Year of the Bible: Part Two of Twelve Sample

The Burning Bush.

The context where we find Moses is in the desert, alone, watching sheep for his Father in law. He came here to hide and is now 80 years old. He probably has reached a point where his former royal life seems so distant that it may have been something he dreamed. Moses deals with the consequences of his actions in Egypt (killing the Egyptian slave driver). He has accepted that this desert is where he will live and die.

In this passage, Moses comes to Horeb, also named Mt. Sinai. This mountain is known as the "Mountain of God" (Later, we will see God meet all of His people here, but for now, it's just Moses). Tony Evans says, "Moses's ordinary day was about to be invaded by God's extraordinary plan. Moses saw the bush and decided to investigate. God often reveals His special presence in the contradictions of life."

We see here that a murderer (Moses) is hiding, and God goes and finds him. God commissions him in the middle of the desert for a special task. When Moses realizes that he is talking to God, he hides his face. He knew how special this moment was, how Holy God was, and how unworthy, by human terms, he was to be having this encounter. God explains what is happening to His people and tells Moses that He want to use him to be the messenger to tell Pharaoh to "let His people go!"

This encounter with God is the culmination of Moses's life of odd experiences. In his Bible Commentary, Tony Evans summarizes the life of Moses thus far by saying, "...the Lord was still preparing him. He gave Moses forty years of uptown training in Egypt, followed by forty years of downtown training in the wilderness. That's what was necessary to get this shepherd ready to lead the sheep of Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land."

Question: What must Moses have thought when he saw this burning bush? How did he react when he realized he was talking to GOD? God took time to equip Moses for his mission. What is God preparing you to do, and what is God speaking to you about your current circumstance?

Prayer Focus: Whether you are in an "uptown" or "downtown" preparation period, you can be confident God is always seeking to equip and prepare you for what is ahead. Ask Him for fresh endurance and perspective to see further than you currently do.

Go Deeper: Here, the word "Holy" means unique. Often, our culture interprets holinss as a kind of "high and mighty perfection." However, when God calls the ground on which Moses is standing "holy" He means the space is uniquely set apart and sacred, becuase the space is intended for meeting with Himself.