THE TREE OF LIFE

When I imagine the Sinai Wilderness, I picture sand and rocks. It’s dusty dry, scorching hot, with scattered sand dunes created by the whipping winds. Trees and shrubbery are not plentiful, but those that have survived the miserable climate are bent to the wind, short and scrawny.

When Moses and the multitude began their journey, the first thing on the priority list was water. The Bedouins and their camel caravans crossing the wilderness knew of the watering holes, the oases, green islands in the brown sea, few and far between. I have little doubt that Moses sent out scouts to talk to other travelers and to search for life-giving water. They found it at Marah.

“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. They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter”(Exodus 15:22-23).

Maybe they saw it from a distance, and those in the front of the pack ran and fell face-down into the cool liquid. Shocked! Stunned! Sickened! They jumped up and spat! The water was undrinkable! Nasty! Putrid!

“The people grumbled to Moses, ‘What are we going to drink?’ So he cried out to the Lord” 

(Exodus 15:24-25).

Imagine the desperation in Moses’ prayer! “Please Lord! Your people will soon die of thirst! Tell me what to do! Please, Lord! Please!”

“The Lord showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable” (Exodus 15:25). A miracle!

Years ago, when I was destined to die a miserable death, God showed me a tree… the cross on which Jesus gave His sinless life as an atoning sacrifice! That tree, like the tree at Marah, is the Tree of Life!

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).