A Call in the Wilderness

Moses is tending a flock when he sees a bush burning without being consumed. He turns aside to look, and God calls his name. The ground is described as holy. Moses hears that God has seen the suffering of the people in Egypt.

The task is startling: Moses is to go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out. He questions his own ability and asks how he should answer the people. The response directs him toward God’s presence and the name by which God will be known. The call begins a confrontation with oppression, not merely a private adventure.