Bible Study - Safely Across The Red Sea - What Next? - Exodus - April 12, 2026

 

Bible Study – Safely Across The Red Sea – The Journey Continues – April 12, 2026

GOD led the million Israelites safely across the Red Sea and with the Egyptians hot on their heels drown when the wall of water imploded on to them.

Once out of danger of the Egyptians, where to next?

The Israelites just witnessed a miracle, which revealed the mighty power of GOD. GOD was teaching a Nation and revealing HIMSELF to the Israelites. The same is true for all people today.

Look around and see the hands of GOD, JESUS, and THE HOLY SPIRIT at work to build the right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS.

Praise was in order as we read in Exodus 15 – Israel’s Song - Israel’s Song – (I imagine that many were praying for the two airmen who had to bail out of their jet. I know I rejoiced when they were recovered and praised our GOD and THE LORD JESUS.)

The Israelites – Exodus 15:1-27:

15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said:

I will sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted;
he has thrown the horse
and its rider into the sea.
² The Lord is my strength and my song;^[a]
he has become my salvation.
This is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
³ The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name.

⁴ He threw Pharaoh’s chariots
and his army into the sea;
the elite of his officers
were drowned in the Red Sea.
⁵ The floods covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.
⁶ Lord, your right hand is glorious in power.
Lord, your right hand shattered the enemy.
⁷ You overthrew your adversaries
by your great majesty.
You unleashed your burning wrath;
it consumed them like stubble.
⁸ The water heaped up at the blast from your nostrils;
the currents stood firm like a dam.
The watery depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
⁹ The enemy said:
“I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil.
My desire will be gratified at their expense.
I will draw my sword;
my hand will destroy^[b] them.”
¹⁰ But you blew with your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.

¹¹ Lord, who is like you among the gods?
Who is like you, glorious in holiness,
revered with praises, performing wonders?
¹² You stretched out your right hand,
and the earth swallowed them.
¹³ With your faithful love,
you will lead the people
you have redeemed;
you will guide them to your holy dwelling
with your strength.

¹⁴ When the peoples hear, they will shudder;
anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.
¹⁵ Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified;
trembling will seize the leaders of Moab;
all the inhabitants of Canaan will panic;
¹⁶ terror and dread will fall on them.
They will be as still^[c] as a stone
because of your powerful arm
until your people pass by, Lord,
until the people whom you purchased^[d] pass by.

¹⁷ You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain of your possession;
Lord, you have prepared the place
for your dwelling;
Lord,^[e] your hands have established the sanctuary.
¹⁸ The Lord will reign forever and ever!

¹⁹ When Pharaoh’s horses with his chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the water of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. ²⁰ Then the prophetess Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women came out following her with tambourines and dancing. ²¹ Miriam sang to them:

Sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted;
he has thrown the horse
and its rider into the sea.

The journey of the Israelites continues – What Next?

Water Provided

²² Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water. (A serious problem) ²³ They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter—that is why it was named Marah.^[f] 24 The people grumbled to Moses, “What are we going to drink?” ²⁵ So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree (Some translations read - log). When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable.

The Lord made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah, and he tested them there. ²⁶ He said, “If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to his commands, and keep all his statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy date palms, and they camped there by the water.

The next

 

Exodus 15:22-27: Bitter Water and Sweet Wood

Steve Rodeheaver, Copyright © 2016, Steve Rhodeheaver and CRI/Voice, Institute (Additional information at the end)

All Rights Reserved  See Copyright and User Information Notice

Interesting and informative insight ----- (Some additions by me)

Today we're looking at Exodus 15:22-27. Moses, Miriam, and the Israelites have finished singing, and now it is time to journey on. Moses leads the Israelites into the desert, and they go for three days without finding water. Imagine travelling on foot from Yuma to Tucson (244 miles or 393 Kilometers), if traveling the Interstate and going for three days without water. This was a life-threatening situation. Finally, they came to some water and their hopes skyrocketed - only to be dashed by the bitterness of the water. It was undrinkable. The Israelites named the place "Marah", which means "bitterness." Imagine literally dying of thirst, finding water, then discovering that it was salt water. Not a good life or death.

When the Israelites came to this bitter water, they did what you and I would do: they grumbled against their leader Moses. Moses in turn cried out to Yahweh. Yahweh showed Moses a piece of wood (some read log) which Moses promptly threw into the water. Immediately the water was made sweet, and the Israelites were able to drink it. Moses then led them to a place called Elim which had twelve springs and seventy palm trees.

This story is about the journey of the Israelites from Marah to Elim, from bitter water in Marah to twelve springs and seventy palm trees in Elim. The journey takes place externally and internally. The external journey is the obvious one. Moses and company find themselves in a very bitter situation. They have been three days in the desert without coming upon a source of water. The water they have come to is undrinkable. Death is threatening. Moses cried out to Yahweh and Yahweh made the bitter water sweet. Refreshing themselves, they are revived and journey on to Elim.

It is another revelation of the power and trustworthiness of Yahweh. The message for us is clear: Whatever the bitter obstacles that we encounter in life's journey we can count on God to transform them, to use/redeem them for good, as God leads us to Elim. When we cry our Marahs out to God, God is able to "sweeten" them, that is, to make them drinkable, to turn them into a resource for the next leg of the journey. God is big enough to deal with, redeem, and even transform whatever external problems we might face.

