THE SCHOOL OF THE WILDERNESS

Pastor Carolyn Sissom \ February 2th, 2008 (6898 views)

THE SCHOOL OF THE WILDERNESS

Exodus 15:22-18

Taught by:  Carolyn Sissom

February 17, 2008

15:22:  “So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur.

Israel experienced the baptism of Water, Cloud, and Fire at the Red Sea.  The Wilderness experience  is a Kingdom of God principle for all of us.  “Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (Matt. 4:1)

This is to be Israel’s education and deliverance from the familiar spirit of Egypt.

The purpose of each crisis was to:

1. Provide an environment designed to manifest their heart’s condition.
2. Train them in the school of Divine Providence that they might be fit for living in and retaining the land of promise.
3. Bring them into subjection to the Sovereignty of God.
4. Give them an opportunity to learn of the abundance of His resources.

Israel’s reaction to their crisis show that their faith was weak and superficial, and more a momentary enthusiasm than a deeply rooted conviction.

As a church body, some of you are just beginning to be taught in the school of the wilderness.  Others are mid-way through the training and others have overcome.  Jesus passed his tests in 40-days.  It took the Israelites 40-years.  There is verse to a song, “Lord you took me out of Egypt, now take Egypt out of me.”  This teaching is our introduction to our Easter messages which will begin on March 9^th through Easter.   We have Pastor Wilbert Scott coming next Sunday and John Mark and Sandy Poole with Barbie Breathitt March 1 and 2.  If the Lord desires, we will resume our study of Exodus after Easter. 

I.  The School of Disappointment (15:22-23):  They had just sung this glorious song of triumph.  Now three days later, the Cloud led them to Marah (bitter, acrid, galling, grief, misfortune or calamity).  Drought and bitterness are the key principles of wandering in the wilderness.  Here Moses is the interceding mediator (Heb 7:25;’ 1 Jn. 2:1).  God showed Moses a tree:  “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:  there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them.  (The cross, the divine provision for every trial.  “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we, being dead to sins should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.  (1 Peter 2:24)

Ex. 15:26:“And said, if you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, keep all his statutes, I will put none of these disease upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

This is the first promise of healing in the bible.  God is revealed as Jehovah-Rapha.  “I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

This training in this school is provided by:

1. God’s delays.  (Jn. 11: 6-32) (Lazarus)
2. God’s methods.  (11 Kg. 5: 11-12) (Naaman)
3. God’s claims, (Mark 10:17-22)  (Treasure in Heaven)

II.                The School of Prosperity (15:27)  - The same Providential care of God which trains in disappointment and tests the reality of our profession also leads into the abundance of the goodness of God to test our humility and to teach us gratitude.

Exodus 15:27: “And they came to Elim which were twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there by the waters.”

Elim means palm trees, oaks, might ones, strong trees.  The joy and satisfaction comes through the Ministry of the Word.  This is metaphorical of the sending of the 12 and the 70 in Luke 9: 1-10.  Twelve is the number of divine government and

Seventy is a number that signifies an increase.

The Palm Tree speaks of the upright in victory.  It is known for its height or stature.

Note the balance here.  First the bitter waters of Marah sweetened by the tree and then the wells of pure water and the palm trees for shade and refreshment.  When the principle of the Cross is applied to our lives, we experience the fellowship of His sufferings and the communion of His Joy.

Training in this school includes the realm of:

1. The material (Duet. 8: 6-24; (11 Chron. 32: 22-31) (Blessings following obedience.)
2. The Spiritual (Psa. 42: 1-2; Isa. 44:3) (Total seeking the Lord)
3. The occupational. (Luke 6: 22-23; Jn. 6:66; 16:32) (persecution for the beloved)

III.             The School of Need (16: 1-22):  The same Providence which leads us in to prosperity that we might learn how to abound or abase for the Glory of God also leads us into the that we might learn how to suffer want for the Glory of God.  (Phil. 4:12)  “I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things I m instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”

16: 1-2:  And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai…and the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:”

Israel had been kept during the hour of trail (Ex. 7-11), and had been delivered by the Blood, Water, and Spirit (Ex. 12-15).  Now Jehovah leads his people into a position where they necessitate a supernatural supply:

15:3:  And the children of Israel said unto them, would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt…He has brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.  Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or not”

This is a teaching unto itself and I won’t cover all of it today.  I have a teaching on the Golden Pot of Manna. (Rev. 2:17)  In Hebrew it means “What is it?” And in Chaldean, it means “It is a portion.”

The Golden Pot of Manna speaks of Jesus Christ and His Word.  This is the nature, character, and sustaining power of the Lord.  Jesus is the Bread of Life.  (Gold = Divine Bread).  He is the true manna – all must eat of Him or die.  No one can eat for another.  Jesus is the Source of life and strength.  Jesus is our complete provision.  He is our supernatural supply and our all sufficient Lord.

The Manna in the Ark is the Hidden Manna of Rev. 2:17 and shows:  The overcomer will press beyond the Veil and partake of the hidden manna, be conformed to the image of Jesus, and will experience in fullness His nature, character, and sustaining power.  This is “meat to the full” (Ps. 78:25).  (“Bread of the mighty”)  These Overcomers press out of the Holy Place (Pentecostal realm of the 60-fold) wherein is the “children’s bread” (Mk. 7:27) of divine healing at the Table of Shewbread, and move beyond the Veil in the Divine Life of the Risen Lord.

