Exodus 3:3

Exo. 3:3. "Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt." The great sight that Moses here said he would turn aside to see, and that he did turn aside to see as he said, as we have an account in next verse, was not that the bush was not burnt, for this Moses had seen already, which was the occasion of his earnestly desiring to know further, and his turning aside to see something further. But what the great sight he turned aside to see was, why the bush was not burnt, or upon what account, or for what reason, as the word in the original signifies. Moses seems to have spoke these words after he had stood a while with astonishment beholding the bush burn, and when he after a while perceived the bush notwithstanding was not burnt, he then considered it must be some great and very extraordinary thing that must preserve the bush as in the midst of the flames. By the sight is meant the thing to be seen: it is as much as if he had said, "I will turn aside and see this great thing, on the account of which the bush was not burnt." This great thing was that God dwelt in the bush (Deuteronomy 33:16). It is probable Moses was sensible that there was something divine in the case; he might probably see some token of Divine glory there present, some extraordinary lustre or effulgence that had an appearance of exceeding awful majesty, and also surprising sweetness and pleasantness, - like that which Peter describes (2 Peter 1:16; 2 Peter 1:17), speaking of what he saw on the Mount of Transfiguration, - which Moses saw in the time that the bush was burning, and also said to continue there after the flame was out, and concluded that the bush's being preserved was by reason of that divine thing that he there beheld. This Moses seems to have respect to when he says, "I will turn aside and see this great sight." This appearance was so divinely excellent and ravishing, that it seems to have left an everlasting impression on Moses's mind, and probably made him the more earnestly desirous to see God's glory afterwards, (Exodus 33:18), and he remembers it when he blesses Joseph (Deuteronomy 33:16). And Moses had now a mind to come nearer to behold this great and sweet and wonderful sight, the glory of God united to and dwelling in the bush. This great sight that Moses speaks of represents two things, - (1.) The Incarnation of Christ, which was represented by God's dwelling in the bush; (2.) The death and sufferings of Christ, which were represented by God's appearing and dwelling in the burning bush, and in the bush when all on fire; which two things were the greatest sight that ever was seen by angels or men.