The internal journey is less obvious, but it is the one on which the text focuses. Our English translations obscure this focus because of the difficulty in translating the verb for Yahweh "showing" or "directing" Moses to a tree/piece of wood. The verb used actually means to instruct or teach. Yahweh instructed/taught Moses a tree. That does not make much sense, but it is important to note because this verb is the root verb of the word "Torah". Torah means instruction, and it specifically refers to the instruction/law that God gave Moses on Mount Sinai for how the Israelites were to live in covenant with this God who brought them up out of Egypt. We might say that Yahweh "torah-ed" Moses a tree.

When Moses cast this torah tree into the bitter water, the water became sweet. Torah is not for water, however, but for people. The bitter waters of Marah revealed the bitterness that lodged in the hearts of the Israelites. Notice that they grumbled against Moses while Moses cried out to Yahweh. The external obstacle revealed the internal realities of their hearts. Moses trusted Yahweh and cried the problem out to Yahweh. The Israelites, on the other hand, betray a lack of trust as they grumble amongst themselves against Moses. What becomes evident in the face of Marah is that the Israelites needed deliverance from more than just Pharaoh. They need deliverance from their grumbling, mumbling, bitter selves. And Yahweh is set to bring about that deliverance. Yahweh torahs Moses a tree of transformation.

Without delay, after Moses/Yahweh sweetened the water with the tree, Yahweh "made a decree and a law for them, and there He tested them. He said, 'If you listen carefully to the voice of Yahweh your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am Yahweh your Healer.'" This text makes it plain that the emphasis is on the transformation of the Israelites rather than the water of Marah. In a word, Israel is to be "Yahweh-centered" in all their living. Remember, down in Egypt life had been Pharaoh centered.

So, Yahweh "tested" the Israelites there at Marah. This testing was for the purpose of training them, to reveal their hearts in order that their hearts might be changed where needed. The test revealed that Moses was Yahweh-centered and that Israel was not. The test was a training exercise for Israel, designed to bend their bitter, grumbling hearts toward Yahweh.

How did the bitter water become sweet? The tree. How does one become Yahweh-centered? The answer is Torah, God's instruction. It's kind of a circle. By listening to Yahweh, one becomes Yahweh-centered which in turn enables one to be a better listener which in turn increases one's Yahweh-centeredness.

How did the bitter water become sweet? Yahweh, the giver of the tree. How does one become Yahweh-centered? The answer is Yahweh, the giver of Torah. "I am Yahweh, the One who heals you." Yahweh is the One who heals the heart, who is able to transform the bitter waters of the heart to waters of renewal. Again, notice that this internal transformation is the main point of the text, for Yahweh does not say "I am Yahweh, the One who heals the water" but "I am Yahweh, the One who heals you."

Yahweh transforms the heart by means of Torah, Yahweh's instruction/word for sweet living. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. . .." Jesus is our Torah, our transforming Word from Yahweh on and for life. As we receive and follow Jesus, as we become Jesus-centered, we discover a healing transformation being worked within our hearts. It is the internal journey from the bitter waters of Marah to the twelve springs of Elim, from barren desert to seventy palm trees.

May the tests of life bend us towards Jesus, that we might open ourselves to Jesus at ever new depths, heeding His word and experiencing His healing. By the grace of God in Christ, may we make the journey and know His healing, that we might live the Jesus life. If life is bitter, stir in some Torah. *

* Steve Rhodeheaver and CRI/Voice, Institute CRI/Voice, Institute is a non-profit ministry dedicated to providing quality biblical and theological resources to anyone desiring to learn and grow in the Christian Faith. The institutes headquarters are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and it is known for its commitment to quality biblical and theological resources.

So, what do we glean from this mighty field of Biblical truth?

GOD is at work in all the lives of people to reveal HIMSELF, through faith in JESUS to all humans today.

Let’s reflect on the events, so far.

GOD knew the plight of the Israelites in Egypt.

GOD revealed HIMSELF to Moses through a burning bush.

GOD revealed to both the Israelites and the Egyptians that HE was greater than the Egyptian gods. The Israelites needed to experience this to prepare them for their journey ahead of them.

Finally, Pharoah let the Israelites go, which he soon regretted.

GOD parted the Red Sea and the 0ne million Israelites crossed over on dry seabed with walls of water on each side which collapsed when the Egyptians attempted to cross behind the Israelites.

The Israelites journey for three (3) days in the desert without sufficient water.

They find water but it is bitter and they cannot drink the water.

Moses appeals to GOD and GOD told him to throw a certain tree or log into the water source and the water became drinkable.

GOD leads them to an Oasis.

What was GOD doing? HE was building Moses’ faith in HIM, as well as the faith of the Israelites.

Often, we look at the physical object GOD told Moses to use and think that is the power. No!!! It is the obedience to GOD’S Command.

That is faith at work through our obedience. It wasn’t the certain type of tree that rendered the bitter water drinkable, it was the obedience of Moses being obedient to GOD’S Command.

It is also vital to know that what GOD told Moses to choose to put in the bitter water was not something the pagans would use. GOD chose the item and it was not the item but the obedience of Moses to GOD’S command.

This is true for all who walk by faith. Small steps of obedience to the voice of GOD/THE HOLY SPIRIT (THE STILL SAMLL VOICE OF GOD) leads to GOD’S power flowing through us as we are obedient to HIM.

WOW!!! Journey with GOD, JESUS, and THE HOLY SPIRIT as your guide!

THE THREE ARE ONE!!!

Blessings!!!