(All scripture quotations in this article are from the New American Standard Bible.)

"And the angel of the Lord appeared to [Moses] in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, ‘I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.’ When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then He said, ‘Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground’ " (Exod. 3:2-5).

My purpose in writing is to review from several perspectives this scene and draw from it a few principles that may refresh us as we consider them. I will discuss applications first to Israel, then to the Lord Jesus, and finally to ourselves.

In the burning bush God revealed to Moses His plan of salvation for captive Israel. It is remarkable to me that God conversed with Moses for some length of time (Exod. 3:4-4:17). This was God’s grace as He revealed to Moses His desires and allowed Moses to question and learn. This was the first revelation of God to Moses who was about 80 years old.

There is a distinct contrast between the fire and the bush. The fire owned an energy of its own as it did not consume the bush on which it rested. I see the glory of God in this, for His glory likewise has an energy of its own. However, we know that this was only a glimpse of God’s glory. Israel would await a fuller revelation of His glory in Christ, "the radiance of His glory" (Heb. 1:3). We too await His coming to see His fullest glory.

In contrast, the bush sprang from the ground, and had its nourishment from it. The lowly bush, a thorn bush, which otherwise was insignificant, was chosen by God as an object upon which to rest His glory. Of what value was the bramble bush but to ensnare Moses’ sheep? I am sure he despised thorn bushes and had rescued many a sheep from entanglement in them. The thorn bush is connected with the curse:"Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you" (Gen. 3:18).

Israel, too, had been captive and ensnared, yet God had promised to preserve them for the sake of the seed that was promised to Abraham until the Messiah came (Gen. 3:15; 17:1-8). This was His unconditional purpose for Israel’s salvation. "And thus all Israel will be saved, just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins’ " (Rom. 11:26,27). Therefore, whatever obstacle or enemy that was committed to their enslavement or extermination could not prevail. In addition, as the bush was not consumed, so Israel was not consumed in spite of their sinfulness. God in His holiness and righteousness could well have fallen upon them in judgment, but in His grace He looked forward to their being redeemed by the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus. What a wonderful type of the glory of God resting upon the feeble nation of Israel!

The burning bush is also a unique picture of Christ, who was_and is_perfect deity and perfect humanity. However, we must view the bush differently than we have in connection with Israel. Let me begin by explaining an important point as to the humanity of Christ. Humanity exists in three forms:innocent, as Adam and Eve were in the garden; fallen, as the corrupted nature of self-will is expressed; and holy, as the nature of God in the person of Christ is revealed. We could describe the human nature of Christ as like ours but sin apart. "In Him there is no sin" (1 John 3:5). In speaking of the Lord’s nature we can only think of it as incorruptible. Some have thought that the Lord, while here, could have been tempted and sinned. Hebrews 4:15 states specifically that He had been "tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." His humanity was indeed holy. He was announced as the "holy offspring" (Luke 1:35). For myself it would seem a most miserable situation to be saved and inherit a nature from God that was corruptible. I would be no better off. However, this is not the case, and we can trust that what is of God in us is pure, powerful, and unyielding to sin.

Returning now to the discussion of the picture of Christ, consider how God used the components of natural and supernatural to reveal His salvation. Just as Moses’ attention was attracted by the sight, people living in Jesus’ day were often in awe of the Lord. "Never did a man speak the way this man speaks" (John 7:46). From this, many were persuaded further to know who Jesus was and His purpose in incarnation.

The Lord did not draw His nourishment from the ground, as a bush, but drew His strength from above. "I have food to eat that you do not know about" (John 4:32). And in John 17:14 the Lord states, "I am not of the world." Although the Lord took part in the world here, He did not take part of the world’s corrupt nature. "In Him there is no sin."

In the most solemn of types we have the burning bush showing the Lord’s suffering on the cross where the wrath of God was poured out against sin (1 Pet. 2:24). The Lamb of God, as a perfect sacrifice, was not consumed, but made propitiation for sin once for all (Heb. 10).

In application to ourselves (I speak to the saved), we have Moses to consider. Repeatedly as the Lord spoke to Moses his weakness was exposed. Finally the anger of the Lord burned against him (Exod. 4:14). Moses was yet to realize that although he was a weak vessel, the power of God would be able to help him lead Israel out of Egyptian hands. God does not delight in our self-abasement or false humility. This is easy for us to fall into as opportunity for service to God is met with excuses like those Moses gave. But God has met our thorn bush condition, and given us power by virtue of new birth to be of service to Him. When we realize His power is resting on our weak and fallible nature we can and will be victorious! This is our source of power for overcoming trials and having victory over sin in our lives. "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline" (2 Tim. 1:7). "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves" (2 Cor. 4:7).

How do you feel about being in God’s presence? Moses was afraid to look at God (Exod. 3:6). But we can behold "as in a mirror the glory of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18). God forbid that this privilege should be taken lightly. May our response to this truth be a practical holiness that respects one’s Christian position. "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (1 Pet. 1:16).

And now a word to the unsaved before I conclude. The testimony of God reaching out to man is as old as man’s fall in the Garden of Eden. God was reaching out to communicate to Moses; and Christ came from glory to reach out to us. The Lord Jesus is truly a marvelous sight to behold. Do not let this opportunity pass by, but allow God to take your thorn bush life and make it a marvelous thing to behold.

FRAGMENT
We are in a world of criticism When one is injured or misjudged he can do one of four things:(1) Flare up and answer back; (2) be too refined to do this, but harbor and hold it; (3) be so Christlike as to forgive it; or (4) not only forgive, but forget! It takes a magnanimous person to be able to say, "I am too busy minding God and winning souls to remember an insult."

FRAGMENT
A little seed lay on the ground and soon began to sprout.
"Now which of all the flowers around," it mused, "shall I
come out?
The lily’s face is fair and proud, but just a trifle cold;
The rose, I think, is rather loud, and then, its fashion’s
old;
The violet does very well, but not a flower I’d choose;
Nor yet the Canterbury bell_I never cared for blues."
And so it criticized each flower, this supercilious seed,
Until it woke one summer morn and found itself_a weed.