In the book of Exodus, when we read about the children of Israel’s deliverance out of Egyptian bondage, we can clearly see that it is a foreshadowing of salvation through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.

Exodus 12:21-23 — "Then Moses called for the elders of Israel and said unto them, '...take you a lamb ...and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin, ...For the Lord shall pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.'"

Again, this is a wonderful foreshadowing of the salvation found in Christ, who ultimately is the sacrificial lamb. Revelation 1:5b — "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood."

Then at the Red Sea we see a wonderful foreshadowing of the power of the cross. It was at the Red Sea that God destroyed the power that held the children of Israel in slavery, and it was on the cross that Jesus destroyed the power of Satan that holds the lives of people captivated.

Colossians 1:12,13 — “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”

Thus, as a whole, the children of Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt and the story of the Red Sea crossing is a wonderful picture of salvation in Christ.

UNDERSTAND: AFTER THE WONDERFUL VICTORY AT THE RED SEA, GOD BEGAN TO TAKE HIS PEOPLE ON A JOURNEY.

Exodus 15:22 — “So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.” This scripture tells us that the children of Israel went three days without water. In other words, God is beginning to lead His people down a path that they never would have chosen to walk down in following the desires of their own heart. It is a pathway that they would have never chosen to follow in the strength of the flesh. Thus, this pathway that God is taking them down is the pathway of self-denial, and this path of self-denial became an offense to them.

Exodus 15:24 — "And the people murmured against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'"

This cry from the Israeli people so symbolizes the cry of our flesh when it wants its own way and has to be denied. Often, denying the flesh for the sake of embracing the will of God can become an offense to us.

BELOVED, WHEN WE TURN OUR HEARTS TO CHRIST, AND BEGIN TO WALK WITH HIM, IT DOES NOT TAKE LONG BEFORE WE UNDERSTAND IN OUR HEARTS THAT CHRIST IS CALLING US TO FORSAKE OUR OWN PATHS AND TO WALK HIS PATH.

Jesus calls His people to forsake their own lives, desires and ambitions and walk out the plan that He has designed for their lives.

Someone once said to me, “Now that I am saved and set free from the slavery of sin, I think I am going to start to do things that I have always wanted to do. I have always wanted to be in journalism, so I think I am going to be a full time journalist and ask God to use my writing ability for His glory.” Maybe God will use him in full time journalism, and maybe He will not. This person is yet to understand that being a disciple of Christ is not about asking God to bless your plans, but it is about denying yourself so Christ can live His plans through your life.

FOR MANY, THIS LIFE OF SELF-DENIAL BECOMES AN OFFENSE.

There are many who sit in churches, when they hear a message about having to forsake their ambitions and embrace a life of self-denial, a resentment and a resistance rises up in their hearts because they are still holding on to their plans and aspirations. When the path of self-denial becomes an offense to us, it does not take very long before bitterness takes root in our hearts. Deep within us there is an underlying resentment toward the Lord.

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE BITTERNESS IN OUR HEARTS?

Exodus 15:23, 24 — “And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'”

What is the evidence that we have bitterness in our hearts? There is murmuring and complaining. Beloved, we have to understand that if we are walking in the will of God, but we are constantly murmuring in our hearts about something, then the truth is we are harboring an offense with God. We may be complaining about everything else, but the truth is, our complaint is against God. If we find ourselves continually complaining about our spouse, our children, our job, our boss at work, the people we work with, then in reality, it is all coming out of our bitterness toward the Lord. The problem is not all these things we are complaining about; the problem is we are harboring resentment toward the Lord.

UNDERSTAND: A BITTER PERSON IS THE MOST TORMENTED PERSON ON THE EARTH!

Bitterness brings such torment. It is impossible to have peace and rest when our hearts are full of anger, wrath, resentment and hate. These are strong words — wrath, resentment and hate — and these are something no Christian would want to acknowledge are in the heart. However, if we are constantly murmuring about something or another, then this is what is in the heart, because we are bitter. Our bitterness is toward the Lord, because He is directing our path if we are in His perfect will.

This is what we need to know: bitterness will not only injure your life, but it will severely injure so many who are close to you. Hebrews 12:15b — "…lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." If we are harboring bitterness in our heart, eventually that bitterness will find its way into the hearts of our children, and they in turn will pass it down to their children. The only way this tragic chain will be broken is when someone in the lineage fully surrenders their heart to Christ and allows Him to deal with and heal their heart from all bitterness.

HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS: GOD LOVES HIS PEOPLE PASSIONATELY AND DESIRES TO SET THEM FREE FROM THE BITTERNESS THAT PLAGUES THEIR LIVES.

God loves his children and desires to heal them from the bitterness that torments their hearts.

LET US ASK A QUESTION: WHAT IS GOD’S REMEDY FOR THE BITTERNESS THAT PLAGUES THE HEARTS OF HIS PEOPLE?

Exodus 15:24,25a — "And the people murmured against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?' And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet."

We all know what this tree symbolizes — the cross! In reading the story of the tree being placed into the water, here is the mistake that so many make: we read this story and say, “I know I have some bitterness in my heart, but I have applied the cross to my life. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and to save me. I have applied the cross to my heart and my life.” However we have to understand, this story is not about applying the cross — it goes further than that — it is about embracing the cross! In just asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins but never fully embracing His will for your life, you will never experience the healing power of the cross. In this story, God is telling us that it is in embracing the cross, His absolute will for our lives, that His power moves and heals the bitterness that is in our hearts.

Many people have applied the cross, that is, they have asked Jesus to save them from their sins, but the power of the cross is not working in their hearts because His perfect will for their lives is an offense to them. They are not willing to surrender everything so that He can live out His purposes through them. This is why there are so many bitter people sitting in church pews who have been attending church for many years.

This is what God wants us to understand: when Moses placed that cross into the bitter waters, those waters were healed and the people found a source of life. Embracing the cross is all about finding life; it is in embracing that we are truly filled with the life of Christ. Where there is His life, there is His peace, joy, strength, power, and victory! When Jesus tells His people to pick up their cross and follow Him, He is not setting before us a morbid and heavy yoke, but He is placing us upon the pathway of life and victory!

LET US ASK A QUESTION: WHEN WE EMBRACE THE CROSS, ULTIMATELY, WHERE IS GOD LEADING US?

Exodus 15:27 — "And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they emcamped there by the waters."

Twelve wells of water and threescore and ten palm trees tells us that the Lord led them to a place where water was abundant. This speaks to me of the abundant life that is in Christ, of experiencing the fullness of His life in me.

The scripture says, "and they came to Elim". The Hebrew word for "Elim" means strength; to be strong. This speaks to me of the victorious life! God desires that His people experience the victory that is in Christ, and it comes through embracing His will and letting Christ live His life and purpose through us! When Christ calls us to pick up our cross and follow Him, to forsake our will and embrace His will, He is inviting us to partake of His victory and freedom that is only found in Him! The world has it wrong when it says, “to live for self is freedom, and to submit is bondage.” No! To live for self only brings you into horrible bondage, but to submit and come under the absolute authority of Christ is to experience freedom! There is so much glorious liberty in surrendering it all and letting Christ rule and reign over our lives! In giving up our life and embracing God’s will, we are exchanging our fears for true peace, our bitterness and turmoil for true joy, and our discontentment and frustration for true fulfillment and rest of heart! In other words, we are exchanging all of our turmoil and bondages for freedom!

HOWEVER, MOST WOULD AGREE THAT A LIFE OF SELF-DENIAL AND EMBRACING THE CROSS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.

This is true, but this is what you have to understand: Exodus 15:26a — "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God…" The Lord speaks to His people, “if thou wilt”; the word “if” implies a choice. Everyday we have to choose to surrender, walk in obedience and be grateful; when the murmuring man tries to take the throne of our heart, we have to choose to put him off of the throne and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Yes, it is not always easy, but we have the power of God inside of us and we can make the choice to do it.

WHEN WE MAKE THE CHOICE, GOD SAYS, “I AM THE LORD THAT HEALETH THEE.”

The word “healeth” in the Greek language is Rapha, and it means to thoroughly, completely make whole. Here in this scripture, God is saying to his people, “When you make the choice to daily surrender your will to Me, to daily make the sacrifice of thanksgiving, through your obedient faith you are going to encounter My power working so wonderfully in your life, that is, my miraculous power will leave nothing untouched within you.” To embrace the cross is to fully embrace the life and healing virtue that is in Christ! The Lord be praised!