The Burning Bush
By GEORGE WHITEFIELD (1714-1770) This burning bush is typical of the church of God in all ages. The bush was burning, though it seemed slight and insignificant. Likewise, the church consists of....
It is a common saying that it is always darkest before break of day; and I am persuaded, that as we consider God's dealings with his people now and in preceding ages, we shall find that man's extremity is usually God's opportunity, and that "when the enemy has broke in like a flood, the spirit and providence of God has lifted up a standard against him." I believe at the same time, that however we may dream of our own prosperity, we shall find this life to be checkered with seasons of want and lacking. The most prosperous days shall be followed with clouds and rain—pain and tears.
The chapter in which is our text is an instance of this. It was a glorious day when Joseph sent for his father to Egypt; and the good old patriarch, after he had thought his son had been dead many years, agreeably surprised by a message from him to come and be comfortably settled in Goshen; where the good old patriarch lived, died and was was laid to rest in the sepulchre of his fathers in Canaan by all his sons. After which, Joseph continued to live in splendor, lord of all the land of Egypt. But alas, "another king arose that knew not Joseph," and the descendants of Jacob, instead of reigning in Goshen, were made bond slaves; and employed many, many long years making bricks. By being forced to conform to the idolatry of Egypt, they were in a worse state than the unhappy Negroes in America are at this day. No doubt, numbers of them likely wondered if God had forgotten them. But when God's appointed time is come, he would come down and deliver his people, and in such a manner, that the enemy shall know, as well as friends, it is the Lord's doing.
A deliverer is born and bred in Pharaoh's court, Moses is brought up in all the learning of the Egyptians, for Pharaoh intended him for a high and exalted post. But as a young man, he refused their highest dignity, and spurned it with a holy contempt, and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than enjoy all the grandeur of one of the greatest courts in earth’s history. For forty years he continued in this state of obscurity—in which time he acquired the knowledge that qualified him for every thing God intended him to do. In an attempt to calm a quarrel between two brethren, he was named as a murderer by one of them and is forced to fly into a strange land. There he submits to the humble office of a servant, marries, and lives in a state of subjection for forty years, as was said before.
At length when he was eighty years old, dreaming of no such thing, behold God calls, and commands him to go and deliver his people. He had kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law in obscurity and menial service. This learned, kingly man had submitted himself to the circumstances before him. He kept his flock, but that did not hinder his going to Horeb, he took them to the desert and being thus employed in his lawful business, God met him. "The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the bush": some think this angel was Gabriel, but most agree that it was Jesus Christ, "the angel of the everlasting covenant," who often visited this earth in that form in the Old Testament.
The manner of this angel's appearing is taken particular notice of, it was to Moses when nobody was with him: There was not so much as a boy, or any companion with him. But we have often found that we are never less alone than when with God. We often crave companionship, but the Lord’s company is always enough. Moses was startled at the sight and it engaged his attention, and made him think that something was uncommon; "the bush burned with fire and yet was not consumed.” This startling surprise was intended to gain his attention. Moses therefore says, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” There was no fuel in the bush or around it. It did burn, it was not consumed, or in the least diminished. It was a strange sight, but a glorious one! A sight which was given for our learning, and I venture to say, could Moses himself would agree it is intended as a standing lesson, as a significant emblem of the church, and every individual child of God, till time itself shall be no more.
I would say, first, that this bush is typical of the church of God in all ages. The bush was burning, though it seemed slight and insignificant. It was not a tall cedar or some glorious tree, but a little bush of briars and thorns. Likewise, the church of Christ generally consists of poor, mean, despicable creatures: though it is all glorious within, yet it is an despicable without. Paul tells us that "not many mighty men, not many noble are called," yet some are. If any of you are rich here, and are Christians, thank God for it, you ought to be doubly thankful for it. God's people are but like a little bramble bush. Christ’s riches to His people are usually personal and spiritual gifts rather than outward earthly riches. Likely Christ does this on purpose to confound the world. When he comes to judgment, millions that have their thousands now, will be damned and burnt to all eternity, and Christ's church will be rich to all eternity, that is now like a bramble all on fire.
"The bush burned," what is that for? it shewed that Christ's church while in this world, will be a bush burning with fiery trials and afflictions of various kinds. This was a lively emblem of the state of religion, and liberty of Israel at that time: they were busy making brick, and burning with slavery. These Israelites were under the slavery of Pharaoh, but is not that the case of the church in all ages? Read your Bibles, and you may instantly see that, though there might be some periods wherein the church had rest, yet these periods have been of a short date; and was only like a calm that precedes the tempest. When the church is in a calm, and all seems safe, then comes a storm: God is preparing us for it.
