I stumbled across this little incident in Exodus recently and was struck by it.

23 ¶And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25 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,
26 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. (Exodus 15:23-26)

Here the Lord uses the miracle of healing the waters to teach a lesson. The tree (a thing of life) healed the waters and made them sweet. The Lord teaches that He is like the living tree that can heal them and their bitter lives if they keep the commandments.

Also note that the tree healed the waters by coming down among the waters. Just as the tree healed by coming down among the waters, the Lord will be able to heal Israel by coming down as a mortal among them and atoning for them.

This miracle becomes a type and shadow of the condescension of God, prefiguring Christ’s mortal life and mission.

Image: The Love of YHWH, http://theloveofyhwh.yolasite.com/about-mysterys.php
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