Exodus 15:22-17:7

[Josh]

Waters Made Sweet?

As to a historical analysis, what we may have here is that the Israelites have encountered a well polluted by salty runoff from the recent storm that caused the waters to part ('bitter' often being an adjective for salty in that part of the world). If the tree (probably an acacia) had been burnt (struck by lightning or otherwise involved in a fire), the charcoal could serve as a water purifier for the spring (charcoal can desalinize water with small amounts of salt). It's interesting to note that it is said that God 'taught' or 'instructed' Moses how to do this- it's like getting a survival skills course from the Lord almighty.

Symbolically, the early Church fathers, among many things, said that the bitter water is like the law, from which the cross of Christ (seen in the tree here) provided freedom [Maximus of Turin]. Also, they said that baptism (seen here in the water) is of no avail without the message of Christ crucified [Ambrose of Milan].

[Josh]

5/3/06:

The thread title comes from a great Rich Mullins song.
But, check out these passages:

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Matthew 4: 1-4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

We talked on Tuesday about how Christ demonstrated Himself to be the perfect Israel- where they complained and floundered for lack of faith, Jesus demonstrated the utmost trust in His father, thereby proving that He could be the spotless Lamb and true Son of God. We are to emulate His response to the testings of the wilderness.

Of course, the bread (manna) and water (from the rock) are the physical pointers to the deeper spiritual realities that Christ spoke about when He called Himself the bread from heaven and the living water of life.

[Josh]

Manna? Some point to sap from trees ingested and exuded from bugs into small flaky droplets tasting remarkably like honey, found in the Sinai/ Arabian deserts- droplets that melt in the hot sun or are soon eaten by other bugs within hours. Interesting theory, although it might not explain why the manna didn't appear on the Sabbath. But it's not clear (I believe) in the text whether that was every sabbath or just the first. Perhaps God made that an extra hot day, melting all the droplets early. Apparently these droplets are still called 'manna' by Bedouins in the region to this day.

Likewise, porous rocks in the region can store tremendous amounts of rain water, being encrusted by a thin outer later that holds the water in. Humphreys sites a desert guide who, upon striking such a rock, experienced a massive gush of water coming from the rock.

[Josh]

5/3/06:

Moses/ God's instructions not to horde God's provision of manna seem to me to speak of the importance of us not 'hording' miracles in our own life- prefering and demanding that God speak to us or act in our lives only in certain, obvious ways.

[Josh]

5/3/06:

Thanks, Douglas, for your excellent lesson on this passage. It's very refreshing to get a new perspective and to consider God's amazing purposes when "Wilderness Happens"

[Josh]

The early Church fathers saw this passage about water from the rock (and the one in Numbers 20) as symbolic of Jesus, where the rock symbolizes Christ, who was struck Moses' staff which elsewhere symoblizes the wooden cross, through which poured out the water of life.