120220 - Exodus 02-03 - Moses: drawn out to dwell with everlasting burnings that do not consume

Monday SOAP: Moses, "drawn out," is drawn out again, this time out of humanity, to be enflamed, but not consumed away, by God's mission, to receive His direction and power, to be purified of the dross of his life, and to bring his own people to experience God's awesome power and glory. What intrigues us about the frankly, terrifying experience of God's burning holiness?

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S: 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).

O: A simple thought today on the way God chose to reveal Himself to Moses: what is more frightening than fire? Fire represents God's wrath, excruciating pain and complete destruction. It was the means of offering a sacrifice to God, and even the sign of His acceptance of the sacrifice in 1 Chronicles 21:26, 2 Chronicles 7:1 and 1 Kings 18:38 (possibly even Genesis 4:4). But it was also the wrath of God upon His enemies in 2 Kings 1:12 and 14. It was the result of His anger in Lev. 10:1-2. The fire at the top of Mt. Sinai terrified the people so much that they feared to have God speak to them, thinking they would die. (Exodus 19:18, Deuteronomy 5:23-27)

A: But Moses was drawn to the fire. Something attracted him to it, like a moth to a flame. You would think it would be terrifying. But something in the way the bush was not burned up attracted him. I've heard it said that the bush was a thorn bush, perhaps representing the curse (Gen. 3:18), and so maybe the fallen thing ablaze with the fire of God becomes symbolic of how God will use us even in our current state. Now the image of fire takes my mind in a different direction: the pillar of fire that would lead them through the wilderness. (Ex. 13:21) Even the tongues of fire appearing above the heads of the gathered and waiting disciples. (Acts 2:3) Maybe even the purifying fire of Malachi 3:2-3 and Zechariah 13:9. It was to the "Mountain of God" that Abraham was drawn (3:1), meaning Sinai (Also called Horeb), so I don't think I'm too far off-base here. That mountain represented God's awesome power and absolute authority, as well as His terrifying holiness. These things naturally exclude us: there can be no peers to His power, and no rivals to His authority. The fact that I have rebelled almost from birth against Him causes me to fear His holiness greatly. But at the same time, like Moses, I'm drawn as well by the fact that the bush was not consumed. It hinted that there might be some way for even the guilty like me to experience His holiness:

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. (Isaiah 33:14-17)

What must it have been like to be constantly exposed to His power and authority, to see His holy wrath, but only hints of redemption? That Moses was drawn out, that Job knew of his Redeemer and resurrection, that Abraham offered his son in confidence that they both would return, that Jacob knew that the "Angel" had redeemed him from all evil and David rejoiced that the Lord did not impute iniquity to him, these all remind me that God's enlightenment and call to salvation are the thing. Externally, it might seem tenuous, dependent on whim and random circumstance; but the Lord knows those who are His. (2 Timothy 2:19)

P: Lord, it's true that your revelation is awe-inspiring, making me feel small. And your holiness as well makes me feel my own sinfulness. But from one end of your revelation to the other, your work in creating, provoking, enticing, speaking, opening eyes and ears - and especially in revealing the Lamb of God to us in all His spotless glorious grace and loving-kindness - makes us understand how we can experience the everlasting burning of your glory and see the King in His beauty. Thank you for the grace that drew us out.

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