Exod 3:2-4
(KJV)
Exod 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush:
and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed.
Exod 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not
burnt.
Exod 3:4 And when the LORD saw that
he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the
bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here [am] I.
We see the Man of God Moses being called from his humble
setting as a shepherd for his father in law and given a heavenly mission – the redemption
of the Children of God – the precious tribe of Israel. This was not an easy mission
by any chance. The nation of Israel was numerous – numbering to about 700000
men alone, and along with the children and women, made up a substantial number
about 3 million. And they were a motley bunch (as are we!) – Leading them took
a lot of training. Moses was first trained with the pharaoh’s palace for 40
years (mainly to ensure he had the ability to record the foundational scripture
of the bible – the Pentateuch) – Then he was broken and trained with Jethro for
40 years before he was able to lead the nation.
Moses saw a vision which was probably common in that
wilderness setting. A burning bush – one can fathom that the intense heat would
occasionally lead to a bush burning. But here was a fire with a difference –
the fire was there – the bush was not getting burnt and consumed. Moses decided
to turn and see why the bush wasn’t consumed. This may seem like a small thing
for us, but in my mind, I see it as a key reason why the lord appeared to him.
The call of God is as meaningful as the mission. Here we see
the desire of God to find a man who has a healthy curiosity. Lord loves seekers – Even the truth seekers in other religions and ethics. If
you are a lover of the truth, be prepared to have an encounter with a God who
steps down from the heaven.
Heb 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is (God), and [that] he is
a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
In Exo 3:4, the word records that the lord called unto him
out of the midst of the bush when he saw that
Moses had turned aside to see. We are often on a journey to accomplish many
earthly things. But when we see signs of a fire (of revival) and of a godly
presence, we rush past that and ignore it. It’s almost like putting God on
mute. Pause. Be like moses, who turned aside to look at the burning bush. Take
a look around and see where the fire of God is burning and where the presence
of the lord is. Look beyond religious and denominational biases and come to a
real knowledge of God through his son Jesus Christ. In my heart, I see the
thought of Moses. He knew he wasn’t in the centre of his calling yet, and he knew a
visit from God was due some time. It is this anticipation which caused him to
pay attention to a divine activity and to inspect it and to finally hear God in
the midst of it.
For the believer who is IN Christ, this vision bears a great
meaning (and as scripture is so dynamic, it can have different related meanings
to us in different context). Any fire is enough to consume a bush. But a bush
which stands in the presence of the lord will not be consumed. I remember an
example that a preacher gave once. A man was caught in the midst of a forest
fire. He was cornered and survived the fire by starting an opposite fire.
Whether the incident is true or not, the example is clear – as the lord saved
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, once the fire of the lord is surrounding us, no
other fire can consume us.
God bless us as we wait in the joyful hope of the coming of
our lord and savior Jesus Christ.
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