Moses Leads the Israelites into the Desert (Ex 15:22-27)

Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. ?When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

1. The Israelites traveled through the desert for three days without water. When they finally found some, they could not drink it because it was bitter. It must have seemed like hardships were piling up on them. However, God intervened and made the water sweet. Sometimes the misfortunes of life come in bunches, and this can cause bitterness. However, the Holy Spirit many times suddenly intervenes and can bring the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) into our lives during suffering. Has this happened to you? If so, how did this help you to grow in your faith?
2. God promised the Israelites that, if they obeyed his commands, they would not suffer from the diseases found among the Egyptians. God was teaching them that obedience and devotion to him would be rewarded. These things please God and honor his name. These things bear witness to others about the reality and sovereignty of God. Why are obedience and devotion to God’s commands still important for Christians? How do we learn God’s commands?
3. God revealed himself as the one who can heal any affliction. How has God brought healing to your life?