Exodus - A Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation , Sarah Barry
I AM THE LORD WHO HEALS
Passage: Exodus 15:22~27  
Key verse: 26
The Waters of Marah and Elim
22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert(A) of Shur.(B) For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.(C) 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.[a](D)) 24 So the people grumbled(E) against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”(F)
25 Then Moses cried out(G) to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw(H) it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.
There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.(I) 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep(J) all his decrees,(K) I will not bring on you any of the diseases(L) I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals(M) you.”
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped(N) there near the water.
Footnotes
- Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitter.
Cross references
- Exodus 15:22 : Ps 78:52
- Exodus 15:22 : S Ge 16:7
- Exodus 15:22 : Ex 17:1, 3; Nu 20:2, 5; 33:14; Ps 107:5
- Exodus 15:23 : Nu 33:8; Ru 1:20
- Exodus 15:24 : S Ex 14:12; 16:2; 7:3; Nu 14:2; Jos 9:18; Ps 78:18, 42; 106:13, 25; Eze 16:43
- Exodus 15:24 : Mt 6:31
- Exodus 15:25 : S Ex 14:10
- Exodus 15:25 : 2Ki 2:21; 4:41; 6:6
- Exodus 15:25 : S Ge 22:1; Jdg 3:4; Job 23:10; Ps 81:7; Isa 48:10
- Exodus 15:26 : Ex 23:22; Dt 11:13; 15:5; 28:1; Jer 11:6
- Exodus 15:26 : Ex 19:5-6; 20:2-17; Dt 7:12
- Exodus 15:26 : Dt 7:15; 28:27, 58-60; 32:39; 1Sa 5:6; Ps 30:2; 41:3-4; 103:3
- Exodus 15:26 : Ex 23:25-26; 2Ki 20:5; Ps 25:11; 103:3; 107:20; Jer 30:17; Hos 11:3
- Exodus 15:27 : Nu 33:9
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Water for thirsty people (22-25a)
The people forgot God's grace and power in three days--for they could find no water in the desert. Then, they found a spring--but the water turned out to be bitter. They were disappointed and forgot God. They didn't pray--they grumbled against Moses. They were deeply infected with a slave mentality. When Moses cried out to God in prayer, God showed him what to do, and the water was healed.
2. Listen to God's word and be healed (25b-27)
God was testing his people. Just as he healed the water, he would heal them of the diseases of Egypt-if they would listen to his word and obey it. They were infected with a slave mentality and all of the habits of life and ways of thinking that go with it. Slaves quickly forget grace. God heals men through his word. The next stop was Elim, where there was abundant water. This was a sign of God's abundant blessing.
Prayer: Lord, heal me of my slave mentality that makes me forget your grace.
One Word: God's word brings healing