“(…) The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days (…); let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” (Exodus 16:29).

After leaving Egypt, Israel was on an unknown journey to the Promised Land. The people faced a demanding and long trek, and they needed to learn a multitude of new lessons. The Lord would lead and care for them: and, yes, He desired to help them grow. But they must learn discipline, self-control, sacrifice, unselfishness, trust in the Lord and obedience. Moses was a visible leader and the people had to follow him and his leadership if they were to triumph. It was crucial for them to stay together, to cooperate as a family, and to assist each other. There were many hindrances and challenges ahead. So much of their spiritual growth would depend on how they met those challenges and how they respond to Moses, especially when the challenges became great.

The familiar Chinese saying that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step was true in their salvation, and they needed to trust the Lord’s direction with every footstep. Tragically, as we would see, they didn’t learn those lessons easily. But again, who does?

In biblical narratives, different roles are played by different characters, good or bad, and we need to pay close attention to plots, places, timing, and villains. However, the most important point in a storyline is usually the solution and the lessons learned. It’s no different in these accounts.

As the episodes show, God is the Problem Solver and the Peacemaker. However, His work is complicated by people’s unbelief. As a result of their constant murmuring and disobedience, the Hebrews experienced serious complications, even tragedies. They brought upon themselves many difficulties because of their incredulity and unrepentance.

The first test of Israel’s faith is associated with the need for water, not surprising given the dry desert environment. After three days of traveling, the people finally found water, but it was undrinkable. Marah means bitter and because the water was bitter, Israel’s faith in their caring Lord quickly floundered. However, God reacted with compassion and the first miracle was performed with a piece of wood. Of course, it was not the wood but the Lord who made the water sweet and drinkable. The people had to learn important lessons (1) patience in waiting for the Lord’s timing and (2) that God does things in cooperation with humans.