August 18 - A Tree Made The Difference.

Exodus 15:25-26
 “And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed 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, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.”
 
Despite the complaints and murmuring of the people, Moses pressed on and sought the Lord to provide for their need.
Exodus 15:25
“And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree…”
A tree made the difference.
 
After the water was turned sweet and was drinkable, Moses began to preach to the people…
He begged them to listen to the Lord.
“and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God”
 
He begged them to do what was right.
“and wilt do that which is right in his sight”
 
He begged them to not only listen to the Lord’s commandments, but also obey them.
“and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes”
 
The Lord promised if they would do these things He would not bring any of the diseases or plagues He put on the Egyptians on them. He promised to heal them instead.
 
Jehovah-Rophe – “the LORD that healeth thee”
 
The Lord wants to heal us today as well. He is still Jehovah-Rophe. He is waiting for us to ask Him for help and healing. Just like God used a tree to take the bitter water and make it sweet, God also used a Tree to make our salvation possible.
I Peter 2:24
“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 ye were healed.”
 
Calvary hosted the Tree that held our Saviour in order for us to be healed from our sin. The Source of our Restoration hung on that Tree that day with all the sin of the world upon Him. It was our Saviour upon that Tree that made the difference.
 
 
Bible Reading:
Job 15-16  |  II Peter 3  |  Psalm 19