Ex. 3: I AM: Why The Bush Does Not Burn Up

All righty, Moses is tending sheep again, as Hebrews are wont to do. He's watching the flock of his father-in-law, referred to in chapter three as Jethro. Apparently, his nickname. So Moses leads the flock to Mount Horeb, aka, the mountain of God.

Suddenly, this bush catches fire. No big deal. Maybe lightning struck it, or it was so dry, it just burst into flame. But this bush is not consumed. I imagine that the flames were running through it, not consuming it. This is what fascinated Moses so much that he was like, "I will go over and see this strange sight - why this bush does not burn up." What an amazing signal to get somebody's attention.

"Moses! Moses!" God calls out from within the flames.

I see Moses standing there with his mouth open..."Uhm...here I am." Moses is not sure at this point who or what is talking to him...maybe.

"Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for this is holy ground." I always wondered what that meant. And how far does this "holy ground" extend? And what would happen had Moses left his sandals on? Would his face melt like the Nazis in Indiana Jones? Holy ground must have been a place of supreme reverence, where God Himself must have trod. Why would we need shoes to follow in His footsteps?

God tells Moses that He is the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, and at that, Moses hid his face, out of fear of looking at God. I wonder if this behavior was instinctual, or if it was learned. I wonder if someone told Moses and Jacob and everyone that to look upon the face of God was death?

God proceeds to tell Moses that He is aware of and concerned about the suffering of his people in Egypt. "My" people, according to the Word. God claims ownership, lordship over the Israelites. Well, God, why did you wait so long (however long it may have been)? Moses wasn't ready until now, apparently. God makes this part of His plan known to Moses. He will bring the people up out of the land, into the land of the Canaanites, a land of milk and honey. Hmm...animal byproducts. Must be some merit there if God Himself lists these as pros to moving somewhere.

"Moses, you are my man to go tell Pharaoh you all are shipping out." Moses probably choked on his bagel.

"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" Who was he indeed? Some no-name Levite, a murderer, expatriate, shepherd. Not exactly the shiniest credentials in comparison to the Pharaoh.

But God tells Moses, "I will be with you. And this is the sign. When you have brought them out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." Mount Horeb. Far from Egypt. Far from oppression and slavery. If God chooses someone for something, according to Ex. 3:12, He will be with him or her.

Moses turns his concern to the Israelites. What if they ask him who this God is telling him to bring them out of Egypt? I wonder if this was Moses' roundabout way of asking this God who He was for his own sake?

God says to Moses, "I AM THAT I AM. Tell them 'I AM' has sent me to you. The LORD, the God of your fathers." I AM will be God's name forever, how he will be remembered from generation to generation. Very mystical. I AM. I don't understand this. I AM. He is existence. He is. Just accept that? I wonder about this. Maybe the ineffable is something to be grasped. But maybe not.

So Moses is told to go assemble the elders of Israel, and tell them what God told him. They will listen to him. Then he and they should go up to the king of Egypt and tell him that God has met with them, and that they should go three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to God. Aware that Moses next question was going to be "How is Pharaoh going to let me do that," God tells him "the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. He'll let you go." God is basically able to do what he wants, and these signs are probably going to be sweet.

What about the Egyptians? God's got that base covered as well. God will use the Force to make the Egyptians nice to them. As ordered, every woman is to ask her neighbor for silver, gold and clothing, and these neighbors will feel this uncontrollable urge to just give away all their possessions to the Israelites and say, "Have a nice day." Pretty awesome.