Once Israel entered Canaan, the Manna ceased- (Josh. 5: 11-12) – a change of diet, from milk to meat (corn). (Heb. 5: 11-6; 3).

There was no manna in the Ark of the Covenant when it was placed in Solomon’s temple (I Kg. 8:9).  When God’s temple is brought together in Glory, the manna will have been consumed by Him that Overcometh.  The Hidden Manna and all it involves will then be ministered to the nations. (Jn. 6:33)

The manna was melted away by the sun – yesterday’s bread, portion, revelation, strength, and supply will not suffice in a new day.

This school is the same training as the School of Prosperity.

1. The material (Matt. 6:25-34) “you cannot serve God and mammon.”
2. The spiritual (Psa. 41: 1-2)   “Blessed is he who considers the Poor.”
3. The occupational.  (Lk. 6: 22-23)”Persecution”

IV – The School of Rest (16: 23-36) – Obedience to God is not only expressed by consecrated activity, but also by ceasing from the efforts and endeavors of self; and devotion is not only expressed by serving, but also sitting in active contemplation and quiet worship.  “There remains a rest for the people of God.” (Heb. 4:9)

16: 23-36:  “Tomorrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord…Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be done.”

This training is:

1. In ceasing from works 9heb. 3: 7-4;11)
2. In devotion (Lk 10:38-41; 11 Sam, 7:18)
3. In unrest.  (Psa. 37: 1-7; Mk. 4: 35-41)

V – The School of Submission – The perpetual conflict between the will of man and the will of God makes the school of submission one of the most difficult and necessary.  Persistent refusal to submit to the Sovereignty of God involves the risk of open rebellion.

Ex. 17: 1-7:   Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin to Rephidim.  The people chided against Moses and tempted the Lord.  There is an unvarying tendency of man to distrust the Lord.  Verse 4 literally is “yet a little and they will stone me.” Moses, David, Jeremiah, Paul Stephen, and the Lord Jesus suffered from stoning or its threatening.  Moses took his rod and the Elders to Horeb to meet with the Lord.

17:6:  Here the Lord spoke to Moses, “Behold I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb and you shall smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it that the people may drink.  And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”

The Rock is one of the titles of Jehovah.  The Rock is Jesus Christ, both head and body.  The smitten rock speaks of the death of the Lord Jesus, (Ex 16 speaks of His incarnation and 17 of His crucifixion.)  The water from the smitten rock speaks of the Holy Ghost being outpoured in power following His Atonement.  It is also denoting the flow of the Spirit in the life of the Christian after he has allowed the Lord to smite his own way.  Also the believer as he drinks from the well of Christ within. 

The flow is released by speaking.  There is water from the rock (Ex. 17:60, Fire from the Rock (Judg. 6:21), Honey from the Rock (Psa. 81:16) and Oil from the Rock (Deut. 32:`13)\

Again the Rock was only to be smitten once.  Jehovah on the Rock speaks of God in

This kind of submission has to be learned in God’s:

1. Choice of instrument (Isa. 45: 9-13)
2. Preparation of an instrument (Isa. 54:11)
3. Discarding of an instrument  (Psa. 75: 5-7)

VI  SCHOOL OF CONFLICT:   (Ex. 17: 8-12)  The challenge of the world, and the flesh, and the devil to our progress in God is used as an opportunity to teach our hands to war (Psa. 144:1), to perfect us in the skill of overcoming by cooperation with God in the employment of his limitless resources.

Amalek will always attack us in the hindmost areas (Duet. 25: 17-18)

God here reveals himself as Jehovah-Nissi, “Jehovah is my banner,” He is our flag, standard and ensign.  (Vs. 13-14) “And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.  And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.  And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it “Jehovah-Nissi” Because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Indeed God's people would again battle with Amalek:  Jehovah promised that in the end he would utterly annihilate Amalek.  The key to the operation of this principle is the Altar, which speaks of worship.

The conflict will teach train us in: 

1. Temptation (Matt. 4: 1-11)
2. Opposition (Jer. 11: 19-21; 28: 1-11) The Lord uses Amalek for training purposes.
3. Suffering (job. 1: 6-2; 10; 42: 1-6)

VII SCHOOL OF PRESSURE (18: 17-24) There are two ways of looking at this passage.  The principle of delegated authority is evident, but we could also see that Moses’ experience shows the danger of turning to the wisdom and methods of the world when the demand in our god-assigned work multiplies beyond the normal limits of our natural resources.  The school of pressure may take place in:

1. Public responsibility 9Num. 11: 14-17)
2. Public demand (Mk. 6:3; Jn. 4: 30-34)
3. Public opinion (1 Sam. 13: 8-14; Jn. 16:15)

Jethro’s counsel can be argued both positively and negatively.  As God’s chosen instruments, we must know for a certainty what the Lord asks of us and what He would have us delegate.  I don’t think I have any problem delegating.  We have “able men and women in this church such as fear God, men and women of truth, hating covetousness; (vs. 21)  for those who will assume responsibility, each one is given their area of responsibility.  I also must know that I cannot allow others to “usurp authority” over that which the Lord will hold me accountable.   I will resume in after Easter.

Carolyn Sissom, Pastor

Eastgate Ministries, Inc.

www.eastgateministries.com

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Scripture quotes from KJV.  Text is from Principles of Present Trust by: K.V.  Comments are my own.