Day 1109: Tested, that they might trust. - Exodus 15 vs 14 - 27

14-16 The peoples have heard; they tremble; pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia. Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed; trembling seizes the leaders of Moab; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. Terror and dread fall upon them; because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone, till your people, O Lord, pass by, till the people pass by whom you have purchased. 17-18 You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. The Lord will reign for ever and ever.”

19-20 For when the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the people of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider (chariot) he has thrown into the sea.”

22-23 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.(bitterness)

24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, (or tree) and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. 25-26 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. 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water. Exodus 15:14-27 English Standard Version

Bad news travels fast, even in those times long before the internet! The people of Philistia, Edom and Canaan soon heard of what happened to Egypt, and how God was going to settle His people in the land He had chosen for them, and they began to tremble with fear. The picture is of them falling silent as God led His people whom He had purchased pass by. Miriam led the the women with rejoicing, saying “Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider (chariot) He has thrown into the sea.”

But let's not overlook the word 'purchased'. It implies something bought at a cost. In the New Testament we're told that God's people were bought “not with perishable things such as silver or gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18-19) Writing to Christians at Corinth, Paul said: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

How should those who’ve been bought by God respond? Well, certainly not as Israel did in those first days. Having seen God's mighty works in rescuing them from Egypt, they turned to grumbling when it looked as if they might die of thirst. It was their first 'test' since coming out of Egypt, and they sadly failed. But God patiently provided for them by providing a tree that made the bitter water sweet.

And God gave Israel another name by which He would be known to them, “Yahweh-Rapha”, the Lord who heals. Just as He made the bitter water sweet, so He would also keep them from the diseases He had struck Egypt with. But it was conditional. It was 'if' they diligently listened to His voice, and did what was right in His eyes!

They were tested that they might learn to trust. Oh that we might learn to trust God more, and not grumble when we encounter difficult hurdles on our journey.