Moses and the Burning Bush
(Exodus 3:1 - 4:17)
Forty years had passed since Moses fled Egypt. He was no longer a prince. He was an eighty-year-old shepherd, leading his father-in-law Jethro's flocks through the wilderness. One day he led the flock deep into the desert and came to a mountain called Horeb, the mountain of God.
Then something extraordinary happened. Moses noticed a bush that was on fire. But it was not burning up. The flames kept blazing, and the bush stayed perfectly green. Moses thought, "I must go and look at this strange sight." As he turned to walk closer, God called his name from the middle of the flames: "Moses! Moses!"
"Here I am," Moses answered.
"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals. The place where you are standing is holy ground." Then God told Moses who He was: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face, afraid to look at God.
God told Moses that He had seen the suffering of His people in Egypt. He had heard their cries. He knew their pain. And He had come down to deliver them. Then came the stunning assignment: "I am sending you to Pharaoh. You will bring my people out of Egypt."
Moses felt completely overwhelmed. "Who am I," he asked, "to go to Pharaoh and bring Israel out of Egypt?" God's answer was not a list of Moses' qualifications. God simply said, "I will be with you."
Moses had another question: "What if the people ask me your name? What should I tell them?" God answered with the most powerful name in all of existence: "I AM WHO I AM." Tell them, "I AM has sent me to you." This name means God has always existed, exists right now, and always will exist. He does not depend on anything or anyone. He simply is. He is the source of all life, power, and truth.
Moses kept making excuses. "What if they don't believe me? I am not a good speaker." God gave Moses three signs: his shepherd's staff turned into a snake and back again, his hand became diseased and was healed instantly, and water poured on the ground would turn to blood. Even then, Moses begged God to send someone else. So God graciously allowed Moses' brother Aaron to speak for him. Moses had no more excuses. He packed up, said goodbye to Jethro, and headed back toward Egypt to do what only God could do through him.
A Curious Question
God could have chosen anyone to lead Israel out of Egypt. He chose an eighty-year-old shepherd who was hiding in the wilderness and making excuses. Why do you think God's plan so often depends on people who feel the most unqualified?
Jesus Connection
God's name at the burning bush was "I AM WHO I AM." It is the most important name in the Old Testament. It declares that God is eternal, completely self-sufficient, and the foundation of all that exists. He is not becoming. He is not fading. He simply IS.
Hundreds of years later, Jesus used that same name to describe Himself. In John 8:58, when the religious leaders challenged Him, Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." They knew exactly what He was claiming and they were furious. Jesus was not just a great teacher or a prophet. He was declaring that He is the same God who spoke from the burning bush. He is the eternal I AM who put on human flesh to come and rescue God's people from sin and death.
Moses kept saying, "I can't do this." And he was right. No human effort could have freed Israel from Pharaoh. No human effort can free us from sin. The rescue always came from God, not from human ability. That is why Jesus had to come. He did not come to help us be good enough. He came to do what we could never do ourselves, live perfectly and die in our place. Our salvation is entirely the work of the great I AM, not our own.
Discussion Questions
- God told Moses to take off his sandals because the ground was holy. What does it mean for a place to be holy? How should we act when we are aware that God is present with us in prayer or worship?
- Moses made excuse after excuse: "Who am I?" "What is your name?" "What if they don't believe me?" "I can't speak well." Each time, God answered with a promise or a sign. What does this pattern tell us about how God treats our doubts and fears?
- God said "I will be with you" rather than "you are qualified enough." Why is God's presence the only qualification that actually matters? Can you think of a time when you felt like God was with you in something hard?
"So What?" What Can I Do?
Moses felt totally inadequate for the job God was giving him. This week, write down one thing you feel called to do but have been afraid to try because you feel too young, too small, or not good enough. Then, next to it, write the words God said to Moses: "I will be with you." Keep that paper somewhere visible. Every time fear tries to talk you out of it, read those words and remember that the same God who spoke from the burning bush is with you.
Memorize God's Word
Exodus 3:14: "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.'"
Hand Motions:
- "God said to Moses": Point one finger up toward heaven, then bring it down and point straight ahead, as if speaking to someone in front of you.
- "I AM": Place both hands flat on your chest with your fingers spread wide.
- "WHO I AM": Spread both arms slowly outward and upward, palms open, as if showing that God fills everything.
Praying with Kids
Dear Father, the great I AM, thank You that You have always existed and You will never stop existing. Thank You that You are not a God who is far away, but a God who comes close and speaks to ordinary people like Moses, and like us. When we feel too weak or too scared to do what You are asking, remind us of Your promise: "I will be with you." Help us to take our sandals off in our hearts, to approach You with awe and trust, and to go where You send us. In Jesus' name, amen.
Craft: The Burning Bush in a Jar
This simple craft creates a glowing reminder that God's presence never burns out.
Materials Checklist:
- Build the Bush: Help children twist and curl two or three green pipe cleaners together and bend the ends out like branches. Stand them upright in the jar.
- Add the Flames: Scrunch and layer the orange and yellow tissue paper pieces around the pipe cleaner branches so the jar looks like a bush engulfed in fire.
- Place the Tea Light: Drop a battery-operated tea light into the bottom of the jar before adding the tissue paper so the glow shines through the flames.
- Label It: Help children write or tape a small strip reading: "I AM is with me" around the outside of the jar.
- Review Together: Turn the tea lights on and dim the room slightly if possible. As the jars glow, ask: "What does it mean that God's fire never burns out?"
Effective Teaching Techniques
The drama of this story lives in the contrast between the ordinary and the impossible. Moses was doing the most mundane job in the world, watching sheep in a desert, when God showed up. Use that setup intentionally. Ask the class: "What is the most boring thing you do every week?" After they answer, say, "That is the kind of moment God chose for one of the most important conversations in history." This tells kids that God can meet them anywhere, not just in church.
When you say God's name aloud, pause first. Lower your voice. Let the weight of "I AM WHO I AM" land. Then say it slowly a second time with the class. This is not just a theological concept. It is a name. Kids remember names. Have them say it three times together, each time a little slower and bigger.
For younger children, the three signs (staff to snake, diseased hand, water to blood) are dramatic and memorable. Focus on one, the staff turning into a snake. Mime throwing down a stick and jumping back in surprise. Ask: "If you threw your pencil down and it turned into a snake, what would you do?" Use the laugh to land the point: God was giving Moses proof that He is real and powerful, and Moses still found reasons to doubt. This sets up the Jesus Connection naturally: we cannot earn our way or argue our way into God's plan. We simply trust and go.