 |  |
Here is revealed the second of the Jehovah titles:--
The first is JEHOVAH-JIREH (Gen. 22: 14).
The second is JEHOVAH-ROPHEKA (Exod. 15: 26).
The great dispensational miracle of Acts 3: looks to the same end.
"Neither is there the healing (salvation) in any other" (Acts 4: 12).
None of the Lord's dealings are arbitrary, all is for His glorious purpose. As soon as
the lesson of Marah had been given, and the people "proved" as soon as they realized that
the waters of the wilderness must be ever bitter apart from the Lord their Healer, then the
burning sand is exchanged for the delightful shade of Elim's palm trees and the wells of
Elim take the place of the bitterness of Marah. Here is completeness. Twelve wells, one
for each tribe. Here they can anticipate the day when they shall
"draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isa. 12: 3).
So then, fellow-pilgrims, remember that He who leads to Marah can also lead to Elim,
and if it be that Marah shall be our experience, its bitterness shall become sweet if it but
reveal, in Christ, the "Lord that healeth". The Lord who knows the bitterness of Marah
knows that
"no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but rather grievous,
NEVERTHELESS AFTERWARD" (Heb. 12: 11).
If we could but remember those words "nevertheless afterward", our Marahs would
speedily give place to Elims, and the initial lesson of the wilderness would be ours. May
we have grace at every Marah to look for the tree, which when cast into the waters makes
them sweet.