A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

oasis Marah which means “bitter” in the Hebrew language. They responded in a way which
would become typical in the days to come, they complained.
When Moses prayed, God responded by directing Moses to a tree. When the tree was cast
into the water, it sweetened the water so the people could drink. Though the tree is not
specifically identified as to its kind in Scripture, many commentators see it as a type of the cross
which in the life of the Christian removes the bitterness out of otherwise undesirable experiences
(cf. Rom. 15:3-4; Gal. 3:13).
It was also at Marah where God revealed Himself to His people with a new name,
Jehovah Rapha. This title of God is translated “The Lord who heals you” (Ex. 15:26). While the
title itself seems to emphasize the healing power of God, the context in which the title is given
emphasizes the preventative aspect of healing. “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your
God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I
will put none of these diseases on you, which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord
who heals you” (v. 26). Several writers have commented on the medical benefits of following the
instructions of the Law governing various aspects of Israel’s lifestyle in the wilderness.
The next stop in the wilderness journey of Israel was the oasis of Elim. At this oasis,
there were twelve wells, one for each of the tribes. There were also seventy palm trees under
which Israel set their camp (v. 27). In tropical regions where palm trees flourish, the people of
those regions have learned they can live exclusively off the palm tree. One variety which grows
in India has over 800 products which the natives of that region use. The presence of the palm
trees at Elim was a demonstration of God’s abundant provision for His people. The number
seventy which was the number of the elders of Israel is often used in Scripture to signify the
ideas of totality or completeness. Typically, Elim represents God’s complete and abundant
provision for His people after the bitter waters of Marah. Because of this significance, many
rehabilitation-type ministries have incorporated the name Elim into their name.
But Elim was only a rest in the journey to Sinai. As they traveled out from that oasis, God
provided food and water for His redeemed Israel. When Israel woke one morning, they found the
ground covered with “a small round substance, as fine frost” (16:14). Not knowing what it was,
they called it “manna” which is literally a transliteration of two Hebrew words meaning, “What
is it?” Moses explained it was the bread God was providing for the people. “It was like coriander
white seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey” (v. 31). The coriander plant
grows wild in the regions of Egypt and Palestine and produces small but spicy grayish-white
seeds. For the next forty years, the people would eat an omer a day as God provided this bread
from heaven (v. 18). An omer was a volume measurement equal to about 11.6 cups; therefore, a
six-quart basket of manna would be slightly more than the daily allotment of manna for two
people.
God also provided water for Israel out of a most unusual source. When the people
camped at Rephidim and called to Moses to provide water, Moses was instructed by God to
strike the rock in Horeb with his rod. When Moses obeyed, water came from the rock to meet
Israel’s need. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul indicates the real significance of that rock
in the statement, “and that Rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4).
Water is a valuable natural resource in the Near East, so it is not surprising that the
appearance of a river of water out of the rock should be the occasion of a military conflict
between the Jews and their enemies. “Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim”
(Ex. 17:8). Amalek became the first of the many nations to attack the newborn nation of Israel.