Exodus 3:2 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.

Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.

2, 3. the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire--It is common in Scripture to represent the elements and operations of nature, as winds, fires, earthquakes, pestilence, everything enlisted in executing the divine will, as the "angels" or messengers of God. But in such cases God Himself is considered as really, though invisibly, present. Here the preternatural fire may be primarily meant by the expression "angel of the Lord"; but it is clear that under this symbol, the Divine Being was present, whose name is given (Ex 3:4, 6), and elsewhere called the angel of the covenant, Jehovah-Jesus.
out of the midst of a bush--the wild acacia or thorn, with which that desert abounds, and which is generally dry and brittle, so much so, that at certain seasons, a spark might kindle a district far and wide into a blaze. A fire, therefore, being in the midst of such a desert bush was a "great sight." It is generally supposed to have been emblematic of the Israelites' condition in Egypt--oppressed by a grinding servitude and a bloody persecution, and yet, in spite of the cruel policy that was bent on annihilating them, they continued as numerous and thriving as ever. The reason was "God was in the midst of them." The symbol may also represent the present state of the Jews, as well as of the Church generally in the world.

JFB.

Exodus 3 Images and Notes

Brief Summary: The LORD appears to Moses at the burning bush, Moses is called to deliver the Israelites from bondage, The LORD says his name is I AM and He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, The LORD promises to smite the land of Egypt and to bring the Hebrews out with the wealth of Egypt.

Outline
1 Moses keeps Jethro's flock
2 God appears to him in a burning bush
9 The LORD sends Moses to deliver Israel
14 The Name of God
15 His message to Israel

Photo of the Sinai Wilderness

Ancient Customs
priest of Midian
take off thy shoes
holy ground
taskmasters
milk and honey
token
jewels of silver
jewels of gold
Egyptian raiment
VARIED PASTURE GROUNDS
SHOES REMOVED
SHOES TAKEN OFF
JEWELRY AT RELIGIOUS FEASTS

Quick Reference Map

Map of the Nile River and Egypt (Click to Enlarge)

Ancient Topics
the angel of the LORD
the burning bush
I AM THAT I AM

Ancient People
Jethro
Moses
The Angel
Canaanites
Hittites
Amorites
Perizzites
Hivites
Jebusites
children of Israel
Pharaoh
elders of Israel

Geography
Egyptians
The back side of the desert
The mountain of God - Horeb
This Mountain
The Land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Quick Reference Maps

The Exodus of the Hebrews

Mount Horeb

The Red Sea

The Old Testament

Exodus Resources

Moses and the Exodus
The Giving of the Law
The Tabernacle
The Wilderness Wanderings

Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.

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