His Presence, His Purpose | Resources
Intro
In Exodus 3, God interrupts Moses’ ordinary routine with a holy encounter.
Before giving Moses a mission, God reveals His holiness, compassion, and covenant faithfulness. The burning bush teaches that God’s presence transforms ordinary ground into holy space. God draws near not simply to inform Moses, but to invite him into a relationship marked by trust and obedience.
Revelation always precedes mission.
Quote
“God reveals Himself not merely to be known, but to be trusted and obeyed as He draws His people into His saving purposes.” -Ligon Duncan
Discussion/Reflection Questions
1. Moses encounters God while tending sheep in the wilderness. What does this passage teach us about where and how God often reveals Himself?
2. God commands Moses to remove his sandals because the ground is holy (Exod. 3:5). What does God’s holiness communicate about who He is, and how should it shape our response to His presence today?
3. Before God sends Moses, He reveals His name and character. Why do you think God prioritizes relationship and revelation before mission?
4. In this passage, God both reveals His holiness and moves toward His suffering people. Why is it important to hold together God’s holiness and His compassion?
5. Where might God be inviting you to slow down, listen, and recognize His presence in what currently feels ordinary or routine?
Supplemental Reading
Day 1: Deuteronomy 4:33–35
Day 2: Isaiah 6:1–8
Day 3: Psalm 46:8–11
Day 4: John 8:56–58
Day 5: Matthew 28:18–20
Prepare for Sunday: Exodus 3:11–22
Gospel Connection
The burning bush points forward to the ultimate way God would draw near to His people. In Exodus 3, God reveals Himself as holy, present, and determined to rescue, but in Jesus, God comes even closer.
Christ is the true and greater revelation of God’s presence, the Holy One who stepped onto our ground and entered our broken world to deliver His people from slavery to sin. At the cross, God’s holiness and mercy meet, and through the resurrection, God sends His redeemed people into the world with purpose.
Just as Moses was called from God’s presence into God’s mission, we are invited in Christ to live lives shaped by His nearness and directed by His redemptive plan.
Response
Pray: Ask God to help you recognize His presence in everyday moments. Pray for a heart that listens before acting and trusts before going.
Do: Create space this week to slow down and seek God intentionally, asking Him to shape your heart before directing your steps.