MARAH AND THE CROSS

Exo. 15:23-25

Morning Meditation 11/22/12

Exodus 15:23-25, "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. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 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,"

Moses proposal to Pharaoh was that the Children of Israel be allowed to go three days journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to God; Exodus 8:27, "We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us."

We are told in Exodus 15:22, "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." This was the place of worship. It was three days journey into the wilderness and they encountered a severe trial. There was water there but the water was "marah." This means it was bitter. They could not drink it. Can you imagine around three million Jews on Moses hands all of them asking for a drink of water? I would hate to have been in Moses shoes.

What did Moses do in this circumstance? Our text tells us that he "cried unto the LORD." There is no indication that he tried any other source. God was not his last resort. He was in the employment of the LORD. So he went directly to the only source that could help him. We are told that "the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet."

What an outstanding picture of the cross. They were in the place of worship. They were in dire need for water and the water was undrinkable. But the tree made the difference. Note the following:

1. They were where they were supposed to be. Yet this place was a disaster to them. One can't live without water and this is especially true in the desert.

2. They complained to their leader and their leader took the problem to the LORD.

3. We are told that "the LORD shewed him a tree. Exodus 15:25, "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,"

The tree that Moses cast into the waters is a type of the Cross. The Cross of the Lord Jesus is the only thing that will sweeten the bitter waters of the circumstances of life. There are times that life becomes unbearable. When this happens, the Christian goes to the Cross, and the Cross turns the bitter trial sweet. It is a miracle. God performs miracles for His children all the time.

I am reminded of the man who was on a steep roof of a house. He lost his footing and began to slide off the roof which in all probability would have ended his life. He immediately cried out to God, "Lord, save me!" About that time the seat of his pants caught on a nail and it stopped his fast descent. When this happened, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Lord, it's ok now. The nail saved me." I think too often when God does some great thing in our lives, and we cry out to Him for help, we credit the thing He uses to help us, instead of giving Him the glory for pulling that nail out far enough to catch us.

The bitter waters of Marah was at the place of worship, and all it took to change the complete situation into a blessing to three million Jews, was a tree that Moses cast into the waters. The LORD is the one who turns the bitter trials of this life into sweet blessings and all of this is done to prove us.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White