Moses' Encounter with God at the Burning Bush

The Biblical Account of Moses' Encounter

The biblical account of Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush is found in Exodus 3. The narrative describes how the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a blazing fire from within a bush, with the bush not being consumed by the flames ^[2]. This event occurred while Moses was tending his father-in-law Jethro's flock near Mount Horeb, also known as Sinai ^[6].

The biblical text emphasizes Moses' astonishment at the sight, prompting him to turn aside and examine the bush more closely. It was then that God spoke to Moses out of the fire, declaring Himself to be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ^[9]. This self-revelation of God is significant, as it connects Moses' experience to the broader narrative of Israel's history and the covenant promises made to the patriarchs.

Interpretations of the Burning Bush

The burning bush has been interpreted in various ways across different Christian traditions. According to Augustine, the appearance of God in the bush signifies the presence of God among His people, even in the midst of suffering ^[7]. In the view of some early Christian interpreters, such as Justin Martyr, the angel of the Lord who appeared in the bush was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ ^[11].

Jewish tradition, as reflected in the Babylonian Talmud, understands the burning bush as a symbol of God's presence and redemption. The Talmud connects the revelation at the bush to God's promise to be with Israel in their enslavement and redemption, both past and future ^{[10, 12, 13]}. This interpretation highlights the significance of the burning bush as a moment of divine revelation and commission.

The Significance of the Burning Bush in Biblical Context

The burning bush is not only significant in the context of Moses' call but also in the broader biblical narrative. Jesus references the burning bush in His discussion with the Sadducees, using it to argue for the resurrection ^{[1, 4]}. The New Testament account in Acts also mentions the burning bush as part of Stephen's speech, emphasizing its connection to Moses' encounter with God ^[5].

The bush itself has been the subject of some speculation regarding its identity. Easton's Bible Dictionary suggests that it may have been a mimosa or acacia, though the exact type of plant remains uncertain ^[3].

Theological Themes Emerging from the Encounter

The encounter at the burning bush introduces several key theological themes. The concept of a holy place is established, as God instructs Moses to remove his sandals because the ground he stands on is holy ^[2]. This theme is echoed later in the biblical narrative, such as in Joshua 5:15, where Joshua is given a similar command ^[8].

The revelation of God's name to Moses, "I will be that I will be," is another crucial aspect of the encounter. This name has been the subject of extensive theological reflection, with the Babylonian Talmud interpreting it as a promise of God's ongoing presence with Israel ^[10].

Conclusion

The encounter between Moses and God at the burning bush is a pivotal moment in biblical history, rich in theological significance and interpretive depth. It marks the beginning of Moses' call to lead Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land, and it has been understood in various ways across different Christian and Jewish traditions. The event's connection to broader biblical themes, such as the concept of holy places and the revelation of God's name, underscores its importance in the biblical narrative.

Sources

Mark “Mark 12:26 (BSB) — But concerning the dead rising, have you not read about the burning bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?”
Exodus “Exodus 3:2 (BSB) — There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Bush — In which Jehovah appeared to Moses in the wilderness (Ex. 3:2; Acts 7:30). It is difficult to say what particular kind of plant or bush is here meant. Probably it was the mimosa or acacia. The words "in the bush" in Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37, mean "in the passage or paragraph on the bush;" i.e., in Ex. 3.”
Luke “Luke 20:37 (BSB) — Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised, in the passage about the burning bush. For he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’”
Acts “Acts 7:30 (BSB) — After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 12, section 1: . Concerning The Burning Bush And The Rod Of Moses. 1. Now Moses, when he had obtained the favor of Jethro, for that was one of the names of Raguel, staid there and fed his flock; but some time afterward, taking his station at the mountain called Sinai, he drove his flocks thither to feed them. Now this is the highest of all the mountains thereabout, and the best for pasturage, the herbage being there good; and it had not been before fed upon, because of the opinion men had that God dwelt there, the shepherds not daring to ascen”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 13.--THE APPEARANCE IN THE BUSH. (part 1): 23. But when Moses was sent to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, it is written that the Lord appeared to him thus: "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will no”
Joshua (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Joshua 5:15: 5:15 Take off your sandals, for the place . . . is holy: This was what God told Moses at the burning bush (Exod 3:5). Joshua certainly recognized the similarity. This encounter would have encouraged Joshua of God’s blessing on Israel’s first action against Canaan.”
Exodus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Exodus 3 (introduction): Moses keeping the flock of Jethro at Mount Horeb, the angel of the Lord appears to him in a burning bush, Exo 3:1, Exo 3:2. Astonished at the sight, he turns aside to examine it, Exo 3:3, when God speaks to him out of the fire, and declares himself to be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Exo 3:4-6; announces his purpose of delivering the Israelites from their oppression, and of bringing them into the promised land, Exo 3:7-9; commissions him to go to Pharaoh, and to be leader of the children of Israel from Egypt, Exo 3:10. Moses excuses himself, Exo ”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128b.18:6: The Gemara proceeds to discuss the promise of redemption from Egypt that God made to Moses at the burning bush. When Moses asked God what to say when Israel asks him God’s name, “and God said to Moses: ‘I will be that I will be,’ and He said: ‘Thus you will say unto the children of Israel: I will be has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). The Holy One, Blessed be He, told Moses to go and tell Israel: I was with you in this enslavement, and in this redemption, and I will be with you in the enslavement of the kingdoms in the future.”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. LX.--OPINIONS OF THE JEWS WITH REGARD (part 1): TO HIM WHO APPEARED IN THE BUSH. Then Trypho said, "We do not perceive this from the passage quoted by you, but[only this], that it was an angel who appeared in the flame of fire, but God who conversed with Moses; so that there were really two persons in company with each other, an angel and God, that appeared in that vision." I again replied, "Even if this were so, my friends, that an angel and God were together in the vision seen by Moses, yet, as has alre”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128a.18:6: The Gemara proceeds to discuss the promise of redemption from Egypt that God made to Moses at the burning bush. When Moses asked God what to say when Israel asks him God’s name, “and God said to Moses: ‘I will be that I will be,’ and He said: ‘Thus you will say unto the children of Israel: I will be has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). The Holy One, Blessed be He, told Moses to go and tell Israel: I was with you in this enslavement, and in this redemption, and I will be with you in the enslavement of the kingdoms in the future.”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 9b.6: The Gemara proceeds to discuss the promise of redemption from Egypt that God made to Moses at the burning bush. When Moses asked God what to say when Israel asks him God’s name, “and God said to Moses: ‘I will be that I will be,’ and He said: ‘Thus you will say unto the children of Israel: I will be has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). The Holy One, Blessed be He, told Moses to go and tell Israel: I was with you in this enslavement, and in this redemption, and I will be with you in the enslavement of the kingdoms in the future.”

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