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Signs and Wonders
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Bush
burned with fire but not consumed |
Ex. 3:1 "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the
priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert,
and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 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. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this
great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 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. 5 And he said, Draw not
nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon
thou standest is holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy
father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And
Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God."
Fire is used in
the scriptures as a symbol of God's judgment. Moses eyes were attracted
to a great phenomenon: a bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was
not being consumed by that fire. The passage tells us that God spoke to
Moses out of the midst of the bush. What was set forth for us is a sign
of redemption through the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Just as the bush suffered the fire, yet was not consumed by the fire, so
Jesus suffered the judgment of God for our sins, yet he was not consumed
by the judgment of God. He arose the third day a victor over death,
hell, and the grave. That Jesus suffered the judgment of God because of
our sins it is evident:
1. Lk. 24:25
"Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that
the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these
things, and to enter into his glory?"
2. Acts 17:3 "Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have
suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I
preach unto you, is Christ."
3. Heb. 5:8 "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the
things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author
of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;"
4. Heb. 9:26 "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation
of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to
put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
5. Heb. 13:12 "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people
with his own blood, suffered without the gate."
6. 1 Pet. 2:21 "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he
was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self
bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
7. 1 Pet. 3:18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just
for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
That Jesus,
like the bush, was not consumed by the judgment of God is witnessed by
the following scriptures:
1. John 10:17
"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I
might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of
myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my Father."
2. Rom. 6:9 "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no
more; death hath no more dominion over him."
Finally, Jesus
brought forth redemption and righteousness to his elect family through
his sufferings on their behalf: 2 Cor. 5:21 "For he hath made him to be
sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him."
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