Sweet provision and promised healing
"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. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?' 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, 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.'
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped by the water."
Exodus 15:22-27
Moses took the Israelites away from the location where God had mightily delivered His people from their enemies. It was a place of celebration, singing, and dancing. It was a place of rest, rest from danger and fear. (I find it interested that it says that Moses, not the Lord, was the one who moved them on. We are told that the pillar of cloud and of fire led the people. It could be that Moses was leading by example - he was following the pillar to show them what to do. So, it looked like Moses was the one leading when, in fact, it was the Lord.) The Israelites were not allowed to stay stationary 'on the mountaintop, so to speak. They were quickly escorted from the peak to the valley - the wilderness - to be tested by the LORD.
This reminds me of the events that took place around the baptism of Jesus. Here, Jesus had just been publicly praised by His Father in the hearing of the people. Proof of His divine status was put on display. And yet, He is very soon afterward ushered by the Spirit of God from the place of praise to the place of testing. Again, the location of testing is a wilderness.
The Israelites go without water for three days. The Son goes without food and water for forty days. The Israelites squirm under the burden of their temporal need. The Son stands firm in the face of an incredible pressure that would have eternal ramifications if he buckled. The Israelites are tested by the LORD. The Son is tested by His fiercest foe. The Israelites are promised protection from disease and healing if they would but obey the commandments of God. The Son obeyed and held fast to the commandments of God, and God's angels ministered to Him after His time of testing. The Israelites were taken from their place of testing to a place of abundance. The Son was taken from His place of testing into His ministry. The LORD provided a previously unknown solution to the lack of water for the Israelites. He provided sweetness where once the water had been bitter. I have no doubt that the Spirit provided the Scripture needed for the Son to combat the lies and temptations of the devil. I have no doubt that the ministrations of the angels sent to the Son brought a sweet and healing balm. The protection offered the Israelites for obedience was physical. The healing of the angels was, I'm sure, went deeper to the very heart and soul of Christ.
There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 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.'
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped by the water."
Exodus 15:22-27
Moses took the Israelites away from the location where God had mightily delivered His people from their enemies. It was a place of celebration, singing, and dancing. It was a place of rest, rest from danger and fear. (I find it interested that it says that Moses, not the Lord, was the one who moved them on. We are told that the pillar of cloud and of fire led the people. It could be that Moses was leading by example - he was following the pillar to show them what to do. So, it looked like Moses was the one leading when, in fact, it was the Lord.) The Israelites were not allowed to stay stationary 'on the mountaintop, so to speak. They were quickly escorted from the peak to the valley - the wilderness - to be tested by the LORD.
This reminds me of the events that took place around the baptism of Jesus. Here, Jesus had just been publicly praised by His Father in the hearing of the people. Proof of His divine status was put on display. And yet, He is very soon afterward ushered by the Spirit of God from the place of praise to the place of testing. Again, the location of testing is a wilderness.
The Israelites go without water for three days. The Son goes without food and water for forty days. The Israelites squirm under the burden of their temporal need. The Son stands firm in the face of an incredible pressure that would have eternal ramifications if he buckled. The Israelites are tested by the LORD. The Son is tested by His fiercest foe. The Israelites are promised protection from disease and healing if they would but obey the commandments of God. The Son obeyed and held fast to the commandments of God, and God's angels ministered to Him after His time of testing. The Israelites were taken from their place of testing to a place of abundance. The Son was taken from His place of testing into His ministry. The LORD provided a previously unknown solution to the lack of water for the Israelites. He provided sweetness where once the water had been bitter. I have no doubt that the Spirit provided the Scripture needed for the Son to combat the lies and temptations of the devil. I have no doubt that the ministrations of the angels sent to the Son brought a sweet and healing balm. The protection offered the Israelites for obedience was physical. The healing of the angels was, I'm sure, went deeper to the very heart and soul of Christ.
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