God could have manifested his presence to Moses in any way he pleased so why a burning bush what's the significance of a bush on fire some think the burning bush represents God's Wrath and mercy some believe the bush represents the church hosting the fiery presence of God as a light to the world some think it represents the Jewish people who have endured the fiery Trials of Oppression but are not snuffed out still others think it represents the Virgin Mary and how she held the presence of God but was not consumed but upon further investigation there
appears to be several deeper meanings attached to the burning bush and this is what I love about God he doesn't spoon feed us all the answers he beckons us to get out our shovels and dig deeper for ourselves because it's the glory of a king to search out A matter God loves to manifest himself with fire at first God appeared to Moses Alone by a small fire in a bush calling Moses to his Destiny by telling him to free the Israelite people and bring them back to this mountain once Moses accomplished that God again appeared
by fire but this time Moses wasn't alone God appeared by fire in front of Moses and the entire nation of Israel and it wasn't hidden away in secret it was majestically and terrifyingly displayed on top of a mountain for all to see for the Lord your God is a consuming fire a jealous God Deuteronomy 4:24 let's look at what the burning bush is fire and wood now where else do we see fire and wood played out in the scriptures the death of Jesus on the cross what is the cross made out of wood and what
was the trial Jesus was undergoing the fire of God's wrath upon him God told Moses through the burning bush to lead the Israelites out of slavery of Egypt God through his son Jesus Christ and his death on the cross leads his followers out of Slavery to sin in Exodus 3:14 God says through the burning bush that he is the I am in the gospels Jesus said that before Abraham was I am Jesus could very well be saying that he was the one speaking through the burning bush and that could be one reason why the Pharisees
had such a drastic reaction another way the Cross of Christ is similar to The Burning Bush is that Moses walked away a changed man after his encounter with the burning bush just like Believers walk away changed after their Encounter With Jesus and seeing him upon that cross some believe that it is a symbol of God and his wrath as a consuming fire but also demonstrating his Mercy because the bush is not burned up or consumed wrath Mercy two facets of the character and personality of the almighty the people of Israel are often described as a
tree a bush or a plant as in Hosea 9 Jeremiah 11 and Romans 11 Jesus said is I am the vine you are the branches so it could be that the bush represents God's people many times the oppression of the people of God is described like a furnace so the fire could represent the oppression that they are undergoing due to being enslaved in Egypt and God met them in their hardship God seems to dwell strongly among believers who are in the midst of a fire the time when the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon and
Nebuchadnezzar had Shadrach meak and Abednego thrown into the fiery furnace but just like the burning bush they were not consumed and they were not burned up because of the presence of a fourth person who appeared in the fire with them and his countenance looked like the Son of God one thing we know for sure God comes down and meets us in our sufferings God's presence was within the bush that was engulfed by fire and we see this most powerfully depicted on the cross when Jesus was nailed to a tree and bore the fire of God's
Wrath for us in our place so that we would not be consumed the only way to stand before God's holy fire and not be consumed is to come in the name of Jesus on the basis of the sacrifice he paid for us just like Aaron's sons those who insist their alternative ways to do it will discover the truth the hard way a L will be burnt up in the consuming fire of God at the end of time all our fruitless deeds and dead works all the unrighteous who refused forgiveness and insisted on their own way
but you can draw near with confidence knowing that just like the bush you will not be burned because if Jesus is with you you can stand in the Glorious presence of God and you will not even be singed the fact that Moses never mind the bush didn't burn up is extraordinary in Jesus in the Incarnate deity we have a man who cannot be burned he can withstand God's holiness because he shares in that nature he is fully God yet fully man we cannot see God and live but the Messiah walked Among Us the burning bush
the fire and wood symbolizes both deity and Humanity there's also something to be said about encountering God's presence that makes people realize with horror that they are sinful and that standing before a holy God is dangerous there are many who Express great fear of seeing God or even being near him when Peter realizes who Jesus is he quickly says depart from me for I am a sinful man oh Lord Isaiah expressed his encounter with God like this woe is me for I am lost for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in
the midst of a people of unclean lips for my eyes have seen the king the Lord of hosts it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not they are new every morning great is thy faithfulness no film has captured the breathtaking Glory of God's majesty and his heartfelt empathy in the burning bush scene quite like the movie The Prince of Egypt I have seen the oppression of my people people in Egypt and have heard their cry stop it leave that man alone so I have come down to deliver
them out of slavery and bring them to a good land a land flowing with milk and honey and so unto Pharaoh I shall send you perhaps perhaps The Prince of Egypt can attract seeking Hearts through the Silver Screen that would never approach a wooden Altar and maybe just maybe The Prince of Egypt will lead a few people to the Prince of Peace [Music]
