Hunk a Hunk o' Burnin Love (part 1)

 

There are many people in the Bible that I find identification points with, and one I had never really looked at before was Moses. I am absolutely in love with the story of Moses, so much that I may even re-watch the movie “Ten Commandments”.

I was able to have the incredible opportunity to teach an adult Bible class this past Sunday and right from the get go (Southern word for start) the Lord put this passage and event on my heart. There is a lot to it but if you go with me through this thing, I promise you that you will be challenged, strengthened, and edified. I would also like to invite you to read this passage with me over the next several days, and if something stands out to you, by all means post a comment and share!

We need to start with a brief introduction to Exodus chapter 3.

The nation of Israel was in bondage in Egypt. There was persecution, pain and suffering; and there was plenty to go around. Chapter 2 allows us to see that it was so intense that children were being murdered for population control. 

God spares a boy from the house of Levi, and this boy had an incredible destiny that awaited him. He is rescued from the Nile river and raised as an Egyptian prince. He grows up in the schools and courts of Egypt and appears to be settled in just fine until one day while out walking like an Egyptian, he spies an Israeli being beaten by an Egyptian taskmaster.

He "interrupts" the beating, and in fact interrupts so hard that he kills the Egyptian. You see what was in his head just crashed straight on with what was in his heart. Ever been there?

He was schooled in Egyptian schools. This guy took the course "Slavery 101", and read the book "Slavery for dummies". I mean this guy was raised to be Egyptian, but in his heart, he knew he was different. So much so that the message in his heart over ruled the teaching in his head.

So here he is, grown and alone running for his life. We find him in exodus three somewhat settled for the time being. Herding sheep and a family man. Was this why God spared him? Was there a tremendous need for good, solid, God loving sheep herders?

Lets look at something truly amazing!

"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb." ~Exodus 3:1

I smile because the priest was kind of like the pastor figure. Moses worked assisting the pastor. "Here are the sheep I have been given Moe, you take care of them while I devote myself to priestly things". I am sure that was never said, but it made me smile :)

He is in the backside of the desert, and I am reminded here by the mention of Mt. Horeb that even in a place like this, God has a place where He will be manifest.

"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 now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt." ~Exodus 3:2-9

What an awesome encounter!

The burning bush was not just an amazing tourist attraction, this was GOD'S LOVE ON FULL DISPLAY!

You see God had a plan for His people! Did you know that God has a plan for you?

You see, while Moses was leading sheep what he did not see was what we can see in Exodus 2:23-25

"And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them." ~ Exodus 2:23-25

While Moses heard himself talking to sheep, God heard sheep talking to Him!

Both Moses, and the people of God were going to see front and center that:

1.GOD PLANS FROM THE EVRY BEGGINING FOR US TO BE WITH HIM

The children of Israel were crying out to God, and were completely oblivious to the fact that God was talking to Moses about how He was going to answer the cry that He HEARD.

God had a plan for His people. Exodus 3:7-10.

From the very beginning God plans for us to be with Him.

One of my all time favorite passages is found in Ephesians 2:10

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

Workmanship. I love that. I am an artist, and I love to use the talents I have been given to produce "Workmanship". It is a reflection of who I am at the core, by what I create.

I love Genesis 1:26-27

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." ~Genesis 1:26-27 

So God personally created us. Everything else he spoke into existence, but we were special! Workmanship...

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." ~Genesis 2:7 

 This was a personal, hands on creation. Can you see the angels watching this take place? I can almost see them peering over the portals of heaven and watching The Holy One personally form His creation. Workmanship...

 

"This looks nothing like the rest of what He has made!" I can imagine them saying.

"Look at the cheekbones and nose", they might have said, "This one looks like, well it looks like Him!!!"

 

And God called us, VERY GOOD!

 

Workmanship...

 

God planned from the very beginning for us to be with Him! I have to admit that I have trouble with this concept. I guess I have trouble with this because I know me. I know my failures, and the ways and frequency that I fail.

 

I am amazed at a God that knows me, and can still make statements like Ephesians 2:10, and Psalms 139:1-18

 

"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee." ~Psalm 139:1-18

Workmanship...

 

God designed Moses to lead His people out of bondage so they could be for Him what He made them to be, and do that unhindered by the oppressor.

 

God's plan for you and for me is to be freed from bondage and be for Him what He made us to be, unhindered by the oppressor!

 

On Wed I would like invite you to look with me at the second part of this event. As you read through Exodus chapter three, I invite you to ask The Holy Spirit to remind you of how He set you free from bondage. I also invite you to ask The Holy Spirit to bring to mind those you know that are in bondage to the oppressor. When He does, I would invite you to place their name in this phrase as you pray for them.

"Lord, I know that you desired from the beginning for _(NAME)_____ to be with you, and I ask even today, in Jesus name, that you would bring about their freedom! Keep me sensitive to your word and your voice and allow me an opportunity to help them, or another find freedom in you."

I cannot wait until this Wed as we look further into this chapter of Moses life! Until then...

 

Climbing with you,

~Dan

 

 

 

 Ok brother Dan, the devil has really been fighting me to respond to your post and I have decided to give God the Victory through this! First of all thank you over and over again for this blog. I have been following day one as you started this and can only say have been blessed from the words God has delivered through you. I have hit the Wall in my life and I'm sure there will be many more to come until the Lord returns, but to say that I must continue to trust in him. As I have been facing problems with certain circumstances in my family life with my husband always working, my children drawn away from the Lord and hear I am standing hear pitting myself knowing that God is hear with me at all times. All I can say is shame on Me! In this these times God as brought me to my lowest point and now I'm facing him in that burning bush, why is it that we know we should be going about it Godsway and we always think we can handle this ourselves? Well to be honest with God and yourself I have finally given this all to the Lord and know he will take care of each need I have given to him in his time Not Mine! If you could continue to pray for our family I would surely appreciate that. And thank you for the Awesome example you and your family had been in our lives. We love you and thank you for the friendship you have given us for all these years. Our prayers are with you on each devotion sent out and looking forward into what God has in store for you and your family. Love you all. In Christ Mrs. Brydon