Êxodo 15
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Êxodo 15
Wiersbe - “Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle,” wrote saintly Andrew Bonar. It’s possible to win the battle and yet lose the victory, which is what the Jews did as they left the Red Sea and began to march toward Mount Sinai. They forgot that life is a pilgrimage during which we must learn new lessons and fight new battles. One great victory doesn’t settle everything; we need challenging new experiences that will help us mature and glorify God. Yes, life is a school, and the Lord knows just when to give us an examination. One pastor entitles this section "The Steps to Sinai - Thou Shalt Not Belly-Ache!" Or how to live by sight and not by faith. The go from wonderful worship to without water and their hearts show a major shift in attitude. They were wonderfully "without water" as they crossed the Red Sea (on dry ground) and now are woefully without water three days out from the Red Sea. Recall the words of the proverb that "The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps." (Pr 16:9) And so as we study Israel's wilderness journey and apply these truths to our wilderness journey, we need to be aware of the truth that the sovereign God of the universe Who Alone sees the beginning from the end is the same God Who orders our steps and our stops! Sometimes we don't like either one, and we are tempted to grumble like Israel. We all need to remember the words of warning from Paul in First Corinthians... All ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. 6 Now these things happened as examples (Greek = tupos = "types") for us, so that (PURPOSE) we would not crave evil things as they also craved. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY.” 8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example (Greek = tupos = "types") , and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.(1 Cor 10:3-12) It should be noted that this next section beginning in Exodus 15:22-27 would have been better placed at the beginning of chapter 16. In short there is a relatively poor chapter division between Exodus 15 and 16 as the first major section of the story ends with the Song of Moses (and Miriam) in Exodus 15:21. And in Exodus 15:22 we read about the beginning of Israel's pilgrimage through the wilderness, the so-called "wilderness wanderings." Pastor Alan Carr introduces this next section with these words - Very often learning lessons is a bitter experience. Yet, while this is true, it is also true that experience is the best teacher. You can tell a child repeatedly that fire, the stove, etc is hot, but they never really get it until they have been burned. When this happens, they can relate to what hot means. It is a lesson they will never forget as long as they live, but it was a bitter lesson to have to learn. Unfortunately, we all seem to possess this same characteristic. We have to be burned before we can learn! It may be that someone here tonight is going through a time of trial. If so, in these verses, you will learn some good lessons if you will allow the Lord the teach them to you. If everything in your life is sailing along smoothly, then look out! One day soo, you will come to your own Marah. When this happens, you may need the lessons we can learn right here....I suppose they, like a lot of people in our day assume that once you sign up to follow the Lord, everything is going to be perfect and that there will be no bumps in the road. Unfortunately, this is just faulty thinking! According to God's Word, life is a mixture of good and bad - Job 14:1; Job 5:7; Eccl. 2:17; 23. While this outlook may seem depressing, we are also aware that life has it's wonderful moments as well. (Lessons Learned at Life's Bitter Pools - Exodus 15:22-27) Bruckner writes "The next major section of Exodus is the journey from the sea to Sinai. It begins inauspiciously in Ex 15:22 and continues through Exodus 16 and 17. During this journey the people encounter difficulties finding water and food. The Lord uses these opportunities to build new faith and trust. The NIV says God “tested” them, translating a word (nasah, Ex 15:25) that means “trained” or “proved.” The Lord proved that the people could learn to follow God’s instruction for their own well-being. The training, which was not easy, could be described as “trial runs.” In the narratives, however, the people did not pass or fail the “tests.” They learned more about, and proved their trust in, the Lord. The texts give little negative comment about their grumbling apart from describing it as grumbling. Moses was impatient with them at the Wilderness of Sin, but the Lord responded with patience. This was not the case in the book of Numbers, when the people faced the same difficulties, complained, and suffered God’s impatience with them over lessons they should have learned in Exodus.The various “trial runs” in Ex 15:22–17:7 focus on water and food. Enemy attacks on the Israelites, during which the Lord provides for their protection, precede and follow these “tests” (Ex 14:10–21; Ex 17:8–16; see outline below). Within the brackets of that protection, the text describes these water and food trials. Each episode of trial follows this pattern: (1) the people grumble against Moses; (2) the Lord tells Moses he will find out whether they can follow instructions he gives them in their trial; (3) the Lord gives the instructions; (4) the Lord provides the water or food. (Exodus Commentary) John Currid - George Coats remarks: ‘A form-critical study of the relevant texts reveals that the murmuring motif is not designed to express a disgruntled complaint. Quite the contrary, it describes an open rebellion … In the wilderness theme the murmuring motif characterizes a basic tradition about the rebellion of Israel.’ The biblical author sees this rebellion in direct contrast to the grace and favour that Yahweh has bestowed upon the people. This episode is also to be seen by way of antithesis to the preceding scene of joyful singing. And what a contrast it is! This section is carefully written and crafted. It employs elaborate word-plays that anchor the entire section to the main idea, which is that the Israelites are living by sight and not by faith. The Hebrews are required to depend totally upon God for their sustenance and means. Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea - Moses led them out in an eastward direction. A more accurate translation than "Moses led" would be something like the ESV which renders it "Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea." The NET Note explains that "The verb form (led) is unusual; the normal expression is with the Qal, which expresses that they journeyed. But here the Hiphil is used to underscore that Moses caused them to journey – and he is following God (ED: NOT STATED HERE BUT IMPLIED). So the point is that God was leading Israel to the bitter water." John Currid agrees writing that "The style of the initial phrase of this verse is unusual. It employs a Hiphil verb (causative), meaning, literally, ‘Moses caused Israel to set out.’ It may be that the Hebrews were lax, or slow, in departing from the Red Sea region—perhaps they were merely basking in the glory of victory over the Egyptians. In any event, the prophet is described as having been the catalyst, or prime mover, in Israel’s decampment and setting out." And they went out into the wilderness of Shur - Shur means wall in Hebrew. There is no mention here of the pillar leading them. Moses led them, but he led them an unusual way. Into the Wilderness of Shur was outside the major trade route along the sea. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water - This is an amazing "time phrase." Why do I say that? Because we see that within 3 days the Israelites seemed to have developed major short term memory loss (that's what I am supposed to have at age 74 but not these people who were definitely younger -- for they lived another 40 years in the wilderness!) One writer also points out that 3 days is the maximum time the human body can go without water in the desert heat. Finally, the mention of three days into the desert may be a deliberate allusion to Moses' demand to Pharaoh that Israel be allowed go three days into the wilderness to worship (Ex 5:3, Ex 8:27, cf also three days of darkness in Ex 10:22-23). "Here, three days in, they find bitter water and complain – not worship." Wiersbe - Uppermost in the minds of the Israelites wasn’t how to please God but “What shall we eat?” and “What shall we drink?” According to Jesus, these questions reveal an anxious heart, not a trusting heart (Matt. 6:21, 25–33), and this can lead to all kinds of problems. God was testing His people, not because He didn’t know their hearts, but because they didn’t know their own hearts. People often say, “Well, I know my own heart,” but they forget that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9)
Êxodo 15
Wiersbe on test - The Lord tests us to encourage spiritual growth and bring out the best in us, but the devil tempts us to bring out the worst in us and to encourage spiritual immaturity. The attitude that we take toward our difficulties determines which direction life will go, for what life does to us depends on what life finds in us. If we trust God and obey His Word, we’ll pass the test and grow; but if in unbelief we complain and disobey the Lord, we’ll fail the test and remain immature (James 1:12–18; Heb. 12:1–11). F. B. MEYER. Beside each bitter Marah pool there grows a tree, which, when cast into the waters, makes them palatable and sweet. It is ever so. Poison and antidote, infection and cure, pain and medicine, are always close together. The word which saves is nigh even in the mouth and in the heart. We do not always see the “sufficient grace”; but it is there. Too occupied with our disappointment, we have no heart to seek it; but when we cry, it is shown to our weary longing eyes. Herbert Lockyer - As the cross is called a tree (Acts 5:30; Gal. 3:13), the tree at Marah is a striking prophecy of all the Saviour accomplished at Calvary, which was the culmination of His earthly Marahs. As He died, He refused the offered narcotic to deaden pain. He wanted to be conscious as He drained even the dregs of such a bitter cup. This was why the cross was sweet to Jesus—it was the expression of the Father's eternal will (John 18:11; I Pet. 1:20). He knew that the tree was the only cure for the polluted waters of sin, and, as the carpenter, He fashioned the ark of salvation out of that tree. We often say after some hard test, "If I had known beforehand I could not have endured it." But Jesus knew before He was born that He was to be the tree cast into the waters, and when He appeared among men He walked with a firm step to that tree upon which He was crucified. The Cross: it takes our guilt away; It holds the fainting spirit up; It cheers with hope the gloomy day, And sweetens ev'ry bitter cup. When we reach our Marah do we look for the tree? Is grace ours to lay our anguish, all that is sore and sour in life, alongside of Calvary, and experience how all the Saviour endured can rob us of all our bitter feelings and thoughts (Rom. 5:3, 4)? That rugged tree on the hill at Calvary seems to say to us, "How dare you complain about your trials after such undeserved agony and shame?" It is only a sweet resignation to the divine will, whether pleasant or painful, that can enable us to say, How bitter that cup no heart can conceive, Which Jesus drank up, that sinners might live! His way was much rougher, and darker than mine: Did Jesus thus suffer, and shall I repine? F B