The Real Story of Exodus 15

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After years of bondage in Egypt, the Israelites finally departed in triumph, led by Moses under God’s direction. The Lord granted them favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, who willingly gave them gold and silver jewelry as they walked out of Egypt. This marked a remarkable turning point in Israel’s history—a transition from slavery and poverty to freedom and abundance, accomplished through the miraculous power and provision of God.

But now comes another roadblock. They enter the wilderness season.

This is a very important biblical lesson, with hidden truth. If we don’t read the story as a story, instead, read it as a revelation from God, you will be blown away by this.

The words firstborn, Egypt, slavery, debt, sacrifice and the wilderness is something deeper than you think.

This is God taking you back to the story of Adam and Eve. When Adam and Eve sinned, they became slaves to sin (and so did all of mankind). Let’s take a look at the story of Exodus and Genesis for a minute.

1. Firstborn: Adam was the first born of all mankind and Israel was God’s firstborn (Exodus 4:22), not because they were the first created nation, but because they were chosen by God even though they were a small nation (Deuteronomy 7:7).

2. Slaves: The bible tells us that the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians for over 400 years and God prophesied this would happen, to Abraham in Genesis 15:13. We know from Romans 5:12 that sin entered the world through Adam, making all mankind slaves to sin. The bible also states that the punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). However, it was in God’s love that He made a way to eternal life instead of eternal death. But in order to be free from being slaves, a payment had to be made. This is where Jesus steps in.

3. Egypt: In this story of Exodus, Egypt is not representing the nation, but the concept of Egypt in this book, represents the fallen world that we live in.

4. God cleaerd this Debt: Just like God, brought out the Israelites who were slaves in Egypt with His mighty hand, He now offers to take all humanity out of being slaves to sin through a payment that He made. And the bible tells us that by Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross this debt was cancelled (Colossians 2:14).

By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:14

5. The Sacrifice: You may have read of all the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament. This was a means of temporary atonement for our sins. Moses constantly reminds Pharoah that the Israelites were to leave Egypt to offer sacrifice to God. It was God teaching us that a sacrifice for our sins is a requirement. And by Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, this was accomplished once and for all (Read: Hebrews 7:27 and Hebrews 10:10). Have you ever wondered why one of Jesus’ final words on the Cross was “It is finished.”

6. The Wilderness: Returning to the story of Moses and the Israelites, we find them rejoicing in God’s favour and deliverance. Yet their journey was far from over. The real test of faith was about to begin, as God sought to test and reveal the condition of their hearts.

Let’s take a look at how God tested their faith in the wilderness.

God Tests Them with No Water

After the Israelites cross the Red Sea, they head towards the wilderness of Shur, and there they find no water. The bible tells us in verse 22, that they found no water for 3 days. And when they reached a place called Marah, they did find water, but it was bitter to drink.

The Israelites now begin to grumble against Moses and Moses cries out to God. Watch how God shows them a way. He asks Moses to throw a log into the water and the bitter water at Marah is turned sweet.

Verse 25 tells us that God tested them there.

Often God puts us through difficult seasons in our lives only to test our obedience and to refine certain areas of our lives.

Everytime we see the word “wilderness” in the bible, it is often a phase of trial and testing.

James 1:2-3 shows us why these seasons of trials are important in our Christian walk.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

For example, we may have idols in our lives that we prioritize over God. These things can take up space and time with God. They don’t need to be physical idols, they could be people we look up to, our busy work life or even doom-scrolling on the phone. It’s incredible how much time can be lost just scrolling through social media these days.

Sometimes it is in these wilderness seasons that these hidden idols are revealed to us, and we begin to see things that keep us from entering into God’s presence.

Prayer and fasting can also be a way of drawing closer to God, to find these hidden doorways that lead us away from God.

However, this testing season can be hard.

It may come as a season of isolation or a season of lack. God knows the area of our lives that we prioritize the most and this is the area where He tries to call us out of. God wants us to rely on Him and not on ourselves, because we are bound to make mistakes.

Galatians 5:24, teaches us to crucify the passions of the flesh because the desires of the flesh are contrary to the desires of the Spirit.

The works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit are clearly detailed in Galatians 5:19-23.

Now, back to the story of the Israelites at Marah, where God gives them a command,

“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.” Exodus 15:26

God Provides Water in Abundance

Shortly after this they came to Elim, and now not only did they find water but they found it in abundance. The Bible tells us there was twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees.

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water. Exodus 15:27

When you worry about your season of lack, look forward to the season of provision that is coming your way, as you remain in God’s word.

God often works in ways that are far beyond our understanding. Although we feel like nothing is moving in the natural, there are things happening in the Spiritual that we may not see. And when the time is right, God will make things come to pass. Just like how Joseph went from being in prison for years and then in a matter of hours he was the highest ranking official in Egypt, second to Pharoah.

This is what the Lord says,

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thought than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9

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