Good Morning.
And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” (Exodus 3:2-3)
According to Jim and Penny Caldwell, a couple who brought attention to the idea that Jebel al Lawz — a desert mountain in Saudi Arabia — might be the Biblical Mount Sinai, once showed me a picture of an ancient cedar tree that had seven branches. Frankly it looked like a natural menorah which, of course, is the emblem for Israel. This particular tree was situated between two peaks that comprise the summit of the mountain in Saudi Arabia. It is their theory that this ancient tree might have been the bush that Moses saw set aglow with the Presence of the Almighty. Obviously, there is no way for us to know that for sure but it is an interesting thought.
What we do know is that the angel of the LORD mentioned is “the LORD” and that He appeared to Moses in the midst of this burning bush. The literal translation says that He appeared in “the heart of the fire.” So let’s imagine for a moment that the Caldwells are correct and that the LORD appeared in the midst or in “the heart” of this seven branched tree that burned. If so, that was a precursor of what John would later see on the isle of Patmos.
Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. (Revelation 1:12-13)
My point is that God is always in the midst of His people moving in their lives and working through their lives. As a flame of fire, He purges us of those habits and attitudes that are unfruitful and inspires us, by His Spirit, to be His witnesses in the earth. It is important that He be the One who resides in our heart — in our midst as it were — and that we always keep Him as the focus of our life. When Messiah lives within us we become a living menorah that gives light to those in darkness; so much so that people will say, “Let me go see the source of this great light.” So allow Him to burn within you that your light might shine.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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