The flaming bush on Mount Horeb, where Moses encountered God and was sent to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3:1–15; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 7:30–34). The mystery of a plant burning without being destroyed allowed God to reveal his name, “I Am Who I Am.” The burning bush was a theophany, a visible sign of God’s presence. In the Bible, God's glory is associated with clouds, fire, and smoke (see Exodus 13:21; 19:18; 1 Kings 8:10–11; 2 Kings 1:12; 2:11; Isaiah 6:1–6; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 1:14; 19:12).
The burning bush symbolizes God’s holiness. Moses was told to remove his shoes because he was standing on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). The gods of Egypt were often thought to live in gloomy darkness, But, Israel’s God lives in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16). The burning bush symbolized his intention not to destroy his people, but to save them, and lead them out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land.