Sunday: Bitter Waters
Daily Lesson for Sunday 10th of August 2025
In biblical narratives, different roles are played by different characters, good or bad, and we need to pay close attention to plots, places, timing, and villains. However, the most important point in a storyline is usually the solution and the lessons learned. It’s no different in these accounts.
As the episodes show, God is the Problem Solver and the Peacemaker; however, His work is complicated by people’s unbelief. As a result of their constant murmuring and disobedience, the Hebrews experienced serious complications, even tragedies. They brought upon themselves many difficulties because of their incredulity and unrepentance.
Read Exodus 15:22-27. After crossing the Red Sea, what was the background to the first miracle performed?
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The first test of Israel’s faith is associated with the need for water, not surprising given the harsh, hot, and dry desert environment. After three days of traveling, the people finally found water, but it was undrinkable. Marah means “bitter,” and because the water was bitter, Israel’s faith in their caring Lord quickly floundered. However, God reacted with compassion, and the first miracle was performed with a piece of wood. Of course, it was not the wood but the Lord who made the water sweet and drinkable. The people had to learn important lessons: (1) patience in waiting for the Lord’s timing, and (2) that God does things in cooperation with humans.
However, the children of Israel took so many things for granted and quickly forgot the great miracles that God had done for them—miracles for which they had just so passionately sung praises to Him, declaring: “ ‘Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?’ ” (Exodus 15:11, ESV).
And yet, even after their grumbling, God promised that He would not bring upon the Israelites “any of the diseases” (Exodus 15:26, NIV) that had plagued the Egyptians. He would protect them. They could experience this promise only on the condition that they stayed faithful to Him.
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What trials and struggles have you brought upon yourself? What comfort can you get in knowing that God will still work on your behalf if you cooperate with Him? |
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It is easy for us armchair Christians in the twenty-first century to make judgemental statements about the Hebrews behaviour and attitudes three millennia ago. They should have seen the power of the Lord and had faith and so on. Remember these folk had come out of bondage in a land where gods were sort of like good luck icons. You consulted them when things went wrong.
Have you ever been on an excursion when the supposedly responsible person forgot something important? When we were kids we went on a church excursion to a waterfall. It was a full day trip and involved a long car drive and a 6 mile walk in the bush. The idea was that we were going to have lunch before we did the long walk. Well someone responsible was supposed to have brought the lunch. Being kids, we complained. How could our parents be so stupid to forget the lunch? There was a bit of a conversation about how families worked and how some kids in the family were old enough to do some things in preparation for the trip as well. But that did not stop us from feeling pretty hungry particularly as we had a big hike ahead of us on an empty stomach.
So, when we read, they are grumbling about the supply of water, quails and onions, these folk are at the very bottom of the learning curve. Faith is something that grows. And to be fair, they had genuine concerns; water and food are not on tap and in the supermarket in the desert. This was a place where faith and trust would grow.
And just to conclude the story. A miracle happened for us. A family with 7 kids had brought enough food to feed their family and were used to making sure there was more than enough. They gave us a savoury chestnut pie that I still remember as one of the most delightful culinary experiences ever. Our dilemma provided an opportunity for another family to show generosity and love that was part of the great experience of belonging to the family of God.
The Hebrews had another 40 years to experience that sort of love from God.
I had a bit of a similar experience when I was in academy and on band tour. We were touring California and crossed from San Diego into Tijuana and spent the day there. When we returned to the US, were supposed to have supper at the beach but the person driving the van towing the trailer with the food in it got separated from the tour bus most of us were in. So we had no supper when we were supposed to. I remember we were not a happy bunch at all. And even at 18, I eventually thought about the poverty we'd seen in Mexico and how small our complaints were. After all, we did get supper eventually.
We're really not that different from the Israelites. Thankfully God is patient with us.
The Children of Israel had selective memory. They chose to remember the food in Egypt, but they decided to forget how they were made slaves in Egypt. Signs and wonders do not produce lasting faith. Faith that relies upon tangible signs and wonders evaporates fast when trials strike. Miracles are like a doorbell that draws attention to God, but they do not enforce trust. Therefore, it is not surprising to see how quickly the opening of the Red Sea was forgotten when trials showed up.
Chronic complaining displeases God (Numbers 11:1), and we are admonished to do all things without complaining and disputing that we may become children of God (Philippians 2:14-15). Habitual complaining is not just a bad habit, but it is a serious spiritual risk that erodes faith and brings discord among people. Complaining is a means to satisfy earthly desires rather than wanting eternal things. The antidote for complaining is to give thanks to God in all circumstances.
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT).
"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" - Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV).
