One day Moses led his flock to graze near Mount Horeb. There he saw a wonderful sight. Fire appeared from a bush. and the bush burned brilliantly. but it was not consumed. From the burning bush God spoke to Moses.One day Moses led his flock to graze near Mount Horeb. There he saw a wonderful sight. Fire appeared from a bush. and the bush burned brilliantly. but it was not consumed. From the burning bush God spoke to Moses.
"I have heard the prayers of the children of Israel. I have seen how they suffer at the hands of the Egyptians," God said. "I will deliver them from their masters, and take them to a land flowing with milk and honey. Go, therefore, to the king of Egypt, and ask him to let the Israelites go to the desert to offer sacrifice."
"But who am I," objected Moses, "that the king and the Israelites should believe me when I tell them that You have sent me'"
So God gave Moses signs by which he could convince the children of Israel. God bade him cast his rod upon the ground. The rod turned to a serpent. When God commanded him to take it up. it became a rod once more.
Then God said. "If they will not yet believe, take water out of the river, pour it out upon the dry land, and the water shall be turned into blood."
"By those signs," God said. "the Israelites will believe that I have sent you."
Still Moses was unwilling. He told God that he was slow of speech.
God became angry at Moses. and said, "Who made man's mouth? Or who made the dumb and the deaf, the seeing and the blind? Go, I will be with you to teach you what to say. Take your brother Aaron to speak for you."
Moses bade Jethro goodbye, and set out with his wife and children for Egypt. On the way they were met by Aaron, to whom Moses told all that God had commanded him at Mount Horeb.
Upon their arrival in Egypt, Moses and Aaron called the Israelites. Aaron gave them God's message. Moses showed them the wonderful signs. The Israelites believed, and were happy.
To thank God for having sent Moses to deliver them from slavery, the Israelites fell down on their knees and worshipped God.
- from My Bible History in Pictures, by Bishop Louis LaRavoire Morrow, D.D., 1934; it has the Imprimatur of Archbishop Michael J O'Doherty of Manila, Philippines