Egypt to Israel part 4
Chapter 15
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.
Moses brought- The pillar of fire, or Moses
Wilderness of Shur- northern portion of the red sea along the eastern shore, and all the region of Arabia-Petraea next to modern day Israel.
three days- they would have been traveling south to Sini on a used caravan road.
no water- They would have had water when they crossed but not they are out, they would have had flocks and needs and no water is a problem.
Marah- This means Bitter
could not drink- it was there, but it was more then just bad taste.
people complained- This is the second time, 3 days later
he cried out to the Lord-
tree- There are no trees in the middle east that can make water sweet. (nellimaram of Coromandel, the sassafras of Florida, the yerva Caniani of Peru, and the perru nelli (Phylanthus emblica) of India.)
cast it into- An act of faith
made sweet- This also happened in 2 Kings 2:19-22 No reason for this but an act of God.
There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, 26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”
a statute and an ordinance- Be doers not just hearers
He tested them- Testing their faith James 1
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.
Elim-
twelve wells- Abundant water
seventy palm trees- This is a sign of life and abundance
camped- rest and comfort
16 And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. 2 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
Wilderness of Sin- the desert between the red sea and Isarel
Elim and Sinai- Where is Sinai?
fifteenth day of the second month- This is to say 1 month after leaving Egypt.
complained against- Third time complaining, where is the trust in God, where is the remembrance of the need of water?
when we- Killed in a plague
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
Lord Said to Moses- Moses and God communicated regularly
rain bread from heaven- God meeting their need in an extraordinary way
every day- They had to act, in a very specific way
test them– Are you being obedient
Sixth day- the day before the sabbath. Specific instructions for this day.
First Baptist Church Delmar 