The Bitter Water

Exodus 15:22 KJV 1900

So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

The mention that they travelled for three days into the desert is deliberately intended to recall Moses’ demand that they go three days into the wilderness to worship. Here, three days in, they find bitter water and complain—not worship.

The wilderness of Shur is located in the Sinai peninsula, and it’s believed the location has been found

They were in a potentially deadly situation, no water for 3 days

Bear in mind they were in the wilderness 3 days, we’ll come back to that later

Exodus 15:23 KJV 1900

And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

“Marah” means “bitter” in Hebrew

So now they have found water, but are unable to drink, so surely this is causing them to feel a type of way - surely it would have been frustrating

Exodus 15:24 KJV 1900

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

Where were they placing their hope and faith? - NOT GOD PROVIDING, THEY WERE THINKING PHYSICALLY

we must keep in mind that God can provide in seemingly impossible times

They were now free, and having so much to look forward to, they STILL COMPLAIN

instead of trying to be optimistic, they gave into their fleshly feelings of BITTERNESS

how easy is it for us to complain and grumble instead of looking to God for the situation?

Exodus 15:25 KJV 1900

And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

What is the first thing Moses does? - HE IMMEDIATELY CRIES OUT TO GOD

if this is not our first instinct in tough situations in our lives then SOMETHING IS WRONG

even just in normal situations we should be consulting God

He’s there for us, He’s said He’s there for us in a myriad of ways

bearing our burdens, looking out for us above the sparrows, telling us that our Father in heaven knows our needs

and if we serve God and come to Him, He will help us along the way

We can’t expect God to just intervene for us in situations if we don’t cry out to Him for guidance and help?

imagine, blaming God for not helping us when we’re actually out there trying to do things without Him

He’s ther for us, just like He was there for the Hebrews in this story

they were in the middle of the desert, in a life threatening situation, and the people grumbled

but Moses cried out to God first

and it was when Moses reached out to God that the problem was solved, and solved miraculously

Imagery of the tree

We have the tree which is imagery of the cross of Christ which was to come later

then the tree is thrown into the bitter water and made sweet

is this not what happens to us when we accept Christ? something bitter, something of fallen nature, something in all manner of sin,

and it’s miraculously made clean, healed, new

The Great Physician healed

think about the bitter water, are many people not bitter souls before they accept Christ?

the world is though sometimes, sometimes people go through a lot, sometimes people feel beat down

and it’s so very easy to give in and feel bitterness in the situation

but only God can take a bitter soul and make it sweet, can make it brand new again

and if God can do this for our soul when we are saved, why can’t He continue to do things for us throughout life?

So we can either have our minds on the physical or the spiritual

anytime we approach a situation, where is our mind? What are we focused on? who is going to solve the situation?

we should always have the perspective of God being with us as we go through our lives, and that God can help us, and that God can make things happen

we don’t have to go into situations alone, God is there to fight for us

That doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing and wait for God to plow a path before us, we still must move forward trying to do the will of God

sitting and being bitter does nothing, complaining did nothing in the situation at Marah

and there will be many other times in the wilderness wanderings where the murmuring did nothing

but what DID work was reaching out to God, who is always there

who will never leave us nor forsake us

Exodus 15:26 KJV 1900

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

Dilligently hearken to the voice of God

we have this in the Word of God that we are all so blessed to have

Do that which is right in His sight

so not only listening to God’s voice (knowing His word)

but also DOING what is right in HIS sight

not what’s right in OUR sight, it must be HIS

we must keep a GODLY perspective

Give ear to His commandments, keep all His statutes

He basically tells them He will take care of them if they just follow Him

let’s think about sheep and shepherds, Jesus is our good shepherd after all

The shepherd GUIDES the sheep in the right direction, to pastures an still waters

the sheep would have a harder time finding those places on their own, they need GUIDANCE

the Shepherd PROTECTS the sheep

He keeps them from harm by the way He guides them

So it all fits together, as the sheep on their own can put themselves into danger

but sheep with a shepherd are doing good

So if we compare this with a bunch of Hebrews wandering around in the desert wilderness, we can see that they’re something like sheep

so they need this guidance from God not only for their very earthly survival, but their spiritual survival as well

and we are just a bunch of people wandering around on the earth

We NEED OUR GOOD SHEPHERD - and HE’S THERE

we simply must follow Him

God led them to green pastures and till waters in the end, He led them to their land of milk and honey

and we have ours to look toward as well

and look at the last part of the verse, “I AM THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE”

He healed the waters at Marah and He can heal us

think of the woman who had the issue of blood that sought out Jesus

she tried really hard to get through the crowd to Him, and finally was able to touch the hem of His robe

she did this all out of her faith and belief in the fact that God can heal

and when she was healed after touching Christ, what did He say?

He said “your faith has saved you”

her faith in God led to her healing

He’s the Great Physician, the Good Shepherd, and He is the Lord that HEALETH THEE

He heals our soul, He heals everything about us

but like the woman with the issue of blood, like Moses did at Marah, we can be healed through this same concept

Exodus 15:27 KJV 1900

And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

it’s thought that Elim is not far from Marah

so this is one of those situations where just around the bend there was good water and palm trees

Judging from the way the story is told they were not far from the oasis. But God had other plans for them, to see if they would trust him wholeheartedly and obey. They did not do very well this first time, and they will have to learn how to obey. The lesson is clear: God uses adversity to test his people’s loyalty. The response to adversity must be prayer to God, for he can turn the bitter into the sweet, the bad into the good, and the prospect of death into life.

PROSPECT OF DEATH INTO LIFE

let’s think back - remember how they were 3 days with no water in the wilderness?

it was on the 3rd day that the tree was thrown into the waters at Marah

so the 3rd day changed the prospect of death into the prospect of life

Jesus is the water of life

So just how they had to learn a lesson about seeking God rather than complaining, perhaps we can learn from this

and that we can apply it in our lives

because there is a big difference in knowing something and applying it

we likely all believe that God can change any situation and knows every situation

but do we practice it? do we live our lives this way?

how often are we consulting God regarding our decision making?

are we failing and complaining about things before even consulting God in the first place?

are we placing our faith where it needs to be in everyday situations?

are we living our lives with the perspective that God will get us through?

and are we living as a sheep in the flock of our Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep?