Bitterness destroys relationships, marriages, friendships and churches.

Friday, February 27, 2009

The basic word for bitterness in the Old Testament is
“Marah” which means angry discontentment, angry frustration.

They flunked the
“too much water test”
at the Red Sea when they freaked out.

Now they are going to flunk the
“wrong kind of water test,”
they had plenty of water but the wrong kind.

The tree represents to us promises from God, doctrinal rationales, and it represents a divine command.

Just as the tree was cast into the bitter water, making it sweet, so the Lord Jesus Christ heals the bitterness in those who invite His presence into their soul through residual doctrine.

Bitterness is also said to be a blasphemy, one that was uttered by Job beginning in the last phrase of JOB 9:17where Job was complaining.

JOB 9:17b-18 “He [God] multiplies my wounds without a cause. God will not allow me to get my breath, but saturates me with bitterness.”

In JOB 21:25 Job finally woke up and said,
“while another dies with a bitter soul, never tasting anything good.”

Bitterness produces complaining,
JOB 7:11.....”Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.”

Complaining people have a source, it’s a sinful source, and it becomes an evil source. All people who habitually complain are bitter people.

Complaining is simply an outward effect of an inward sin, and that inward sin is the sin of bitterness.

JOB 10:1, “I loathe or I am sick of life; I will give full vent to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.”

Bitterness destroys relationships, courtships,
marriages, friendships,
and most of all, it destroys churches.

In verse 6, all of this comes because their thoughts in their heart are deep or as the Hebrew says
“amoq” = exceedingly mysterious.

There comes a time when God will vindicate His people, and when He does it will be realized by those who have enough humility to recognize what God has done.

HEB 12:15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God. That no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

Two wrongs do not make a right,

But God’s grace and God’s love still reaches out, JOB 3:20 “Why is light given to him who suffers, and life to the bitter of soul”

Sarah had to deal with bitterness just like Hannah did in 1SA 1:10.

She finally attained that status, and this speaks volumes for her greatness and for her persistence and for the fact that she continued day in and day out to take in doctrine in spite of reverses and failures of all kind.