Moses was keeping sheep in the wilderness when he saw a burning bush that was not consumed. God called out to Moses from the bush and told him to remove his sandals as he was standing on holy ground. God told Moses that he had heard the cries of the Israelites suffering under Egyptian rule and that he was sending Moses to Pharaoh to demand that the Israelites be set free. Moses questioned how the Israelites would believe that God had sent him, so God told Moses his name was "I Am" and that the Israelites should be told "I Am" has sent Moses.