The first challenge after the exodus

Exodus 15:22-27;   8/16/2026; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

Introduction

      When people are going through difficult times, they may be able to endure hunger for several days.  But you can’t go even one day without water!  After the Israelites left Egypt, the very first challenge they faced was that they couldn’t find water for three days.  What does that mean?  It means they were facing an extremely difficult and unbearable situation.  So, what do we do when we find ourselves in a situation like that?  Let’s look at the first point:

The limits of going three days without water

      I wonder, what is the longest you have ever gone without drinking water?  In the heat of July and August here in Texas, going without water is difficult even for a moment!  First, lessons from our ancestors.  Why do I call this a lesson from our ancestors?  The Bible tells us that Moses led the Israelites forward from the Red Sea, and they came to the wilderness of Shur.  Why did they go to the wilderness of Shur?   Or, we might ask, why does the Bible specifically mention the wilderness of Shur?  In fact, the first time the Bible mentions the wilderness of Shur is when Hagar, Abraham’s servant, fled from Sarai and encountered the Lord God there.  Even Ishmael, the son of Hagar, and his descendants lived in the wilderness of Shur, which lay between Egypt and the land of Canaan.  Throughout history, the Israelites traveled back and forth between Egypt and Israel, and the story of Ishmael also became an indelible part of the historical memory of God’s people.

      Second, the bitter water of Marah.  After the Israelites left Egypt, they were uncertain about the wilderness ahead.  At the same time, they still longed for the life they had left behind in Egypt.  Could that be true?  They still remembered the abundant waters of the Nile and the plentiful food of Egypt.  After crossing the Red Sea, they had, in a sense, said goodbye to Egypt, but they could not forget Egypt!  In the same way, when we believe in Jesus, we have, in a sense, said goodbye to our old self.  But could it be that we, too, still find it difficult to let go of our old self?  Drinking water was a basic need for the Israelites, but searching for water became a test from God.  Finding water could stir up their feelings, but tasting bitter water became a trial from God.  The seed Abraham planted in Hagar because of his weakness of faith eventually produced bitter fruit, which Moses and the Israelites had to experience in the wilderness of Shur.

      Finally, the people’s grumbling.  This is a cause-and-effect connection.  The people’s grumbling can actually be traced back to a spiritual root: the weakness of their ancestors’ faith.  Who would have thought?  The Bible says, “The people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What are we going to drink?’”  It seems that when the grumbling began, there was no obvious reason for it, and no trace of where it came from.  It seemed so natural for the people to grumble against Moses, even understandable and reasonable.  But the context of today’s passage tells us that the Israelites’ grumbling actually came from a weakness of faith.  Therefore, the only way to stop the Israelites from grumbling was to restore their faith in the Lord God.  Isn’t it the same with you and me? Now, let us look at the second point.

The test of the bitter water of Marah

      Bitter water, bitter circumstances, and suffering are all part of life, wouldn’t you agree?  What makes the difference is how we place our suffering in different circumstances of life and what meaning we draw from it.  First, the reason behind the grumbling.  If the Israelites could have maintained a calm and trusting heart, what should they have done when they came to the bitter waters of Marah?  They could have waited patiently.  They could have prayed and asked God for help.  They could even have cried out to God.  All of that would have been appropriate.  But they should not have grumbled, because grumbling points directly to a lack of trust in God, or at least to a very weak trust in Him.  During the ten plagues, the Israelites were quite comfortable.   Why?  Because it was the Egyptians who suffered the plagues, while the Israelites were safe and unharmed.  But now, when it was their turn to face a situation without food or water, their faith suddenly disappeared.  In our daily lives, we often fail to appreciate the abundance God has given us.  What happens when one day God takes that abundance away? What will be left?  Complaints? Bitterness?  Discouragement?  Disappointment?  Giving up? Or something else?

Second, the way out is prayer.  When the Israelites were grumbling, what was Moses doing?  The Bible says, “Moses cried out to the LORD!”  The choice between following Moses’ example and falling into the bitter waters of the Israelites’ complaints is a choice we make in life, and it is also an issue we cannot avoid.  Moses was not simply saying a routine prayer.  He was crying out to God!  But what does it mean to cry out?  Was Moses crying as he prayed?  Perhaps.  Was he shouting out loud? Maybe. Whatever the case, Moses was focused on God.  He longed for God.  He sought God alone.  He was speaking with God.  He loved God.  This is what genuine prayer to God looks like.  It is not just going through the motions.  It is not simply completing a task. And it is not approaching God with no feeling, no understanding, no relationship, no response, no interest, and no sincerity.

