The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 7
7. The Bitter Waters of Marah Sweetened by the Tree. Exo 15
At the red sea, Exo 14, they had too much water; at Marah, Exo 15:23, they had the wrong kind of water.

Marah (bitter water) = a bitter disappointment for a people whose lips were dry with thirst and who were fainting in the desert.

If your life is governed by emotions, you will fail when the Lord brings in different tests for the purpose of spiritual advance.

The wilderness experience will make manifest the weakness of God’s people and their failure under pressure.

To magnify the power and the mercy of the One who brought us to the place of testing.

The wilderness not only gives us a revelation of ourselves, but it also makes manifest the ways of God.

They thought they found what they were looking for, but suddenly it became a source of bitterness to them.

Grumbled = luwn = to murmur, complain, be malcontent, express dissatisfaction.

It was his obedience to the Lord’s command.

Their entire history would find its deepest meaning at Calvary’s cross - cast into the bitter waters of life for the healing of the world.

Joh 5:39 “Search the Scriptures, it is these that bear witness of Me;”

The waters of Marah point to the doctrine of redemption.

Redemption views mankind as born into the slave market of sin through the imputation of Adam’s original sin at birth.

The coin of the realm for this purchase is called the “blood of Christ,” Eph 1:7; Col 1:14.

1Co 15:19 “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most miserable.”

“First, there’s an advance in fullness and clearness of revelation; then a gradual spirit of declension, then conformity to the world, ending with amalgamation with the world;

then a gigantic civilization, brilliant but godless; then parallel development of evil and good; then an apostasy and finally a catastrophe.”

Gen 6:5 The wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Gen 6:11-12 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.

1Th 5:3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002