Mystic Echoes: The Burning Bush

A pattern emerges throughout the Bible: humanity is invited into a sacred space where heaven and earth are one, but then humanity rejects that invitation and chooses exile instead. Rather than existing in the light of Eden, humanity chooses to live in the darkness of a false world where heaven and earth are separated. From Eden, to Mount Sinai, to the temple in Jerusalem, all of these sacred spaces are inviting humanity to pass through a holy fire and rediscover who they were created to be.

The first mention of fire in the biblical narrative is the flaming sword that guards the way to the tree of life in the garden of Eden. At the center of the garden, under the shade of the tree, humanity and divinity once walked together. Outside of the garden, beyond the flaming sword, only shame and fear exist apart from the tree. Fire will persist as a metaphor for God’s presence that both illuminates and reveals the true nature of those things that pass through its flames. This fire is not meant for destruction. This refining fire burns away the dross of our false identity and leaves only the pure gold of the divine image hidden within every person.

Another famous story of holy fire is the burning bush that Moses encounters in the wilderness. The people of Israel are in exile from their homeland as slaves in Egypt when God recruits Moses to rescue his people. God calls out to Moses from within the flames appearing as the enigmatic “angel of Yahweh”. This same divine flame will guide the Israelites through the wilderness and take up residence in a portable temple called the tabernacle as it draws the people towards their new Eden.

The angel of Yahweh is a mysterious recurring character in the Hebrew Bible who is identified as God but looks like a human. In various biblical dreams and visions, a human figure is often seen sitting upon God’s throne in a heavenly temple. This divine-human figure calls back to the original purpose for humanity in Eden as those created in the image of God to rule and care for creation. The Hebrew word for "image" is the same word used of stone idol statues placed in other religious temples. Instead of a stone statue in Yahweh's temple, humanity is intended to stand in as God's embodied presence in the created world.

As Moses looks into the burning bush, it’s as if he is seeing through the flaming sword east of Eden to the unburned tree of life on the other side. As God reveals the divine name saying “I am that I am”, humanity sees its true form reflected and seated upon the divine throne. Our very breath and being finding nothing within itself except I AM.

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. - Daniel 7:13-14