The wilderness has a way of exposing our underbellies and what is in us faith or fear. The children of Israel knew this feeling well when, after three days in the v without water, they came to Marah — only to find its waters bitter and undrinkable (Exodus 15:22–23). Their hopes were dashed, their thirst unquenched, and their hearts tested. Yet even in that moment of disappointment, God had already provided the solution: a simple tree that, when cast into the water, made it sweet (Exodus 15:25). Just as He turned bitter water into sweet for Israel, He can turn our most frustrating seasons of into testimonies of His success and faithfulness. Today’s “bitter waters” comes in different shades like broken marriages, financial strain, unanswered prayers, or dreams that didn’t unfold as we hoped. Like the Israelites, temptations are real thus we we may be murmur forgetting that “the LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). The same God who led His people through the wilderness still invites us to trust Him indeed in His time, He can take the very thing that causes us pain and transform it into the refreshment we need to press on.
If I go to the doctor with a sore throat, fatigue, headache, cough, etc. it may be hard for her to diagnose because those symptoms are common to a lot of different inflammatory illnesses. Actually, even anxiety alone can bring on those symptoms.
I think God is trying to train us to hear grumbling as the cough of a "dis-ease" called "unbelief". In today's story, our reference book for spiritual diagnoses (the Bible) is telling me that complaining is the sign of a spiritual sickness. I'm always shocked by the story of Paul and Silas singing in prison after they had been severely beaten for sharing the gospel story (Acts 16:25). For me, I think just to be sitting there patiently and quietly bearing the pain I would have considered that as being faithful. But, no, a healthy person is not just someone who is not coughing, but someone who is radiant with health, right?! The picture of spiritual health coming to us through the apostle Paul, this man who was able to sing in prison so sincerely that everyone around him was saved, is
"in everything give thanks" (1 Thess. 5:16-18; Col. 3:16) and "rejoice in the Lord always"...think of things of good report we can praise God about (Phil. 4:4-8).
God is so patient with us. He blessed the children of Israel with sweet water DESPITE them and their pouting. God says, "Remember, I'm leading you out of Egypt to hold a FEAST TO ME in the wilderness (Exodus 5:1)....so why are you cursing Me under your breath? Why the little grunts and sighs of annoyance? Why are you rolling your eyes? Are you sick? Have you caught Satan's itchy rage? Start feasting on Me and your sickness will go away."
As a people, how quickly do we forget!!!
One of he challenges for the Israelites and for us today is to remember how God has worked in the past and use those experiences to fan our faith for the challenges of the present!!!
Today this story made me think of Ruth & Naomi in Ruth 1:19-21 where Naomi tells her old friends in Bethlehem to call her Mara. Interesting that she came from Bethlehem, and interesting that while her life was bitter at the moment, God turned that bitterness to sweetness through Ruth & down the line through Jesus. God had compassion for Ruth & Naomi's situation, just as he had compassion on the complaining Israelites. Will he be any less compassionate with us? If only we could see ahead to what God has planned through our trials and challenges even after we pass from this earth's history. I think we will be very surprised by many things when we reach that heavenly kingdom and find out exactly how our own story played out for good.
I am certain that in our former life we encountered many times circumstances represented by ‘Bitter Waters’ – ‘coming to the end of our ‘robe’. Now, as a Christian, can we not move beyond constantly focusing on ‘concerns about maintaining our wellbeing’? Is it not time to live out the spiritual reality of having our life IN Jesus Christ – and so being ’in’ God the Father as well – knowing Him and being known by Him? – John 14:20; John 17:23.
Deut.31:6; 8; Heb.1:5 - Do we still doubt His Promise: “I will never leave you nor forsake you”? Our God calls us to trust His benevolent providence to such an extend, that our waking moments can focus on being and staying in Him - resting by immersing ourselves in His assurance that our Creator, whom we call upon as our God, is faithful.
Or do we still linger in the ‘wilderness’ requiring our God to daily ‘prove’ Himself to us by ‘giving answers’? Would this not imply that we still need to learn to give Him our full trust and devotion? If we truly believe to be His ‘new creation’, He can and will fulfill the desires/needs of our ‘heart’; not to indulge us, but to reflect His Will and Purpose in and for our life.
The born-again living soul’s heart immerses itself in the Love of its Creator, trusting Him unconditionally because we are faith-children in His Spirit and in His Truth - John 4:24.
If it were not for God’s mercy, we would all be dead already! Thanks to God, we are not gods! We do not have patience or compassion for others. And we never created such a complex machine as the human body. So, how come we can be impartial judges?
The problem of being loved so much, is the likehood of taking advantage of or even taking things for granted. It becomes so easy to question those who have offered that "too much love".
Such, is the case for the children of Israel in this story, and this character goes on...and on...and on... (like the old "Energizer" bunny battery promotional advert) over years and even centuries.
Centuries later, in the days of Jeremiah, God would even compare this lack of comprehension (understanding and appreciating God's love) and disrespect to the honarable family tree of Jonadab (the Rechabites)
“The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; for to this day they drink none, and obey their father’s commandment. But although I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, you did not obey Me. I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me. Surely the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them, but this people has not obeyed Me.” ’ - Jeremiah 35: 14-16
The Rechabites followed their fore fathers commands without question; no miracle done; no condition; no promise; no compromise; no salvation, but Israel......
... Pause.
Ask yourself, are we so different from the Hebrew, now?