Exodus 3:4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 3:1-6

The years of the life of Moses are remarkably divided into three forties: the first forty he spent as a prince in Pharaoh's court, the second a shepherd in Midian, the third a king in Jeshurun; so changeable is the life of men, especially the life of good men. He had now finished his second forty, when he received his commission to bring Israel out of Egypt. Note, Sometimes it is long before God calls his servants out of that work which of old he designed them for, and has been graciously... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 3:4

And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see ,.... Who is before called the Angel of the Lord, here Jehovah, the omniscient and omnipresent Being, who observing Moses turning aside and going onward to gratify his curiosity, by examining more narrowly this strange phenomenon: God called unto him out of the midst of the bush ; with an articulate voice, being the eternal Word: and said, Moses, Moses ; for the Lord knows his people distinctly, and can call them by name; and the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 3:4

Verse 4 4.God called unto him out of the midst of the bush. In the first place, my readers will observe that, as is the case in almost all visions, it was not a voiceless spectacle to alarm the holy man, but that instruction accompanied it by which his mind might obtain encouragement. For there would be no use in visions, if the senses of those who see them were kept in alarm. But although God was unwilling to terrify his servant, yet, in two ways, he claims authority and reverence for his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-5

Moses at the bush. We do not now see burning bushes, or hear voices calling to us from their midst. The reason is, that we do not need them, The series of historical revelations is complete. Revelation in the sense of the communication of new truth—of truth beyond the range of our natural faculties, or not capable of being derived, under the guidance of God's Spirit, from revelations already given—is not to be expected. The Bible is the sum of God's authoritative revelations to the race.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-5

The bush and its suggestions. Glean here a few of the general suggestions of the passage:— I. REVELATION . The appearance at the bush suggestive— 1 . Of the supernatural in Nature. Bushes are aglow all around us, if only we had eyes to see them. Christ's teaching an illustration of the spiritual suggestiveness of Nature. "Consider the lilies" ( Matthew 6:28 ). The parables. 2 . Of the supernatural in common life. "Moses kept the flock of Jethro." The Higher Presence may... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-5

The burning bush. I. OBSERVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH GOD FINDS MOSES . He is still with Jethro, although forty years have passed since their first acquaintance. Though a fugitive, he had not become a mere wanderer. 1 . He continues , however , in a comparatively humble position. His marriage to Jethro's daughter and his long stay in the country do not seem to have brought him much external prosperity. He has not reached even the modest point of success in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-6

Forty years since, Moses ( Exodus 2:11 ) had "turned aside" from court life in Egypt to see how his brethren the children of Israel fared amid the furnace of trial. The old life seems like a dream, so long ago; the old lance ( Exodus 4:10 ) grown unfamiliar. The annual routine; flocks to be driven to distant-pasturage at the approach of summer. God's hour at hand just when least expected. I. THE PROPHETIC VISION . When God calls to the prophetic office, there is usually some... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-10

The Burning Bush. "Behold the bush," etc. Exodus 3:2 . A very astonishing event; yet amply evidenced to us by those voluminous arguments which now more than ever establish the authenticity of Exodus; but in addition to this, we have here the special endorsement of the Truth Incarnate. See Mark 12:26 . [Examine this passage critically, and consider how full and valid the endorsement is! No mere acceptance of received legend.] I. THE TIME . A solemn undertone in Mark 12:1 .... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:1-22

THE MISSION OF MOSES . After forty years of monotonous pastoral life, affording abundant opportunity for meditation, and for spiritual communion with God, and when he had attained to the great age of eighty years, and the hot blood of youth had given place to the calm serenity of advanced life, God at last revealed Himself to Moses "called him" ( Exodus 3:4 ), and gave him a definite mission. The present chapter is' intimately connected with the next. Together, they contain an... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 3:3-10

I. How MOSES MET WITH GOD . 1 . The marvel was marked and considered. He might simply have glanced at it and passed on; but he observed it till the wonder of it possessed his soul. There are marvels that proclaim God's presence in the earth today. Creation, the Bible, Christ's saving work. The first step towards conviction is to consider them. 2 . "He turned aside to see." It was a matter to be inquired into and probed to the bottom. 3 . God meets the earnest, sincere... read more

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