And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. (Exodus 3:2)
The bush was burning but it was not consumed. The fire of God does not destroy us - it builds us up. The fire of the world will consume us.
The Angel Of The Lord
When we read this expression, "the angel of the Lord", we should keep our eyes open. More often than not, it is the appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ.
The word "angel" means "messenger," and can apply not only to angelic messengers, but human men, and even Christ Himself. Some of the times that the term "the angel of the Lord" was used for Christ included
- Genesis 16, when God met Hagar by a spring in the wilderness,
- Genesis 22, when God met Abraham on the mountain,
- Judges 2, when God rebuked Israel,
- Judges 6, when God met Gideon as he was beating out wheat in the wine press.
- Judges 13, when God met with Samson's parents.
In these times and others, God was His own messenger. And here again, in Exodus, Moses will meet God.
Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. (Exodus 3:6)
This is the natural reaction of people who find themselves before God.
In Genesis 17, when the Lord appeared to Abram, he fell on his face as God talked with him.
In 1 Kings 19, we read of Elijah being met by the Lord when he was hiding in a cave.
In 1 Kings 19:13 And it came about when Elijah heard, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave...
In Isaiah 6, we read that the Seraphim in heaven, having six wings each, use two of them to cover their faces.
When Ezekiel was given visions of heaven and the glory of God, he fell on his face several times.
And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. (Exodus 3:7)
- seen...oppression
- heard...cry
- for I have known their sorrows
So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: (Exodus 3:12)
The Presence of God is a sign that the Lord has truly sent you
Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” (Exodus 3:13-14)
In the gospel of John, Jesus Christ made 7 "I AM" statements, each time proclaiming Himself to be God.
- I am the bread of life;
- I am the light of the world;
- I am the gate for the sheep;
- I am the good shepherd;
- I am the resurrection and the life;
- I am the way, the truth, and the life;
- I am the true vine
Chapters
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
- Chapter 31
- Chapter 32
- Chapter 33
- Chapter 34
- Chapter 35
- Chapter 36
- Chapter 37
- Chapter 38
- Chapter 39
- Chapter 40