A Supernatural Interview
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25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
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Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 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 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father,[a] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
It took 40 years to get Moses ready for this moment. God knows Moses is ready, he is shepherd of sheep, now God wants a shepherd for his people. God has been shaping Moses for His purposes. Moses had to be faithful in the ordinary every day things of life.
This is a supernatural interview for the job of shepherd and leader of God’s chosen people. A job that will involve leading the Israelites out of slavery and into the promised land. Now he needs to get Moses' attention. Suddenly, he is confronted by God - it’s shoes off and face down time! Moses is standing on Holy ground. I present to you 3xNB’s to explore this passage - Nota Bene - Note Well
1. NB 1: Moses called by name
2. NB 2: Burning but Flourishing
3. NB 3: The Lord dwells in the bush
Called by Name
NB1 in Ex 3:4 God called to him. A Christian’s calling is personal. God never says ‘Hey you.’ He knows you by name. God communication with us is personal, 3:4 God called to him from the bush, ‘Moses, Moses.’
A Bush blazes before him, stem and branch glowing red in the flame but none is consumed.
[Could link this Holy Ground fire with fire and God’s presence that reoccurs in Exodus (EX 13v21, 14v19,, 19v18, 33v10, 40v38)]
Think about it, it did not burn out and it did not consume the bush and it did not burn Moses. ‘Ardens sed virens,’ was the Latin inscription on the stain glass window on the wall at Ahorey Presbyterian church. It means ‘Burning but flourishing.’ How I wish that for each of us, burning and flourishing. Moses was in the back of beyond, in the desert, then he saw the flame and he was burning and flourishing, he became one of the great Patriarchs.
Burning but flourishing
NB2 Notice, God does not need anything from us, he doesn’t need us as fuel to burn, but as the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we flourish – there should be no burn out if we are in the centre of God’s will. Moses was not burnt ou and the bush was not burnt up. Yhwh is all sufficient, he does not need us to fuel his flame and he will never burn out. That is because the presence in the bush is the Lord himself. Deut 33v16 ‘the blessing of him who dwelt in the burning bush.’
Does this meeting between God and Moses remind you of a New Testament story of flames that did not burn out. Yes indeed Pentecost.
In Acts 2:3 they saw what seemed like (supernatural again) ‘tongues of fire’ We do not usually think of that upper room outpouring as a visual thing – but it was visual – they saw. Imagine if I saw a flame come down into the room here and separated and came and rested on each of you. I would see it -- they saw it. Nor did it just rest on the wardens and the preacher, it came to rest on each of them. No-one was omitted that day. The flame in Ex 3 was calling one individual but the flame of the HS rested on all in that upper room and all of us, if we will seek that Baptism of fire. Matt 11:25-27 ‘Father you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children’ – that’s us! God has a plan for each person here today - a plan for you to burn brightly in serving God&other and flourish and minister for Him. The fire wasn’t burning up and wasn’t burning them but they flourished. We too, will flourish as the fire comes upon us.
The Lord dwells in the bush
NB3. Reflect on the bush that was not consumed by the flame. Some believe it’s appearance of the Lord (Jesus) God almighty. Think about this: if Jesus inhabits that stem & branches in the same way that he inhabited humanity at his incarnation in Bethlehem, then he will be 100% imperishable. In the same way that death on the cross could not hold him so the fire would not consume him. (Deut 33v16 ‘the blessing of him who dwelt in the burning bush).
Doesn’t that make you want to fall face down and worship him today and as we do that our fears should surely fade away. Look back to your life’s fiery trials and realise who it was who stood with you in those trials – ‘the bush burned but it was not consumed.’ The Lord calls out to you in your present fiery trials and what does he say to you this morning - ‘fear not for I am with you.’ God knows your whole life journey as he knew Moses 40-year prep for this ‘supernatural job interview.’ Likewise, today he knows you by name, he calls out to you (follow).
Cover Photo Jason Swain Photography https://jasonswain.co.uk/
