10-11-2026 From Bitterness to Blessings

Text: Exodus 15:22-27

                Think back to the time that you made the decision to trust God and allow Jesus to be your Savior.  Did you think that from that point on you would no longer experience problems in your life?  If you did, don’t stress about it.  You aren’t alone in this.  This morning let’s take a look at how the Israelites did the same thing.  Our text is found in Exodus 15:22-27 that says:  “ (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.  (23) 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.  (24) And the people murmured against Moses, saying, what shall we drink?  (25) And he cried unto the Lord and the Lord showed him a tree which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet; there He [God] made for them a Statute and an Ordinance, and there He proved [or tested] them.  (26) And said, if you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians for I am the Lord Who heals you.  (27) And they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten [70] palm trees and they encamped there by the waters.”

                So this is the setting:  The people had been set free from slavery in Egypt and watched their enemies die in the Red Sea after they had crossed it on dry land. Instead of being grateful for that and trusting that the Lord would find a solution to their current problem, they were now complaining to Moses. 

                Three days into the wilderness the containers of water that they brought with them needed to be refilled.  But the waters at Marah were bitter.  Israel was disappointed because they expected that they would have no more problems after leaving Egypt and they would coast easily to the Promised Land.  Like the ancient Israelites, we will have bitter experiences in this wilderness of a Christian life that we live while in this world.  Too often after accepting Jesus Christians think they will no longer have problems.  But Jesus reminds us in John 16:33 that there will always be tribulation in this world but we can be happy because Jesus has overcome the world for us! 

                We’re told in verse twenty-three of Exodus 15 that the people murmured against Moses.  That means they complained loudly and bitterly to him.  It was also a blatant example of their lack of faith.  And, it’s also a reminder to us about how we must remember that bitter experiences don’t have to make us bitter.  When we’re bitter we can’t receive blessings from God and we can’t be a blessing to others.  King Saul was bitter toward David, and the brother of the prodigal son was bitter about his return home.  Our Bible also tells us in Colossians 3:19 that husbands shouldn’t be bitter and James tells us in James 3:14-16 that bitterness is an earthly and devilish trait.  Hebrews 11:12-15 reminds us that bitterness spoil our witness as Christians.  So we should be careful to never allow bitterness cloud our faith.

                Our text tells us in verse twenty-four that Moses went to the Lord when the people became upset and concerned because he didn’t know what he should do.  This is another lesson about how we’re to behave when things don’t go our way.  When people criticize us or we are faced with a problem for which we have no solution, we should pray.  Again James reminds us in James 1:5 that God promises wisdom to those who ask.

                In verse twenty-five God showed Moses a tree that would fix the problem of the bitter water.  When the tree, which was there all the time, was placed in the water, the water became sweet and drinkable.  This is a reminder about the tree of Calvary which was a bitter experience for Jesus but it sweetens the bitter times we experience in our daily lives because we have someone to call on for help with all our problems.  And because of what Jesus did, we have the promise of eternal life in Heaven waiting for us.

                We learn in verse twenty-six of our text that God promises that if the people obeyed Him they would not suffer from the diseases that plagued the Egyptians.  Little did they know at the time that many of the moral laws God later gave them were designed to keep them free from sickness.  For example following God’s law against prostitution would keep them free from venereal disease.  God’s laws for us are also designed to keep us from harm.  We humans are complex beings and we need to understand that our physical, emotional, and spiritual lives are entwined.  Modern medicine is now acknowledging a lot of what God’s laws assumed.  So, if we want God to care for us, we need to submit to His direction when it comes to how we are to live our lives.

                Finally we’re told in verse twenty-seven that the Israelites came to Elim where there were twelve wells of water and 70 palm trees so they camped there.  Did you know that in Biblical terms the number twelve is the number of God’s Government?  We should remember that God’s government is not the governments devised by man.  The number twelve also call to mind the twelve tribes of Israel and later on, the twelve Apostles that would eventually make known to the world the new covenant, or the new promise of God because they were the eyewitnesses of Jesus Christ who is the cornerstone of our faith.  The 70 palm trees are symbolic of Ministry, which is built upon the foundation laid by the Apostles and the early Prophets and teaches that Jesus is the only way into Heaven.

                The ancient Israelites weren’t much different from us when things don’t go our way and the containers of water that they carried are no different from our hearts.  Water is a necessity to our lives and we must always put it into our bodies.  We need to constantly replenish our hearts and souls by attending church, praying often, and reading our Bibles daily.  This is how we come to understand that we will handle the difficulties that come up in our lives because we can keep trusting that God is always with us and will help us.  Moses led his people through the wilderness to the Promised Land and today we’re led through the wilderness of our earthly lives by faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Instead of complaining and whining we should also trust God and His plans for our future. 

                The weaknesses and failures we experience and make it through are a reminder that God always has our ultimate good in view even when there are times that He will test us.  But we should also remember that every problem and every test is an opportunity to overcome our failures of faith and make the effort to renew our trust in the power and mercy of the God who loves us.

                Until we meet again, may God bless you and keep you, may He shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.