A Way Through The Wilderness

God's desire is to lead us out of bondage through our wilderness experience.

The journey of the believer is a time of purging, testing and humbling.

There are many types in the Old Testament. Pharaoh typified Satan; Egypt was an illustration of the world; Moses of Christ; the wilderness experience represented the journey of the believer; the pillar of cloud (and fire by night), the Holy Spirit; passing through the Red Sea, baptism etc.

The children of Israel, upon being taken out of Egypt by Moses were led through the red Sea into the wilderness. They were led by the pillar of cloud (led by Holy Spirit).

Then Moses led 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. Ex 15:22

Visualize this scene.

It is important to remember, that the people are being led by the pillar. It should be noted that there were times when the pillar moved; the people looked around, no pillar. They had to quickly catch up. Other times, they uprooted their tents, began to travel to the Promised Land, looked around; no pillar. They had to return and wait.

Sometimes, as Christians, we just plod on, not waiting, and have to look around and return, waiting on God to move.

Now, they went for three days without water. This is the maximum time the body can go without. They were taxed to their limit.

I visualize the animals, being first to sense water, their heads lifting, nostrils flaring and their pace quickens. The Israelites too felt the tension of the animals and walked faster.

Keep trying to visualize the scene.

And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?” Ex 15:23

When they saw the water, it gave hope. But as they bent to drink and brought it to their mouth, they spit it out because it was bitter. It was named Marah, meaning bitter

Of interest, is that they looked to Moses and grumbled, as though they were not being led by the pillar. In essence, they were saying, God did not know what he was doing. This is what grumbling is in our life. We say, “God does not know what he is doing. He led me to this place and it is bitter”.

Have you had situations that God brought you to and then you grumbled? Have you been led to something and it was bitter? What was your response?

Next, The Remedy for Bitter Waters.