Breaking News: Man hears God's voice, Name



Man Claims that God Reveals "Secret Name," Wants to Deliver the Oppressed
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
by X. Odess, Staff Reporter

(AOR) MT. HOREB - The voice of God can be heard even in small brush fires.  At least that's what one local man, a shepherd named Moses, believes as he claimed to have heard God's voice today in a burning bush.  Just like any other day, Moses was tending the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian.  But this turned out to be anything but an ordinary day for the awestruck Moses, who says he saw a bush that appeared to be engulfed in flames but not consumed by the fire.  Intrigued by this strange sight, Moses approached and he says he heard a voice.  "It was like nothing I'd ever heard before, "he told Agent Orange Records, "like the sound of the sun setting, or like music from the heavens."  Moses claims that this celestial voice instructed him to remove his sandals, telling him that this section of Mt. Horeb is "holy ground." 

While many have claimed to have visions and dreams at Mt. Horeb, few have been this detailed.

Moses notes that the voice claimed to be the God of his father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  When asked what God looked like, Moses replied, "I really can't say, I was hiding my face the whole time." 

An encounter with God from flaming flora would seem to be enough, but there was more.  "God told me that the cry of the oppressed
has reached God's ears, and that God wants to send me to lead them out of captivity."  Before you assume that these are the visions of a raving lunatic, Moses is quick to point out that he tried to get out of this task, citing his inability to speak in public, his lack of credibility, and the fact that he didn't even know the name of this God in the fire. 

Moses, who says he simply referred to God as "lord" or "God" prior to today's strange occurence, recalled that when he pressed God on the identity question, God responded by saying, "My name is 'I am that I am' or 'I will be who I am' or 'I will be.'"  When asked why God would choose a verb for a name, Moses replied, "I have no idea, I guess God wants us to see that God isn't just a thing that we can name and understand, but God is - and will continue to be - the source of action towards freedom and redemption." 

Again, is Moses a madman?  Or is he just a man, mad with the experience of hearing the voice of God, calling him to help lead others from slavery to freedom, from oppression to community?  And what of this "I Am" God?  These questions, and others, remain unanswered.  But you can bet the folks here around Mt. Horeb are going to be looking for answers, even as Moses packs his bag to head for the lands of oppression to answer the call of this bizarre moment.  "God will go with me," says Moses. 

We hope so, Moses.  Pharoah won't be so easily convinced.