But this is not the only case with the church of Christ collected, but also it is so with individual believers, especially those that God intends to make great use of in his church. At present in England we have a Christian king and governor, and we have no persecutionnational; May God continue it till time shall be no more. Yet, my dear hearers, we shall find, if God's word is true, whether we are born under a despotic power, or a free government, that they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. You have heard of that saying, "Wonder not at the fiery trial wherewith you are to be tried," and God says, "I have chosen thee," which is applicable to every believer, "in the furnace of affliction." Now the furnace is a hot place, and they that are tried in the furnace must be burnt surely. Now what must the Christian burn with? with tribulation and persecution.
But suppose we are not persecuted by the world, is there a Christian that is persecuted by his friends; if there is an Isaac in the family, I warrant there is an Ishmael to mock at him. It can be in one's own family, one's own brothers and sisters, one's own dependants, though they wait for our death, and perhaps, long to have us gone, that they may run away with our substance. To have these persons mock at us, and if they dare not speak out, yet let us see they hate the God we worship if this be thy case, why, God knows, poor soul, thou art a burning bush. But if we have no such things as mocking, yet if we are surrounded with afflictions, domestic trials, the loss of dear and near friends, the bad conduct of our children, then our bush burns.
Why, says one, it is very strange you talk thus tonight; I am sorry it is strange to any of you; sure you are not much acquainted with your bibles, and less with your hearts, if you know not this.But the burning I have been here painting forth to you is not a consuming but a purifying fire; is not that enough to answer the shade that has been already drawn; it is true the bush burns, the Christian is persecuted, the Christian is oppressed, the Christian is burned with inward trials, he is perplexed at times, he is "cast down but" blessed be God, "he is not destroyed," he is not in despair.
The great God, the angel of the everlasting covenant, spoke to Moses out of the bush; he did not stand at a distance from the bush, he did not speak to him so much as one yard or foot from the bush, but he spoke to him out of the bush; he said, Moses, Moses, my people shall burn in this bush to the end of time, but be not afraid, I will succour them; when they burn, I will burn too. There is a scripture vastly strong to this purpose, in which it is not said, "the good will of him that" was "in the bush," but "the good will of him that" dwelt "in the bush."
Amazing! I thought God dwelt in heaven; but as a poor woman who was once in darkness fourteen years, before she was brought out of it, said, God has two homes, one in heaven, the other in the lowest heart. He dwells in the bush, and I am sure if he did not, the devil and their own cursed hearts would burn the bush to ashes. How is it that it is not consumed? why, it is because God has declared it shall not be consumed; he has made an everlasting covenant.
Happy is it, Christ can dwell in the bush when we cannot dwell ourselves there; there are few Christians can live together, very few relations can live together under one roof; we can take that from other people that we can't bear from our own flesh and blood; and if God did not bear with us more than we bear with one another, we should all have been destroyed every day. Does the devil make you say, that you will give all up; I will go to the Tabernacle no more; I will lay on my couch and take my ease; Oh! if this is the case of any tonight, thus tempted by Satan, may God rescue their souls. O poor dear soul, you never will have such sweet words from God as when you are in the bush; our suffering times will be our best times..
Whatever your trails are, let this be your prayer, Lord, though the bush is burning, let it not be consumed. I think that is too low, let it be thus; Lord, when the bush is burning, let me not burn lower as the fire does, but let me burn higher and higher: I thank thee my God, for trouble; I thank thee, my God, for putting me into these afflictions one after another; I thought I could sing a requiem to myself, that I should have a little rest, but trouble came from that very quarter where I might reasonably expect the greatest comfort: I thank thee for knocking my hands off from the creature; Lord, I believe, help my unbelief; and thus you will go on blessing God to all eternity: by and by the bush shall be translated to the paradise of God; no burning bush in heaven, except the fire of love, wonder, and gratitude; no trials there; troubles are limited to this earth; above our enemies can't reach us.
Blessed be God, that there is yet a day of grace: Oh! that this might prove "the accepted time"; Oh! that this might prove "the day of salvation"; Oh! angel of the everlasting covenant, come down; thou blessed, dear comforter, have mercy, mercy, mercy upon the unconverted, upon our unconverted friends, upon the unconverted part of this auditory; "speak, and it shall be done: command, O Lord, and it shall come to pass": turn the burning bushes of the devil into burning bushes of the Son of God: who knows but God may hear our prayer, who knows but God may hear this cry, "I have seen, I have seen the afflictions of my people: the cry of the children of Israel is come up to me, and I am come down to deliver them": God grant this may be his word to you under all your trouble; God grant he may be your comforter.
The Lord awaken you that are dead in sin, and though on the precipice of hell, God keep you from tumbling in: and you that are God's burning bushes, God help you stand to keep this coat of arms, to say when you go home, blessed be God, "the bush is burning but not consumed." Amen! even so, Lord Jesus. Amen!
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