Moses thinks that his calling is over after 40 years on the run. Then he sees a burning bush and has an incredible encounter with God that reveals a lot about who He is:

1.God is a Fire

“There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.” (3:2)

God is a fire but he doesn’t consume the humble. It’s to show us that He is pure, and not to be controlled. Who can control a mighty fire? He is God. The other peoples used their gods for their own ends, but the true God is not like this. We are to have a godly fear of Him. He wants us to have a God encounter.

2.God is Holy

Moses has to take his sandals off as it’s holy ground: the next thing God reveals is about His holiness. It’s related to Him being a fire. He is pure and just. He acts out of His holiness.

We are to be holy like He is holy. We can only call the people to a holy God if we too are holy.

Only then does God reveal who He is, the God of Abraham:

“Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’” (3:6)

3.God hears those who are oppressed

Then after revealing who He is, He reveals His heart, that He has seen the suffering of His people. He will rescue them (3:7). God can do no other because He is love and His character is to save.

When we are oppressed or we have a heart to defend the oppressed, God acts. He doesn’t just stand by.

A God encounter means encountering His heart.

4.God sends us!

God is all powerful. Yet he chooses us to do His work, despite all our imperfections. Moses had murdered an Egyptian but after humbling him, God chooses Moses to free His people (3:10). We are to be part of the solution to our desire to see justice.

5.God gives signs

God promises to be with Moses and offers a sign. It appears to be a strange sign because it’s not an instant one for Moses to see but a future one. A promise.

The sign is that the people will worship on the mountain (3:12). The sign is a helpful one because it’s based on God’s heart. Of course He will do it because He wants to draw close to His people and for them to know Him. So Moses knows that God can be trusted. He has a good reason for setting the people free.

God wants us to encounter Him and worship Him in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24).

6.God explains His Name

“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” (3:14)

This can be also translated “I will be who I will be” and comes after using the exactly same verb in 3:12, God saying, “I will be with you” (3:12) after:

“But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”” (3:11)

So how is God’s Name helpful to know?

God’s Name is His identity. So He is saying that He controls the present and the future and He will be with Moses and the Israelites, just as He was with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (3:15a).

“I am who I am”, that is His identity doesn’t change, so He is trustworthy. We are to trust Him because of who He is. This is the Name that He wants all generations to remember (3:15b). That is enough. God doesn’t need to prove Himself to us. We are to trust his character.

A God encounter is to know Him personally, His Name.

God encounters that transform

Let’s praise the God who is holy and who cares.

Let’s pray for a mighty God encounter

Let’s trust him to right the injustices in our lives.

Let’s pray for the peoples on the earth that are oppressed and expect with faith that God will act (Lk 18 and the Parable if the unjust judge).