Burning Bushes

In Exodus 3 Moses sees a bush that is on fire but is not consumed. That's curious. How can this happen? It defies the logic of our modern scientific minds. Things that are on fire are reduced to ashes by the destructive power of the flames. But not so here.

We can stand around and debate whether this really happened or not, like saying that it wasn't really the bush that was on fire but was actually a flaming gas vent coming out of the side of the mountain behind the bush, and it just looked to Moses like the bush was on fire. Moses may have been mistaken. Someone actually made this claim not too long ago. Then we get hot and bothered because the integrity of the Scriptures is called into question, and we feel we have to come to the Bible's rescue and try to find a way a bush can burn without being consumed! Get out your bunsen burners!!

Instead of trying to determine if the bush was on fire or not, I feel it's best to look at how Jesus interpreted the Exodus 3 narrative. We find this in Luke 20:27-40. There we see that Jesus isn't really concerned about whether the bush was on fire or not. In fact, Jesus didn't talk at length about the actual bush at all, but only mentioned it for reference! He used the story as a launching point for a proclamation about God-- that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.

That's the point of the story. God is God of the living, for all live to him. There's not any discussion on how a bush can survive a thorough torching. Instead-- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are alive! Resurrected, if you will. They weren't resuscitated and walking the streets of Jerusalem. They were covenant forefathers! Don't miss this. Life and living had little to do with organic existence, but with covenant membership. The ancient promises of God to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were coming to bear on the people through the ministry of Jesus. The lost were being found. Sins were being forgiven. The last were becoming first. All were coming to know the visitation of God.

It's funny, really. We're so concerned about whether this or that actually happened. I feel that when we do this we are engaging in yet another exercise in missing the point. Jesus didn't miss the point. We should listen to Jesus more often for understanding and perspective.