I. BEARING THEM THROUGH THE WILDERNESS
A. As on Eagles’ Wings
God delivered Israel out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. The wilderness is very positive here. It is very good to be saved by God out of the noisy world to a place where there is only the heavens and the earth and God, nothing else. But for the long run, the wilderness was not a good place. Thus, they had to be brought by a long journey through the wilderness.
In Exodus 19:4 God said, "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself." God considered that He was a big eagle who bore all the children of Israel upon His two wings. When I was in mainland China, I intended to evangelize Inner Mongolia, but God in His sovereignty bore me on His wings to the United States. God put all the children of Israel upon His wings and bore them through the wilderness to bring them to Himself at Mount Sinai.
B. Changing the Bitter Waters into Sweet Waters
God changed the bitter waters into sweet waters for them by casting a tree (typifying the healing cross of Christ—1 Pet. 2:24) into the waters at Marah, signifying that Jehovah heals them from the Egyptian diseases (Exo. 15:22-26). They were not only rescued out of Egypt and out of the tyranny of the Egyptians but also delivered from all kinds of Egyptian diseases by the cross of Christ. First Peter 2:24 says that the cross is the tree.
C. Providing Them with Twelve Springs of Water
and Seventy Shading Palm Trees
God also provided them with twelve springs of water (signifying the all-inclusive Spirit of Christ—John 7:38-39) and seventy shading palm trees (signifying the overshadowing Christ—2 Cor. 12:9) at Elim (Exo. 15:27). The springs of water and the shading palm trees in the wilderness were a real enjoyment. God gives us the living waters and the shade to take care of us.
D. Feeding Them with Manna
In God’s history He also fed the children of Israel with manna (Exo. 16:13-18), the heavenly food, typifying Christ as the bread from heaven (John 6:50-51; 1 Cor. 10:3). John 6 is a fulfillment of both the Passover and the heavenly manna.
(The History of God in His Union With Man, Chapter 12, by Witness Lee)
