Voice From The Burning Bush

Stories From The Hebrew Bible
THE VOICE FROM THE BURNING BUSH

It must have been a great change in the life of Moses, after he had spent forty years in the palace as the son of a princess (Acts 7:23), to go out into the wilderness of Midian and live there as a shepherd. He no longer saw the crowded cities, the pyramids, the temples of Egypt, or the great river Nile. For forty years Moses wandered about the land of Midian (Acts 7:30) with his flocks.

He was a great man, one of the greatest men that ever lived. But he did not think himself great or wise. He was contented with the work he was doing; and sought no higher place. But God had a work for Moses to do, and all through those years God was preparing him for that work.

All through those years, while Moses was feeding his flock in Midian, the people of Israel were still bearing heavy burdens and working as slaves in Egypt, making bricks and serving the Egyptians. The king who had begun the hard treatment of the Israelites died, but another king who was just as cruel took his place. He was called by the same name, Pharaoh, because this was the name given to all the kings of Egypt.

One day, Moses was feeding his flock near a mountain called Mount Horeb. This mountain was also called Mount Sinai, and is spoken of by both names in the Bible. In the wilderness of the mountain, Moses saw something very strange – a bush on fire. It burned but was not destroyed. And Moses said to himself: “I will go and look at this strange thing, a bush on fire, yet not burning up.”

As Moses was going toward the bush, he heard a voice coming out of the bush, calling him by name, “Moses, Moses!” He listened and said, “Here I am.”

The voice said, “Moses, do not come near; but take off your sandals from your feet, for you are standing on holy ground.”

So Moses took off his shoes and stood before the burning bush. And the voice came from the bush, saying:

I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. I have seen the wrongs and the cruelty that My people have suffered in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their cruel bosses. And I am coming to set them free from the land of the Egyptians, and to bring them up to their own land, the land of Canaan, a good land, and large. Come, now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and you shall lead My people out of Egypt.

Moses knew that leading the Israelites out of Egypt, away from the power of its king, would be a great work. He dreaded to take up such a task; and he said to the Lord: “O Lord, who am I to do this great work, to go to Pharaoh and bring the people out of Egypt?”

Then God said to Moses: “Surely I will be with you and will help you to do this great work, and I will give you a sign of My presence. When you have led my people out of Egypt, you shall bring them to this mountain and worship Me here.”

And Moses said to God: “When I go to the children of Israel in Egypt, and tell them that the God of their fathers has sent me, they will say to me, ‘Who is this God? What is His name?’ So what shall I tell them?”

Remember that Moses had been out of Egypt and away from his people for forty years, a long time, and during that time he did not know whether they remembered God or not.

And God said to Moses:

My name is “I AM,” the One Who is always living. Go to your people and say to them, “I AM has sent me to you.” And you shall take the elders of your tribes, the leading men among them, and go to King Pharaoh and say, “Let us worship God for three days.” At first he will not let you go; but afterward, I will show My power in Egypt, and then he will let you go out of the land.

But Moses questioned God again and said, “What if they will not listen to me?” And God said to him: “What is that in your hand?” Moses said: “It is my staff.”

And God said, “Throw it on the ground.” Then Moses threw it down, and instantly it was turned into a snake. Moses was afraid of it, and began to run.

Then God said, “Take hold of it by the tail.” Moses did so, and at once it became again a staff in his hand.

And God said again to Moses, “Put your hand into your bosom, under your garment, and take it out again.”

Then Moses put his hand under his garment, and when he took it out, it had changed and was now like the hand of a leper. Do you think Moses looked at it with fear and horror? But God said to him again: “Put your hand into your bosom once more.” Moses did so, and when he took it out, his hand was like the other, with a pure skin, no longer like a leper’s hand.

And God said to Moses,

When you go to speak My words, if they will not believe you, show them the first sign, and let your staff become a snake and then a staff again. And if they still refuse to believe your words, show them the second sign; turn your hand into a leper’s hand, and then bring it back as it was before. And if they still will not believe, then take some water from the river, and it shall turn to blood. Fear not, go and speak My words to your own people and to the Egyptians.

But Moses was hesitant. And he said to the Lord: “O Lord, You know I am not a good speaker; I am slow of speech, and cannot talk before men.”

And God said, “Am I not the Lord? Who made man’s mouth? Go, and I will be with your lips, and will teach you what to say.”

But Moses still hesitated, and said, “O Lord, please choose some other man for this great work.”

Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses, and He said,

You have a brother, whose name is Aaron. He can speak well. Even now he is coming to see you in the wilderness. Let him help you and speak for you. Tell him what to say. Let him do the speaking, and you show the signs which I have given you.

At last Moses yielded to God’s call. He took his flocks home to Jethro his father-in-law; and then he went toward Egypt, and on the way he met his brother coming to see him. Then the two brothers, Moses and Aaron, came to the elders of Israel in the land of Goshem. They told the people what God had said, and they showed them the signs which God had given.

And when the people heard that God was concerned and knew their troubles, they worshiped Him. God had not forgotten them! We can always trust God to never forget those who call on Him.