Scripture Reading: Exo. 15:22-27 (Recovery Version) 15:22Then Moses moved Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore its name was called Marah. 24And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25And he cried to Jehovah, and Jehovah showed him a tree; and he cast it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them. 26And He said, If you will listen carefully to the voice of Jehovah your God and do what 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 which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Jehovah who heals you. 27And they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there by the waters.
Ⅰ
Israel's experience at Marah signifies the experience of the cross—Exo. 15:22-26:
A
The realm we have entered through baptism is a realm of separation and resurrection, and in this realm we walk in resurrection according to the Lord's guidance—Exo. 15:22; Rom. 6:4.
B
In the realm of resurrection, there is no natural water, no natural supply—Exo. 15:22b.
C
God led the children of Israel to Marah, which means "bitter"; this indicates that as we walk in the realm of resurrection, God will lead us to a place of bitterness—Exo. 15:23.
D
The tree that healed the bitter waters denotes the cross on which the Lord was crucified; this unique cross—the cross of Christ—is the healing cross—Exo. 15:25a; 1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 6:14:
１
We need to see a vision of the cross and apply the cross to our situation.
２
When we apply the cross, the healing tree, to our circumstances, the tree will heal our situation and change the bitter waters into sweet.
E
The children of Israel needed Jehovah to be their Healer; this indicates that we are sick and that our entire being needs the Lord's healing—Exo. 15:26a; Matt. 912:
１
Through His work of redemption Christ intends to be our Healer—Matt. 8:17; Isa. 53:4.
２
The cross of Christ not only heals our bitter situation—it also heals us:
ａ
There is bitterness not only in our circumstances but also in our being; our very self is bitter.
ｂ
If we would experience the Lord's healing, we need to be identified with His crucifixion—Gal. 2:20.
ｃ
As the cross of Christ is applied to our being, our inward parts—our mind, emotion, and will—are healed and become one with the Lord in a practical way—Phil. 1:8.
Ⅱ
Israel's experience at Elim portrays the experience of resurrection life—Exo. 15:27:
A
The experience of resurrection issues from the experience of the cross, the experience at Marah.
B
In itself resurrection takes us upward, but its application requires us to take a way that leads to a downward direction.
C
At Elim there were twelve springs flowing and seventy palm trees growing; this is a picture of resurrection life:
１
The twelve springs signify life flowing in a perfect and complete way to carry out God's administration for eternity:
ａ
The number twelve signifies God mingled with man to carry out His eternal administration in a complete way—Rev. 21:12, 14; 22:2.
ｂ
The Spirit is the divine life in resurrection portrayed by the twelve springs in Exodus 15:27 and the rivers of living water in John 7:37-39.
２
The seventy palm trees signify life growing to carry out God's administration and to express life that is flourishing, rejoicing in satisfaction, and victorious over tribulation:
ａ
The number seven signifies perfection and completion in time dispensationally, and the number ten signifies fullness; therefore, the number seventy signifies completion and perfection in time for God's dispensation in full—Gen. 2:2; Dan. 9:24; Rev. 7:11; Exo. 34:28.
ｂ
In the Bible palm trees signify flourishing, rejoicing in satisfaction, and victory—Psa. 92:12; Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15; John 12:13; Rev. 7:9.
３
When used together, the numbers twelve and seventy indicate that the Lord's people are to carry out His ministry—Exo. 24:1, 4; Luke 9:1; 10:1:
ａ
God has a ministry which must be carried out by the flowing life signified by the twelve springs and by the growing life signified by the seventy palms.
ｂ
Only life flowing and growing can fulfill God's ministry.
D
The result of the flowing and growing life is an army strengthened to fight for God's purpose—Exo. 15:17; 14:13-14; 17:8-16:
１
In the Lord's recovery we have the consciousness of being engaged in spiritual fighting—Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 10:3-5.
２
We are the Lord's army encamped by the flowing and growing life.