Bitter, Water, Faithfulness, Test, Disease

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The Bible is a Book of Tales (Narrative Theology)

 

I was listening to the Jamie Soles‘ song “Jealousy Test” about Numbers 5 from the Album Memorials.
I suddenly had a mental flash that I ran to check out, and I think it pays off:

Compare Numbers 5.11-31 to Exodus 15.22-27 [Click to read at BibleGateway].

Both passages contain:

The Waters of Marah/Waters of Bitterness:

Numbers 5.18, 19, 23, 27  —    —  Exodus 15.23

A Test

Numbers 5.15, 29-30        —    —  Exodus 15.15

for Faithfulness

Numbers 5.12                     —    —  Exodus 15.26

Diseases

Numbers 5.21-22, 27        —     —  Exodus 15.26

I don’t have a conclusion here, but the connections must be drawn before the questions can be asked.

But I do want to point out this oddity:

Immediately before the “Waters of Marah” in Ex 15.22, is 15.21:

“And Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

She also protected Moses in the water (Ex 2.4), but the Song of Marah is “The waters of the Lord tested between the faithfulness of Israel and the unfaithfulness of Egypt.”

Egypt was plagued with diseases and the loss of children (Compare Ex 11, Num 5.28).

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Another MARAH – Mary, was not “put away for unfaithfulness” but was alowed to bear a very important child.  Who was the only real “faithfulness” for Israel unto God.  (Matt 1.19-25).

Count Your Blessings….

I’ve been really into reading the book of Numbers lately. It’s alluded to a lot in 1 Corinthians 10.

Click to see the book of Numbers at Logos