Why Didn’t The Bush Burn Up?
Answer: One day while watching sheep, a man named Moses saw a bush on fire that would not burn up. The bush didn’t turn into ashes because God was present, doing a miracle to get Moses’ attention.
When Moses saw the bush and heard God’s voice, he was ready to listen. God used the burning bush to help Moses see that God had the power to do what he said he would do – rescue the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt.
Key verses: Suddenly the Angel of the Lord appeared to [Moses] as a flame of fire in a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire. But it didn’t burn up. So he went over to see why. Then God called out to him, “Moses! Moses!” “Who is it?” Moses asked. (Exodus 3:2-4)
Related verses: Exodus 3: 1-4: 18
Related questions: How did God choose Moses? Did God know that Moses would be afraid to go? Was Jesus in the burning bush? How did Moses make his shepherd rod into a snake?
Why Did The Israelites Who Left Egypt Have To Wander In The Wilderness Until They Died?
Answer: Through Moses, God led the Israelites right to the Promised Land, the land he had promised to Abraham. (This is also the land that Jacob and his sons left when they went to live with Joseph in Egypt.) Moses had sent twelve spies into Canaan to see what the land and the Canaanites were like.
Ten spies reported that the Canaanites were giants that the Israelites shouldn’t try to fight. But Joshua and Caleb, who knew God would help them, said, “Let us go up at once and possess it! For we are well able to conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30).
Unfortunately, the people listened to the report of the ten and refused to obey God and march into the land. Those Israelites never saw the Promised Land because they didn’t have faith to do what God wanted them to do; they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.
Key verses: “The spies were in the land for 40 days. Thus, you must wander in the wilderness for 40 years. You will wander a year for each day. You will bear the burden of your sins. I will teach you what it means to reject me. I, the Lord, have spoken. Every one of you who has tumed against me shall die here in this wilderness.” (Numbers 14:34-35)
Related verses: Numbers 13:1-14:45
Related questions: Why did the Israelites listen to the ten unbelieving spies instead of to Joshua and Caleb? Why did Joshua only send two spies into the Promised Land instead of twelve?
Why did the Israelites believe they could go into the Promised Land the second time when they didn’t believe the first time?