When God leads you to bitter waters - Mark Witte
“23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.”
Ex. 15:23-25
Recently, I had a bad cough. To help cure it, my doctor gave me a prescription for a special pill which would immediately alleviate the cough. The problem, however, was that the second the pill touched the tongue, a horrible bitter taste filled the whole mouth. I tolerated it because I knew that it was for my good.
In the Exodus, God led Israel out of Egypt by his strong hand. He saved Israel by holding back the waters and leading them through the Red Sea. But, at the same time, He judged Pharoah and Egypt by causing the waters to fall upon them. Once on the other side, Moises and all of Israel sang songs of praise to God.
Very quickly, however, Israel fell upon their old faithless ways. First, they did not want to leave the sea side. Moises had to force them to head out into the wilderness. Second, God sent them two big trials.
The first trial was the lack of water. For three days, they found none. In the desert, humanly speaking, it is not possible survive more than 3 days without water. So, by the third day, they were very thirsty.
The second trial was the bitter waters of Marah. When Israel finally found water, it was bitter and not potable. Even more so, the Hebrew for “bitter” could include the idea that the waters were poisoned. In such dire straights, instead of praying to their Savior, Israel began to grumble and complain against Moses. They rebelled against God´s servant, and thus rebelled against God.
John Calvin wrote: “God might have given them sweet water to drink at first, but He wished by the bitter to make prominent the bitterness which lurked in their hearts.” God knew what was in their hearts, and chose to use the lack of water and the bitter waters to reveal the bitterness that lurked in their hearts.
Phillip Ryken adds: “Bitterness does not come in the outward circumstance but in the inward response. We are called not to complain but to believe in the goodness of God, even when he leads us to the bitter waters.”
God led Israel to the bitter waters. This is very clear, because God was leading them through his presence in the pillars of fire and cloud. All Israel had to do was look up and see a reminder of the presence of God. The same God who sent the plagues upon Egypt and who lead them through the Red Sea on dry land had now led them to bitter waters. But why?
Why does God lead us to bitter waters? Why does he allow cancers, wars, and suffering? Why do believers suffer? Romans 8:28 says: “28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” What is the good which can come from bitter waters?
In the case of Israel, God lead them to the bitter waters to sanctify them. He lead them there to show them the bitterness in their hearts and to teach them that He loves them and cares for them. He lead them there so that they would learn to trust God and to call upon him.
God saved Israel in the Exodus. Now He is sanctifying them.
The story of the Exodus is our story as the church. Like Israel, we are prone to wander and prone to complain. Many times, when God leads us to bitter waters, instead of calling out to him in faith, we are like Israel and begin to complain and grumble. We being to question the goodness of our God.
Eternally, God is our Good Shepherd and He will lead us to the still waters. But, on this side of Glory, many times Heleads us to bitter waters. Have you ever considered that God is using the bitter waters in your life in the same way as He used them for Israel? Have you considered that God is using your cancer or your sickness to sanctify you? Have you considered that God is using the war in Ukraine, or your unemployment to teach you to cry out to Him and to grow in faith and holiness?
God is the Almighty. Nothing occurs by chance. God and His Providence are perfect! Therefore, if you are standing alongside bitter waters and suffering a great trial, don’t be like Israel. Don’t complain or grumble against God, but rather look to Jesus, “the Author and Perfector of our faith.” Look to Jesus, believe in Him, trust Him, and He will save you. Ask Him what He is trying to teach you and how He is using this trial for your sanctification.
After Moses called out to God, God led Israel to a great desert oasis full of water and shade. If you are thirsty in the desert. If you are parched and standing alongside bitter and no potable water, look to Jesus. In John 4:13-14, Jesus proclaimed: “13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Later, in Revelations 22:17, in one of the last verses of the Bible, we read: “17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”
Come to Jesus, the Fount of every blessing and of eternal life. Believe in Him and He will save you. By His Spirit, He is with you. He will never abandon you nor forsake you. He will heal the waters, and will use them for your sanctification and for your good.
That is the purpose ofthe Exodus. It is a picture of the Christian faith and our walk as children of God. God has a purpose for everything, even the bitter waters. Soon, Christ will come again, or call us to Himself. Soon Christ will lead us to the land of abundance and blessing. There we will rest beside the still waters for all of eternity.
In light of that great promise, the bitter waters we see today are not so bitter.