Finally, the test of obedience.  God answered Moses’ prayer and cry, just as the Scripture says: “The LORD showed him a tree. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD gave them statutes and ordinances, and there He tested them.”  The Bible does not tell us what kind of tree it was, nor does it explain why throwing the tree into the water made the water sweet.  But at this very moment, the Bible tells us that God established rules for the Israelites through statutes and ordinances, and there He tested them.  Doesn’t that seem a little strange?  But when we look at the whole picture, we see that as soon as the Israelites came out of Egypt, God wanted them to learn His commands.  The purpose was to teach God’s people to learn obedience to God rather than rebellion against Him.  Now, let us look at the third point.

The satisfaction of Elim’s springs

        God tested the Israelites at the bitter waters of Marah, and He made the bitter water sweet.  God did not allow the Israelites to stop and stay at Marah.  He led them to keep moving forward, until they came to Elim.  In the same way, we may be going through difficult times today, but God will not allow us to remain forever at the bitter waters of Marah.  He wants to lead us to Elim, where we can camp beside the twelve springs of water.  First, if you listen carefully to the Word of God.  The Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path.  God’s laws and decrees are not merely rigid rules and regulations.  They are the bread of life.  So how can we take what may seem like rigid laws, commands, and regulations, and experience them as spiritual food?  The key is our attitude toward God’s Word.  It is very easy for us to read the Bible and let the words go in one ear and out the other.  Sometimes our prayers may come from our lips without really coming from our hearts.  Even in worship and praise, we may simply go through the motions without really paying attention.  But God does have a requirement for us. What is it?  He asks us to carefully listen to the voice of the Lord our God.  And God does not force us to listen carefully to His Word.  Instead, He promises to bless us and give us strength!  Whether or not we experience God’s blessing depends on our attitude toward Him, and especially on our attitude toward His Word.  Will we pay close attention to it, or will we simply ignore it?

Second, do what is right in the eyes of God.  This is the key to getting away from human-centered thinking, so that we do not fall into the trap of offending God.  We have become so accustomed to living according to the standards of our old self in Adam that we ignore, and sometimes even disregard, God’s heart, God’s will, and God’s Word.  So what is the turning point here?  Actually, it is simply this: be still.  The Bible does not tell us merely to pay attention to reading God’s Word.  It tells us to pay attention and listen.   What is the difference?  When we read with our eyes, it is very easy to read quickly, letting the words go in one ear and out the other, and simply go through the motions. But when we listen to God’s Word, we need to listen with our ears, and we also need to listen with our eyes.  We need to be still and carefully reflect on God’s Word, not allowing even one detail to slip by.  What is most important is this: when we hear God’s Word, we need to put it into practice.  We are not just going through the motions or simply going through the day.

Finally, there were twelve springs of water.  The Lord we believe in is a God who is full of grace, mercy, and love.  He gives us all kinds of challenges, but He also provides abundant grace.  He brings us from the bitter waters of Marah to the springs of Elim.  There was not just water; there was an abundance of water.  There were twelve springs, where the Israelites could rest and set up camp.  These twelve springs provided water for the twelve tribes of Israel.  They also reminded God’s people of Jacob, who went down to Egypt with seventy people.  And now, they had grown strong—like twelve palm trees—ready to journey through the wilderness and move forward toward the Promised Land.

Conclusion

        Praise the Lord! As soon as the Israelites came out of Egypt, God allowed them to experience thirst and to drink bitter water.  What did they do?  They grumbled against Moses, and that revealed the unbelief in their hearts—or at least, a lack of faith in God.  What about you?  Dear brothers and sisters, do you believe?  Do you really believe?   Do you still believe when you are thirsty?  Do you still believe after you have tasted the bitter water?  The twelve springs of Elim are what God has prepared for those who believe in Him.  Will you have a share in them?

 

        Let us pray together……

 

²² Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water.

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.  There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,

²⁶ saying, “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 diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

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