(Exodus) Exodus 15:22 — J. Vernon McGee

Israel’s Wilderness Journey Begins in Exodus 15

Now, verse 22, "...So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur, and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.". Now, friends, we're beginning here something that I want you to pay particular attention to because what we have, and I have put it in our notes and outlines, marching to Mount Sinai, and it was at Mount Sinai that they got the law.

And here you have, in chapters 15 through 18, seven experiences that these people had along the way. And these seven experiences correspond to Christian experience today. Remember, all of these things happened unto them for examples unto us.

The Spiritual Education of God’s People

And you see the spiritual education that God gave these people. So here in this section, especially verse 22, why we find in the wilderness of Shur that they are certainly not on a bed of roses. You can put that down.

There's no bed of roses here for them at all, and that's very important to see. Now, let me call your attention to this again. They crossed over now, and they had this wonderful time of praise, singing the song of Moses, and they're a redeemed people.

Redemption Does Not Eliminate Wilderness Trials

But notice what happened. You would think that from now on, they would be on a bed of roses, all the stones would be removed, and that they would not have any problem at all. You would think that since they are redeemed, they'd be delivered from all their difficulties, that not a cloud would be in the sky, not a thorn would be along the way, and there would not be a sigh.

Well, what happened? They thirsted. They went three days in the wilderness, and they found no water. And what happened to them? This is a pretty howdy-do, is it not, to have this happen to God's people?

And after all, it's a legitimate experience. Egypt had been a land of plenty, there was water in abundance, and quite suddenly they've crossed the Red Sea, and they find themselves in different circumstances.

From Egypt’s Cisterns to Living Water

That water was not available anymore. The cisterns of Egypt are gone, and they have not found the fountains of living waters. And I believe that this is the experience of every born-again child of God.

After redemption, he finds that the cisterns of Egypt do not satisfy at all. And there is a period of soul thirst, and it's that period in which Paul said, what things were gained to me I counted loss.

And then the great apostle reveals a great thirst, a great yearning. He says that I might know him and the power of his resurrection. That is the experience, I think, of a child of God. After you've been redeemed, I wonder if I may give you a personal experience.

A Personal Testimony of Thirst After Salvation

I remember when God put his hand definitely upon me, and I came to know the peace of God through trusting Christ. And then I wanted to study for the ministry, and I had been living. I worked in a bank and traveling with a pretty fast crowd.

Thought I was having a great time. I was actually chairman of the dance committee. And in those days, they always had to have bootleg liquor to dance, and I decided that I wouldn't break off all of a sudden.

I would go to that dance that night. I wouldn't dance. I'd just stand in the stag line. I'd just sort of visit around, and I'd make a gradual break. And I went, and I was offered a drink. I suppose a dozen times, and I turned it down.

And I never shall forget, I met a fellow at the bank. I had been put ahead of him, and he had never forgiven me for it. And it wasn't my fault, because I wasn't the one that had charge of the bank. And he always took advantage of every opportunity.

And so he came up to me while I was standing in that stag line. He says, this is a pretty place for a preacher to be. And he used some pretty strong language when he said that to me. And I came to the conclusion, he is right.

And so I never shall forget, like a little whip dog, I went down the stairway, and I went out on the street, and I could hear that orchestra playing in the distance. And you know that I almost turned around and went back up there, and I was going to look him up and say, look here, I think I'm just going to stay here with the gang, with the crowd.

But thank God I didn't. You know, there's always that trip into the wilderness after you're saved when you get a little thirsty, friends. The cisterns of Egypt, they just won't satisfy you anymore. And you are looking for living waters, and I didn't know where to find them, to tell the truth.

I knew very little about the Bible. I could not find my way around in it at all. But may I say to you, I soon found out that there had been one who John says in John 7, 37, in the last day, that great day of the feast, the Lord Jesus, you remember, stood and said, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.

Christ’s Invitation to the Thirsty

And what a wonderful thing it was to come to him. And then that was their first experience they had. And then they had a second experience, but it wasn't much better.