"And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them." The time for Israel's deliverance had come. But God's purpose was to be accomplished in a manner to pour contempt on human pride. The deliverer was to go forth as a humble shepherd, with only a rod in his hand; but God would make that rod the symbol of His power. Leading his flocks one day near Horeb, "the mountain of God," Moses saw a bush in flames, branches, foliage, and trunk, all burning, yet seeming not to be consumed. He drew near to view the wonderful sight, when a voice from out of the flame called him by name. With trembling lips he answered, "Here am I." He was warned not to approach irreverently: "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. . . . I am the God 252 of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." It was He who, as the Angel of the covenant, had revealed Himself to the fathers in ages past. "And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God."

Således gik der lang tid hen, og imidlertid døde Ægypterkongen. Men israelitterne stønnede og klagede under deres trældom, og deres skrig over trældommen nåede op til Gud. Da hørte Gud deres jamren, og Gud ihukom sin pagt med Abraham, Isak og Jakob, og Gud så til israelitterne, og Gud kendtes ved dem. Tiden for Israels befrielse var kommet. Men Guds hensigt skulle opfyldes på en måde, som bragte menneskelig stolthed i foragt. Befrieren skulle træde frem som en ydmyg hyrde, kun med en stav i hånden; men Gud ville gøre denne stav til et symbol på sin magt. Da Moses en dag førte sin hjord hen i nærheden af Horeb, Guds bjerg, så han en busk i flammer. Både grenene, bladene og stammen brændte, men tilsyneladende uden at fortæres. Da han nærmede sig det vidunderlige syn, kaldte en stemme ud fra ilden ham ved navn. Med skælvende læber svarede han: Se, her er jeg! Han blev advaret mod at nærme sig uærbødigt: Drag dine sko af dine fødder, thi det sted, du står på, er hellig jord! ..... Jeg er din faders Gud, Abrahams Gud, Isaks Gud og Jakobs Gud. Det var ham, der som pagtens engel havde åbenbaret sig for fædrene i fortiden. Da skjulte Moses sit ansigt, thi han frygtede for at skue Gud.