This is a post about Moses and the Burning Bush. The climax of the story of Moses comes in Exodus, chapter 3 on the mountain of God when he sees the burning bush and hears the voice of God. Everything that comes before is pointing to the event. Everything that comes after flows from this encounter to the Exodus and beyond. As,we have seen in other stories we must resist the temptation to ask the “Greek” questions. It is not important to know what kind of tree it was! More important to heed the words of the writer to the Hebrews. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘“God is a consuming fire.’” Hebrews 12:28-29 It is enough to know that God caught Moses’ attention in an spectacular display. He speaks to him. As if the burning bush wasn’t clue enough he tells him to take off his sandals, “for this is holy ground.” The Lord continues explaining to Moses that He has heard the cries of His people in slavery down in Egypt. Moreover, he has chosen Moses to go get them! Then, for me, comes the crucial exchange. Moses asks God to tell him His name! I confess my first read of this years ago had me ask the obvious question. What did they call God before this event? The Bible doesn’t really tell us. Maybe some Hebrew form for our generic word “god.” In Genesis, God is called either Elohim, the Lord, or Yahweh. However, that is what Moses finds out in this lesson. It was written into the text much later than the event shared in Genesis. So, yes, I have told you. This was God’s answer. Tell the people that I Yahweh has sent you. It is the verb to be, literally ‘I am who I am.” This story is so important to me because it is a central part of my own conversion story. Although I was brought up in the church and had read the Bible from cover to cover, I had renounced and denied God following the death of my father when I was 17. I was teaching in a private school in Massachusetts when I had an encounter with the living God. One night all alone staring in the mirror after a shower I began a conversation with myself I asked, .Who am I and what am I good for?” My answer went something like this. “I am a son, but Dad is dead and I don’t get along with my mother. I am a brother but I rarely see or speak to my brother or sister. I am a teacher, but they learn more in spite of me than because of me.” Eventually I said, “Can’t I just be?” Then I heard a voice say,”Yes, and I Am!” It wasn’t until I was in seminary that I realized God had introduced himself to me, just as He had to Moses. I believe He will introduce Himself to you as well. Maybe in some other way that is personal to you. However, this is the great lesson. God is more eager to be known by us than we are to be known by Him! Question? How has God “spoken” to you?
