Sunday School: Moses and the Burning Bush

Encore Post: Just like David, whom God chose to be King, Moses served many years as a shepherd before God called him to lead His people to freedom. Even though Moses did not think so, he was perfectly suited for the task at hand. Raised by his mother in the household of Pharaoh, Moses was fluent in both Hebrew and Egyptian, possessing the best education available in the world of his time. He was humbled by years as a shepherd and fully familiar with living in the desert of Sinai. He was the son-in-law of a tribal chief and so had resources available to him during the forty years of desert travel to come. Not confident in himself, Moses was able to trust God, Who alone could free the people from slavery. In the end, it is not Moses who saves Israel, but God.

Moses had left his old life behind. One day, while he was leading his flock near Mount Sinai, he saw a strange sight — a bush was on fire but not burning up. When he went to take a closer look, He saw the Angel of the Lord, the Son of God before he became a man in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Angel (the word means: Messenger) appeared to him in the burning bush. He identified himself as the God of his fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and told him to take off his sandals and not come closer. Abraham was afraid to look at the Angel, but he need not. The Son of God is the person of the Trinity that can been seen by mortals and the mortals will no die.

God told Moses that he had heard the cries of his people and would send Moses to free them from slavery and bring them to the Holy Land which God would give them. Moses was not at all comfortable with the task and so tried to stall and make excuses. Each time God had mercy on him and provided for him. God revealed his personal name, Yahweh. He gave Moses two miraculous signs — turning his staff into a snake and his hand leprous and healthy — so they would believe Moses. He provided Aaron as his spokesman. Finally, God promised to go with Moses — and he did.

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana

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