A Helicopter Trip Over the Old Testament - Part 16
- Word Of Life
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
A Helicopter Trip Over the Old Testament
Part 16
Moses -Part 2
Exodus 3 - Burning Bush
My Goal = That your faith grows more than your knowledge.
EXODUS 3
“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law…to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, [Mt Sinai] the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord [Jesus] appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, [Responded] God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. ... 8 I have come down [Christmas] to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey … [Very fertile land. “Milk” = abundant livestock & Healthy pastures “Honey” = Bee Honey a natural sweetener & Date syrup often called "honey"] 10 So now, go. I am sending YOU to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 BUT Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When [“When” = After] you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [all of them] will worship God on this mountain.” 13 Moses said to God, “Suppose [“What if?]
Q: How many “What ifs” are a part of your life?”
About 85% of worries never happen.
13 Moses said to God, “Suppose go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation. 16 “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’ 18 “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. 21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty- handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor… for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”
The Burning Bush in 2026?
Historically:
We cannot identify the original burning bush.
Traditionally:
Saint Catherine's Monastery preserves a bush claiming it is the original, but it cannot be proved.
[See video for images of Marie's trip to Mt. Sinai]
Why was the burning bush not consumed?
(Some Theories)
1. God showed Moses not to limit Him.
(God is not limited even by the ordinary laws of nature.)
We should never limit God.
(His peace goes beyond what you can even imagine)
“To him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
-Ephesians 3:20,21
Q: How have you limited God in your life.
2. A symbol of God's holiness
Fire often represents God's holiness.
(God's presence can sanctify rather than destroy [burn the bush] when He chooses.)
Sanctify = to make holy
God’s holiness is not something to be admired from a distance only.
Approach God’s holiness through prayer, reading his Word, living like Jesus.
3. A picture of Israel
If the bush symbolized Israel, they would endure intense suffering BUT would not be destroyed because God was present with them.
“We are hard pressed on every side, BUT not crushed; perplexed, BUT not in despair; 9 persecuted, BUT not abandoned; struck down, BUT not destroyed.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:8,9
4. To catch the attention of Moses.
"I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned."
-Exodus 3:3
Ie. (1 Kings 19:11–13) Elijah expected God in the wind, earthquake, and fire, but God spoke in “a low whisper” (or “a still small voice”)
After the miracle with the prophets of Baal & Jezabel chasing him.
“Speak softly & Carry a big stick”
Q: Do you make it hard for God to get your attention?
5. A symbol of God's sustaining power
No matter how much we suffer, God Himself will sustains us like he did Israel.
God will sustain you like he did Israel.
"Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.“
-Psalm 55:22
“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy...”
- Jude vss 24,25
God can use you even though you may feel inadequate, unsure, tongue-tied, and scared just like Moses.
*Always remember Ephesians 3:20
God is able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to HIS power that is at work within us…”
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