. As the poorest of the oppressed are not below God’s cognizance, so the highest and greatest of their oppressors are not above his check, but he will surely visit for these things.

The promise God makes of their speedy deliverance and enlargement. I have come down to deliver them. It denotes his resolution to deliver them and that his heart was upon it. So that it should be done speedily and effectually. By methods out of the common road of providence.

When God does something very extraordinary he is said to come down to do it. This deliverance was typical of our redemption by Christ, in which the eternal Word did indeed come down from heaven to deliver us. It was his errand into the world. When God doth something very extraordinary, he is said to come down to do it.

This deliverance was typical of our redemption by Christ, and in that the eternal Word did indeed come down from heaven to deliver us. So it was, according to its true and ancient bounds, as they are described and not according to those narrow limits, to which they were afterward confined for their unbelief and impiety.

He promises also their happy settlement in the land of Canaan, that they should exchange bondage for liberty, poverty for plenty, labor for rest, and the precarious condition of tenants at will for the ease and honor of lords proprietors. Whom God by his grace delivers out of a spiritual Egypt he will bring to a heavenly Canaan.

Moser Ministries