(See, Ex. 15:23-27).
MARAH was a memorable place, for the first wilderness lesson for Israel had to be learned there. It was not the first encampment. That took place a little later at Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees. They encamped by the waters; that is, they learned God was their resource and could refresh His people who were weary in the way. Marah seems to have been just a kind of halting place.
They had been brought through the Red Sea, and had sung the happy song of deliverance from Pharaoh, and all his host, and Miriam had led the young women in the dance and song of joy. So Moses led them on, and for three days they seem to have been supported by this joy of the Lord. But they had to learn a truer joy and a deeper lesson, which faith in the power of God alone gives.
Like many a young convert today, the joy of first knowing forgiveness of our sins, and deliverance by the death of Christ, from our enemy — Satan, the king of terrors — is very real, but we find as soon as we begin to tread the path of a Christian — that is, the path of faith — that there is an enemy of a different kind, yet whose power springs from the same source. At first the Israelites were so buoyed up that they felt no weariness, but at length nature asserted itself, and they thirsted. Now, of course, this is an allegory (see, 1 Cor. 10:11) of our own experience.
Thirst, in Scripture, indicates the natural desires of the unregenerate heart, and the moment the soul starts on the path of faith, Satan seeks to impede our progress by acting on the flesh to make us find our separation from the world irksome, and we complain of the roughness of the way. Then comes in sight, water — just what we want naturally to gratify our desires — and we think earthly things will just satisfy us and make this world less of a wilderness. But, alas it makes us, like sea-water, more thirsty still, and our thirst is not quenched. Many a young convert is betrayed that way. Finding no satisfaction at first, they drink again and again — but lo, the waters are bier. Yes, the world’s pleasures are very bitter: they leave a nasty taste. The world does not give us anything except we pay for it, and the Christian has to pay very dearly for what it gives him.
But the people said, “What shall we drink?” and Moses cried unto the Lord. In every dilemma, it is well to cry unto the Lord, for He always comes to our rescue. He had not, as they alleged, brought them out from their hard taskmasters and the bondage of Egypt, to leave them to perish in the wilderness, for, as He told Moses at first, He was come down to diver them and to bring them out of bondage, and unto a land flowing with milk and honey. Though that land had not yet appeared, if they trusted God, all would be well. So God shows them at once in answer to their cry, a Tree which, when Moses had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.
God knew where to find a remedy for all this disappointment, and His plan is ever to bring to faith’s vision an object that will so fill and absorb our affections that it will meet our craving and our hearts’ desire. The journey of wilderness life is always beset by trials and temptations, and if we try to meet these alone we shall famish and faint by the way, but when we think of what that tree implies, the very suffering becomes sweet for our Lord Jesus is nigh.
I have no doubt that God showed Moses a living tree, and that Moses cut down the tree. God is the living God, and always presents to the soul what is positive and life giving. To us He shows His Christ; the living Christ who was cut down for us; a tree of life, now risen from the dead. This is the power which enables the Christian to trust in God and to triumph under all circumstances, and so be lifted above the power of sin.
But the tree had to be cut down and applied to the waters in order to be operative. Does this not bring us to the One who was “cut off in the midst of His days”? It is the Cross that has taken away all the bitterness of death. It is the story of the love of Jesus in dying for us which appeals to our affections and enables us to “hate the garment spotted by the flesh” and suffer for Him; as it says, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil... Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me” (Psa. 23:4). It is only in this way the wilderness can be trodden. Many, like the Israelites, begin in faith, but fall short of God’s purpose for them.
Let us press forward therefore by faith, for it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Let us accept it that only Christ and His cross can make sweet for us the bitter waters of the wilderness journey. Then, walking by faith we shall be blessed ourselves, escape from many a pitfall, and live to the praise and honor of the Lord.
A. E. Walker.