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.
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
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 Old Testament
Exodus Resources
Moses
and the Exodus
The Giving of the Law
The
Tabernacle
The Wilderness Wanderings