THE LORD’S RULING AND TEST AT MARAH

Passage: Exodus 15:22-27

Key verse: 26

NIV

The Waters of Marah and Elim

22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert(A) of Shur.(B) For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.(C) 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.[a](D)) 24 So the people grumbled(E) against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”(F)

25 Then Moses cried out(G) to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw(H) it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.(I) 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep(J) all his decrees,(K) I will not bring on you any of the diseases(L) I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals(M) you.”

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped(N) there near the water.

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Footnotes
  1. Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitter.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Bitter Water Made Sweet

22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of (A)Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to (B)Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah.[a] 24 And the people (C)grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he (D)cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log,[b] and he (E)threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord[c] made for them a statute and a rule, and there he (F)tested them, 26 saying, (G)“If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the (H)diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, (I)your healer.”

27 Then (J)they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

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Footnotes
  1. Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitterness
  2. Exodus 15:25 Or tree
  3. Exodus 15:25 Hebrew he
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Rejoicing in God’s love and guidance is one thing; obediently following it is another. When the people, after going three days without water, came to Marah and found the water bitter, they grumbled against Moses, continuing a pattern that had begun at the seashore (14:11-12) and would continue throughout Exodus. It seems that delivering Israel out of Egypt would be faster and easier than getting Egypt out of the hearts and minds of Israel. So too with us; it is the deep inner work of sanctification.

Moses cries out to God who helps him find a piece of wood that cleanses the water, making it fit to drink. Moses knows how to work with God. In spite of their grumbling, Moses keeps shepherding them.

How would God deal with their grumbling? He issues a ruling and a test, providing a way for them to avoid disease into the future by listening carefully and obeying God’s words. This would prove to be a very difficult task, both for them and for us. Only by finding identity and living in conformity with God’s work in us through the gospel are we set free from the empty way of life of our forefathers (1Pe 1:18) as well as the cultural diseases of our time.

Prayer: Father, thank you for rescuing us through the gospel. Please help me listen and obey your words, allowing my identity and lifestyle to gradually be conformed to your truth, free from grumbling and the bitterness of my wicked generation.

One Word: Listen and obey God’s word