Dry bushes inflamed for God
Exodus 3:2, 13-14 “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 unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His name? What shall I say unto them?
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”
When Moses was called to start his work,…. before a bush which burned, yet was not consumed….he was given the name: I AM THAT I AM. or Jehovah.
Jehovah comes from the root “havah” meaning “to be”….underived existence.
Jehovah is the eternal, self-existent One….without beginning or end. (Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”)
Yet, “havah” as a verb also means “to become”. Jehovah becomes the need of His people….peace, strength, salvation.
All this was set forth in HIs conversation with Moses….”And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians…” God reminded Moses of the covenant with Abraham.
So He gives Moses HIs name….I AM THAT I AM. I have not forgotten the promise to bring you out of Egypt….I will fulfill all My Word.
It was Jehovah which burned as fire within that dry, desert bush….yet did not consume it…but rather lit it up….inflamed it….and made it a spectacle.
Let me say, that God does the same to us….as dry, desert bushes….we can be “lighted” by God, and inflamed for His Purpose….to be a spectacle to all around (1 Cor. 4:9)…that God may call men to His service.
Our souls are the bush…and we are indwelt by the great I AM….
Accordingly, the principal thing God does when He brings us into the covenant of grace, is to teach us to know Him.
Hosea 6:6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
This was repeated by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 12:7.
This mercy is covenantal affection and loyalty. It is love of God, and love of all the household of faith.
(Let me say here, that love is not just emotion…but the actions of the heart to do good for the person or persons. It is never a mere feeling. Certainly, it may start in the heart….but it comes out the hands and life. It is prayer and works.)
These things are the result of genuine knowledge of God. As I AM THAT I AM is faithful…so we who are His, are to be faithful, too.
Our souls are our true personality…who we really are: our wills, our minds (understanding), our hearts (affections), and our conscience. They are the most precious thing….for Christ came to save us. Yet, our natural habits in our minds, hearts, and wills need to be changed into the character of Jesus Christ.
Here is where the warfare rages….but thankfully we who are Christ’s have His fire of the Holy Spirit within us to give us what we need.
We are attacked in our minds….doubts and fears, evil thoughts of anger or lust,…
…over seeking “happiness” or mocking from others, hurt our hearts….and our wills tremble because of these influences…
…but, again, I say…we have the fire of the Holy Spirit within…Who reminds us of His faithfulness to deliver from bondage….will we bow to God, and resist the devil?
James 4:7-8 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
First it is to the Lord Jesus we surrender: “For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.” (1 Cor. 15:25)
Then we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice….to the Holy Spirit…to be transformed…by the renewing (to renovate) of our minds (understanding) so that we walk in the light of God (1 John 1:7),…and not according to the “wisdom” of this world.
As we willingly will all of this….the Holy Spirit…that fire within us….transforms us!
Like as Moses was unwilling at first….yet had his understanding transformed, and his will made willing (Philippians 2:13)…and went to do Jehovah’s Will….before Israel….and in before Pharaoh….
….we, too, are given His Word….His enabling grace,…and His Will….within our minds, hearts and wills. Our natural life becomes spiritual. And we stand as those lights before the world, that He has called us to:
Matthew 5:14-16 “Ye are the light of the world. (Notice the personal)
A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light (again, personal) so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
The object is always to glorify God….to honor HIm….and He calls us, as dry bushes to let the fire of the Holy Spirit burn within us….and be shown out of us….by our natural selves becoming spiritual lights of Jesus Christ.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 