Matthew Henry Commentary Exodus 3:1-6

"Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb. And the angel of Jehovah 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. And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when Jehovah 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. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 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." — Exodus 3:1-6 (ASV)

The years of the life of Moses are divided into three periods of forty years: the first forty he spent as a prince in Pharaoh's court, the second as a shepherd in Midian, and the third as a king in Jeshurun. How changeable is the life of man! The first appearance of God to Moses found him tending sheep. This seems a poor employment for a man of his abilities and education, yet he is satisfied with it; and thus learns meekness and contentment, for which he is more noted in Sacred Scripture than for all his learning.

Satan loves to find us idle; God is pleased when He finds us employed. Being alone is a good aid to our communion with God. To his great surprise, Moses saw a bush burning, though no external fire had kindled it. The bush burned, and yet did not burn away; an emblem of the church in bondage in Egypt. And it aptly reminds us of the church in every age, under its severest persecutions, kept by the presence of God from being destroyed.

Fire is an emblem in Scripture of the Divine holiness and justice, also of the afflictions and trials with which God tests and purifies His people, and even of that baptism of the Holy Ghost, by which sinful affections are consumed, and the soul is changed into the Divine nature and image. God gave Moses a gracious call, to which he returned a ready answer. Those who desire communion with God must attend to Him in the ordinances in which He is pleased to manifest Himself and His glory, even if it is in a bush.

Putting off the shoe was a token of respect and submission. We ought to draw near to God with a solemn pause and preparation, carefully avoiding everything that appears frivolous and rude, and unbecoming His service. God does not say, 'I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,' but 'I am.' The patriarchs still live, so many years after their bodies have been in the grave.

No length of time can separate the souls of the just from their Maker. By this, God instructed Moses about another world and strengthened his belief in a future state. Thus it is interpreted by our Lord Jesus, who, from this, proves that the dead are raised (Luke 20:37). Moses hid his face, as if both ashamed and afraid to look upon God. The more we see of God, His grace, and His covenant love, the more cause we will find to worship Him with reverence and godly fear.