MOSES AND THE BURNING BUSH Exodus 3-4
ONE DAY MOSES LED HIS FLOCK TO A GREEN PASTURE NEAR THE BASE OF MOUNT HOREB.
THERE HE SAW A FLAME OF FIRE SPRING OUT OF A BUSH. HE WATCHED, EXPECTING TO SEE THE BUSH BECOME ASHES, BUT THE FLAME DID NOT BURN THE BUSH.
'WHAT A STRANGE SIGHT!" THOUGHT MOSES. " I MUST TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS."
AS HE STARTED TOWARD THE BUSH, A VOICE CALLED FROM THE FLAME, "MOSES!"
AND MOSES REPLIED, "HERE AM I."
"DO NOT COME NEAR THE BUSH," THE VOICE SAID. "TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES, FOR YOU ARE STANDING ON HOLY GROUND."
MOSES KNEW AT ONCE THAT GOD WAS SPEAKING TO HIM, FOR IT WAS THE CUSTOM FOR A man TO REMOVE HIS SHOES WHEN APPROACHING A SACRED PLACE. QUICKLY HE STOOPED DOWN AND UNFASTENED HIS SANDALS. THEN HE HID HIS FACE, FOR HE WAS AFRAID TO LOOK AT THE FLAME AGAIN.
"I AM THE GOD OF ABRAW9 OF ISAAC AND OF JACOB," THE VOICE SAID. "I HAVE SEEN THE SUFFERING OF MY PEOPLE, THE ISRAELITES. I HAVE HEARD THEIR CRIES. NOW I AM COME TO DELIVER THEM FPDOM THE EGYPTIANS AND TO BRING THEM INTO THE LAND THAT I PROMISED THEIR FATHERS."
HOW GLAD MOSES MUST HAVE BEEN TO HEAR THIS GOOD NEWS! BUT THE VOICE CONTINUED,
"COME NOW, AND I WILL SEND YOU TO Pharaoh, THAT YOU MAY LEAD MY PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT."
MOSES ASKED THE LORD, "WHO AM I THAT I SHOULD LEAD MY PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT? THIS IS TOO BIG A JOB FOR ME TO DO."
"I WILL SURELY GO WITH YOU AND HELP YOU DO IT," ANSWERED THE VOICE. "AND WHEN YOU BRING THE ISRAELITES TO THIS MOUNTAIN TO WORSHIP ME, YOU WILL KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN WITH YOU."
MOSES SAID, "WHAT IF THE ISRAELITES HAVE FORGOTTEN YOU? IF THEY ASK, WHO IS THIS GOD? WHAT SHALL I SAY?"
AND GOD SAID, "TELL THEM THAT MY NAME IS "I AM", THE ONE WHO IS ALWAYS LIVING. TELL THEM THAT "I AM" HAS SENT YOU TO HELP them. WITH THE ELDERS OF YOUR FAMILIES, GO TO PHARAOH AND TELL HIM, 'OUR GOD, THE GOD OF THE HEBREWS, HAS MET WITH US. NOW LET US GO THREE DAYS' JOURNEY INTO THE WILDERNESS TO WORSHIP HIM."
