The Burning Bush
The ExodusMeaning: “The bush that burned but was not consumed”
The holy, self-existent God who calls and sends.
The desert bush that blazed with fire yet was not consumed, where God called Moses and revealed his name.
What It Was
At Horeb Moses saw “a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush,” yet the bush was not consumed (Exodus 3:2). From it God called him, declared the ground holy, revealed his name “I AM THAT I AM,” and commissioned him to deliver Israel (Exodus 3:4–14).
Biblical Significance & Symbolism
The fire that burns without consuming pictures the holy presence of God — and his name “I AM” is the very name Jesus took to himself (John 8:58). Jesus cited “the bush” as proof of the resurrection: God is “the God of Abraham” still, the God of the living (Mark 12:26).
Timeline
God calls Moses from the burning bush
Scripture References
8 versesExodus3 verses
Exodus 3:2
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 3:3
And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
Exodus 3:4
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.
Deuteronomy1 verse
Deuteronomy 33:16
And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
Mark1 verse
Mark 12:26
And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
Luke1 verse
Luke 20:37
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Acts2 verses
Acts 7:30
And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
Acts 7:35
This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
Topics & Symbolism
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Frequently asked about The Burning Bush
What was The Burning Bush in the Bible?
The desert bush that blazed with fire yet was not consumed, where God called Moses and revealed his name.
What does The Burning Bush symbolize?
The holy, self-existent God who calls and sends.
What does the name The Burning Bush mean?
The name The Burning Bush means “The bush that burned but was not consumed”.
Where was The Burning Bush kept?
The Burning Bush was kept at Horeb, the mountain of God.
Where is The Burning Bush first mentioned in the Bible?
The Burning Bush is first mentioned in Exodus 3:2.
How often is The Burning Bush mentioned in the Bible?
The Burning Bush is mentioned in 8 verses across 5 books: Exodus, Deuteronomy, Mark, Luke, Acts.
What is the significance of the burning bush?
It was where God called Moses, declared the ground holy, and revealed his name “I AM” (Exodus 3); the fire unconsumed pictures God’s holy presence.
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