The Fire of God: The Burning Bush of Fire
The Fire of God:
The Burning Bush of Fire
Scripture: Exodus 2: 23-25
Major Matthew Riley
Administrator
Atlanta Adult Rehabilitation Center
For the next few weeks, we will be looking at the fire of God’s presence.
A Shepherd in the Wilderness
For 40 years, Moses tended his fathers-in-law's flock in Midian. He married Zipporah and had a son named Gershon. While he was tending the flock, there was a transfer of power in Egypt. The king had died. Because of the bondage, the children of Israel cried out. And the cry came up to God. God heard their groanings and remembered His covenant. (Exodus 2:23-25) 23-25.
Notice in Exodus 3, starting at verse 7, the steps: “I have seen,” “heard,” “know,” “am come down,” and “will send.” The cry of the previous chapter is answered by God, “coming down.” Luke 18:7 says, “And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?”
Moses was tending his fathers-in-law's flock, and Scripture says he led them to the back of the desert, or wilderness, and came to Horeb, the Mountain of God. All who have done the greatest work for the Lord graduated there. Elijah ran to the wilderness because of Jezebel’s wrath and ended up at Horeb (1 Kings 19). Ezekiel at the river Kebar/Chebar (Ezekiel 3). Paul in Arabia (Galatians 1:17). John on Patmos (Revelation).
Often in the most desolate and difficult places, we stumble into Yahweh’s presence. Even in the daily duties of life, we should be on the lookout for Yahweh!
How the Mighty have Fallen
Let’s take a quick look at Moses, the man some say is mentioned as much or more than Jeshua (Jesus). He is a very well-known character in the story of God’s love.
Moses was born in the midst of great turmoil. Many incredible, life-changing, world-changing things are birthed in tough places. Moses was put in the river Nile, spotted by Pharoah’s daughter, who decided to keep the child. Moses grew up in Egypt, was well educated in all things, had the finest in living conditions, the most up-to-date styles in clothing and he walked around with a swagger that said, “He’s the man.” Can you imagine being born one thing then developed into something completely different? Only to find out that you can be dressed up, educated, have stuff, and find out that’s not who you are! All the trimmings don’t make men and women of God. You can have a certain style of look, but deep down on the inside, you are not what you are portrayed to be. You are not what people perceive you to be.
One day he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own, so he killed the Egyptian. He thought he got away with it, and the next day he saw two of his brothers fighting. It just so happened that one of them saw what he had done to the Egyptian and said to Moses, “Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” (Exodus 2:14b). Fearing for his life and with a bounty on his head, he fled and found himself in Midian hiding. He’s finds himself at a well helping some ladies get water because of some nasty shepherds giving them a hard time. To these ladies, he looks like an Egyptian. Long story short – he meets Jethro, who gives him his daughter to marry and his flock to tend. And it’s right there where Yahweh comes down in a burning bush of fire.
Fire symbolizes the guiding
presence of God among His people
Fire symbolizes many things in Scripture: The Holy Spirit, baptism, judgment, wrath, purification, testing, destruction, holiness, zeal, God’s presence, the Angel of the Lord.
Let’s focus on fire as the symbol of Yahweh’s presence.
In Genesis, God sealed His covenant with Abram by passing through the fire (Genesis 15:17).
During the exit from Egypt, the Lord appeared in a pillar of fire at night to guide them (Exodus 13:21).
In our passage today – God appeared in a bush of fire to call Moses (Exodus 3:2).
It’s here at the fiery bush that Moses
finds himself and is transformed
Moses realizes his true identity and is transformed by God – from shepherd to deliverer!
While meditating on this, the song “Defender,” sung by Francesca Battistelli, came to mind. Near the end of the song, a chorus is repeated, “When I thought I lost me, You knew where I left me. You reintroduced me to Your love. You picked up all my pieces, put me back together; You are the defender of my heart.”
Moses - thrown into a river, raised in a foreign land, a runaway to a foreign land, who now finds himself in the wilderness tending the flock as a shepherd - doesn’t know who he is. All that he’s been through and all that he’s done, and God appears to him in an amazing way – as a fire in the bush. What’s even more amazing is what this fire does to Moses. It’s here at the bush – this encounter with the fire, the presence of Yahweh – that Moses finds himself and is transformed by the power of Yahweh. In a moment, he realizes his true identity and is transformed from shepherd to deliverer of Israel. We all need a burning bush encounter.
God longs for us to be
in the fire of His presence!
In the Garden, Adam and Eve hid from the presence of God (Genesis 3:8) – God longed to be with them, then sin got in the way!
God is with Jacob (Genesis 28:16) – Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place.”
Moses prays for God’s presence (Exodus 33:14) – My presence will go with you.
David prays, “take not Thy presence from me” (Psalm 51).
Psalm of Asaph (Psalm 73:28) – “It is good for me to draw near to God.”
Psalmist says, “Come into His presence with thanksgiving” (Psalm 95:2).
David says “Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I hide from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7-12).
The takeaway is that Yahweh longs for us to be in the fire of His presence. Ever since the Garden, where he walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day, He longs to be with us. No matter that we think we are lost, He knows where to find us, has a purpose for our lives, plans to prosper us and not harm us, and give us a future and a hope. He longs to transform us into the men and women He created us to be. Yahweh took all that Moses went through, the highs and lows, and used it all so he could be His tool of deliverance for His people.
Our Corporate Prayer
Dear Lord, Thank You for this lesson from the life of Moses. He never expected You to find him in the wilderness but You never lost sight of him. You revealed Yourself to him through the fire of Your presence. Help me to know that You can meet me anywhere and through any circumstance, to reveal Yourself to me and what You want for me. Help me to listen, to be aware, to draw near as Moses did and then to obey. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Our Worldwide Prayer Meeting
Zambia Territory
Thinking It Through
Moses probably thought his life was over when he fled Egypt after and took up the life of a shepherd. But God still had a plan for him. Does God still have a plan for you? Yes, He does. Draw near and listen.Fire doesn't fall on empty alters.
Notable Quotables
There has to be a sacrifice on the alter for the fire to fall. If you want the fire of God, you must become the fuel of God. - Tommy Tenney
This is the song referred to by Major Rylie in his article by Francesca Battistelli, "Defender."
We would appreciate any feedback and/or suggestions on how to improve these devotionals. Please email comments to: SpiritualLifeDevelopment@uss.salvationarmy.org or by going to our website: https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/uss/spiritual-life-development.
We would love to hear from you.
Lt. Colonel Allen Satterlee
Territorial Spiritual Life Development Officer/THQ Chaplain
USA Southern Territory