Within the pages of Exodus, we also get a glimpse of God inviting humanity to join Him in accomplishing His plans. He speaks to Moses, but He also speaks through Moses.
Moses would impact a great many Israelites and Egyptians as he followed God and grew into a leader. But his experiences — propelled by his faith — point to greater themes of deliverance and redemption.
The book of Exodus offers an inside look at how God works — and how His story will continue all the way through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Here, we see a groundwork being laid that will prepare the Israelites (and us) for the redemption of humanity.
Moses, an ordinary man, was God’s chosen instrument. Yet God still conducts the orchestra, continuing to bring each part together at precisely the right time, in exactly the right way, for a powerful demonstration of His glory.
While tending his father-in-law’s flock in the desert, Moses had a unique experience: He saw a bush engulfed with flames, yet not burning up. The “remarkable sight” drew Moses close. God drew Moses close to speak to the burgeoning leader from the bush, calling him to rescue the Israelites from slavery.
Fire consumes. It envelops and destroys anything in its path in a powerful — and sometimes frightening — display. And yet, it also purifies and rejuvenates, allowing for new growth, even in areas that have been dormant.
"Moses, an ordinary man, was God’s chosen instrument. Yet God still conducts the orchestra, continuing to bring each part together at precisely the right time, in exactly the right way, for a powerful demonstration of His glory."
As God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, He told Moses to remove his sandals, as he was standing on holy ground. The place God drew Moses to was not sacred on its own. God’s presence made a nondescript desert place holy. God created a holy space to guide and direct Moses on the mission God was calling him to complete. A flurry of powerful statements followed about who He is and what He would do.
The God speaking in the bush was the same God Moses’s ancestors worshiped (v. 6). God heard the cries of His people in Egypt (v. 7), and He was sending Moses to deliver them from Pharaoh’s oppression (v. 10).
Understandably, Moses was overwhelmed (v.11). But God promised to be with Moses, and to bring him back to the very place they were standing as free and redeemed people (v. 12).
The words from the fire sparked a mission to renew Israel. It was an astonishing display of God’s presence. But it was only one of many to come.
Adapted from Exodus: Enter God's Story from the Storyteller series.
Exodus is the Rosetta Stone for unlocking the Old Testament and the thread of redemption throughout Scripture. In this new series designed to tell the fuller story of Scripture, you'll walk through the first 15 chapters of Exodus, and relive the experience as God hears the cries of His people and responds by sending a deliverer, ultimately giving us a pattern for recognizing His work in the world.