Journey of the Israelites (Part III)

Lesson Content

Shur to Alush

1. Wilderness of Shur: (Exo.15:22) — This is a part of the wilderness of Etham (Num.33:8). They journeyed three days in this wilderness, where there was no water. This speaks of a life of separation, when the world becomes a dreary and desolate wilderness to us. To the natural man, this world offers many attractions and enticements such as money, wealth, houses, comfort, position, power, popularity, fun and fashion; but to a spiritual man, these things of the world are vanity and a wilderness, dry and thirsty.

2. Marah: (Exo.15:23-26; Num.33:8) — Here they found water, but it was bitter. A certain tree was shown to Moses, which when he had cast into the water, the water became sweet. God gav e thema statute and an ordinance and proved them and said, “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee” (Exo.15:26). Even so Divine Healing can be experienced only in a life disciplined according to the Word of God. This discipline might perhaps seem t o be bitter. But like the tree that was cut and cast into the waters, we have Jesus Who learnt obedience by the things which He suffered, and Who now gives us grace in time of need, making our ‘Marahs’ sweet for us.

3. Elim: (Exo.15:27; Num.33:9) — An oasis in the wilderness, with twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees. This speaks of the fellowship of the saints comprising the servants of God and the believers who continue steadfastly in the apostolic doctrines.

4. Wilderness of Sin: (Exo.16:1; Num. 33:11) — Here God humbled them, suffered them to hunger, fed them with manna and thereby proved them to see if they would walk in His law or not (Deut.8:2,3; Exo.16:4). Concerning Himself Jesus said that He was “the true bread from heaven” (manna); “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger” (Jn.6:32,35). Jesus has the words of eternal life and we need to learn to live by every Word of God.

5. Dophkah: (Num.33:12) — Dophkah means ‘Knocking’. This speaks of a life of prayer wherein we continue to not simply ask but pray without fainting till we receive the answer, just as one continues to keep knocking till the door is opened.

6. Alush: (Num.33:13) — Alush means ‘near water’. This refers to the counsel in the heart of man which is as ‘deep waters’ (Prov.20:5). This is a type of our meditating the Word of God in our life. To receive new revelations from the Word of God, we must cultivate a life of prayer and meditation, which, if neglected, will make us murmur in times of trial, like the children of Israel.

Moral

The children of Israel in their wilderness -journey were daily fed with the bread of heaven which is called manna. Similarly, we should receive new revelations from the Word of God to live by, each day.