Moses and the Burning Bush

Moses and the Burning Bush explores God’s self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 3, examining what this theophany discloses about the holiness, transcendence, and immanence of God and its continuing significance for Christians today.

Dr. R.C. Sproul guides readers through the account of the burning bush as a window into the character and purposes of God. The book considers how God revealed His covenant name, Yahweh, and what it means that He appeared visibly to Moses in fire—a theophany that unveiled His transcendent majesty while demonstrating His nearness to His people. Sproul traces the theme of God’s holiness across Scripture, drawing connections to Isaiah’s vision of the Lord, Old Testament Christophanies, and the covenant God made with Abraham.

The book also examines Moses’ calling and mission, the providence that preserved his life from infancy, and how his encounter at the burning bush foreshadows the redemptive work of Christ. Sproul develops the biblical motif of covering—from God’s clothing of Adam and Eve after the fall to the righteousness of Christ in the New Testament—showing how a holy God makes it possible for sinful people to stand in His presence. Throughout, the book connects Old Testament events to their fulfillment in Christ, presenting Moses as a shadow of the greater Redeemer to come.

Key Themes

• The holiness and transcendence of God revealed through theophany
• God’s covenant faithfulness across generations of redemptive history
• The biblical motif of covering and its fulfillment in Christ’s righteousness
• Moses’ calling as a foreshadowing of Christ’s redemptive mission

Featured Quotes

“The whole Bible is the story of God’s stooping and condescending to His embarrassed, frightened, fugitive people who hide ourselves because we know that we are naked and are ashamed.”

“These examples of Christophanies fit within the larger category of theophanies, where God manifests Himself visibly somehow.”