The Spiritual Journey (4)

Bible Reading:

Exodus 15:23, 27; 16:1-4, 13-15, 31

Numbers 11:7-9; 17:17

John 6:35, 51

Ephesians 5:18

VII. Spring Water and Palm Trees (Exo 15:27)—Christ is our Satisfaction and Rest

[Elim]

After crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites set out on their journey, moving forward from one place to another. At Marah, they encountered bitter waters—but when a tree was cast into the waters, the waters turned sweet. This mirrors how, in our walk with the Lord, we may face hardships, yet when we reflect upon the cross of Christ, our hearts are instantly filled with sweetness. They then continued onward: "Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters." (Exodus 15:27).

The "springs" (wells of water) provide cool, thirst-quenching satisfaction. The "palm trees" offer shade and rest. When the people of Israel arrived at Elim, they found both springs and palm trees.

Spiritually, this signifies that Christ is the saints’ true satisfaction and rest. Therefore, the progress of our spiritual journey is reflected in whether we take Christ as our source of fulfillment and rest—or whether we seek satisfaction through worldly pursuits like cars, luxury homes, and entertainment. This illustrates how gracious and merciful God is to us. On the negative side, He allows us to experience the emptiness and unrest of the world, showing that it cannot truly satisfy. On the positive side, He leads us to a deeper experience where Christ alone becomes our satisfaction and rest.

1. Elim after Marah

   “Marah” means bitter. In God’s leading of the Israelites, the Lord first brought them to Marah, and afterward to Elim. This signifies that Christians first experience hardship (suffering) before entering into joy (glory) (Luke 24:26). So when we go through trials and pain, we must remember that Elim lies ahead waiting for us. Once the trial of suffering passes, satisfaction and joy follow. Hebrews 12:2 says: "For the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

   Indeed, Jesus endured unimaginable pain and disgrace when crucified. The cross, at that time, was the most cruel punishment reserved for criminals. Yet Christ bore this suffering because He saw the joy that awaited Him—He knew the cross was a temporary affliction, after which came glory and rejoicing. Furthermore, God does not intend for His people to dwell endlessly in Marah’s suffering. His heart is to quickly deliver us into Elim. When the Israelites arrived at the springs and palms of Elim, they completely forgot the bitterness of Marah.

   I thank the Lord for His mercy and protection, allowing me to serve from my youth up to now—for over forty years. During this time, I’ve witnessed many brothers and sisters who once endured poverty, illness, hunger, and the agony of being without medical help. Yet now, they have entered into the blessed season of Elim. This shows us: when we find ourselves in Marah’s bitter trials, we must not be discouraged or remain stagnant. If you linger there, you’ll remain in prolonged suffering. Today, many Christians fail to see the Elim that lies ahead, and so they cease moving forward—some fall into discouragement, drift away from the Lord, and ultimately turn back to Egypt. Brothers and sisters, to halt at Marah is one of life’s greatest losses. Because if, in your suffering, you turn back, Egypt and the Pharaoh (the world, the devil) is waiting to enslave you again. Know this: returning to Egypt will leave you in lifelong regret—how deeply lamentable that would be!

2. Twelve Springs of Water

   At Elim, there were twelve springs of water. "Springs" refers to quenching of thirst and deep satisfaction. In John chapter 4, we read that Jesus came to Sychar in Samaria and spoke with a woman who had come to draw water. During their conversation, Jesus said: "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."  (John 4:13–14) These words pierced straight into her heart—while also revealing that Christ Himself is the true source, able to meet every need of the human soul. In response, the woman said to Jesus, “Sir, give me this water that I may not thirst and come here to draw.”

   Elim had twelve springs of water. In the Bible, “twelve” represents eternal and fullness. The “twelve springs” signify that Christ is our eternal satisfaction (John 4:13–14). All the brothers and sisters gathered for this special meeting have come with one shared longing: to personally experience that the Lord alone is our true and everlasting fulfillment.

   On another level, the twelve springs were meant for the twelve tribes of Israel—each tribe had its own spring. This illustrates how these twelve springs were God's provision for the unique needs of each tribe. Spiritually speaking, the twelve springs signify that Jesus abundantly supplies for the needs of all believers. No matter how countless the number of Christians around the world may be, everyone who comes to the Lord will receive timely and sufficient provision. Isn’t this true? Christian from ancient times until now collectively represent the twelve tribes of Israel as a type and foreshadow.

3. The Seventy Palm Trees

   The "seventy palm trees" provided shade for the Israelite to rest beneath. "Trees" symbolize the victorious cross of Christ—a place of refuge and rest for the saints. When you come before the cross with the burdens pressing upon your soul, those burdens fall away, and your spirit finds rest in Christ. Oh, the victorious cross is rest indeed. Blessed are those who take refuge in Him!

   Psalm 90:10 says, "The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years..." Thus, the seventy trees also signify provision for the span of our lives. In other words, from the moment we are born again until the day we see the Lord face to face, we may daily draw near to Him and enjoy the rest found in Christ.

   During World War II, a young British businessman was drafted into service and sent to the East to fight against the Japanese army. At the time, the Japanese forces were fierce and dominant, and in the course of battle, the young man was taken captive and imprisoned in a Japanese concentration camp, where he suffered severe abuse. Though raised in a Christian home with godly parents, he had not truly taken his faith seriously. Like many children today from Christian families, he followed the rituals handed down but lacked a genuine relationship with the Lord. He had attended Sunday School as a child and church services as he grew—but had never truly repented or accepted Christ. After entering the business world, he drifted further from God. Thankfully, on the eve of enlistment, his mother told him, “From now on, you must rely on the Lord from your heart.” While imprisoned, he felt the emptiness and agony in his heart. He was an ambitious businessman before, now a captive, starved, mistreated, and in despair, he found himself longing for death. At his lowest point, he remembered his mother's words that he must call on the Lord in tribulations. So from the depths of his heart, he cried out to God—and suddenly, his spirit encountered the Lord. He was truly born again and saved. That very night, his life was utterly transformed. The salvation of the Lord filled him entirely. He personally experienced the peace of forgiveness and the joy of heaven. He discovered that the true meaning of life is found in Jesus Christ. He deeply tasted that Christ is his satisfaction and rest. Brothers and sisters, have you reached your Elim?

VIII. Manna (Exodus 16:12-15, 31; Numbers 11:4-9)—Christ is the Bread of Life

[Wilderness of Sin]

About a month and a half after the Israelites left Egypt, they came to the Wilderness of Sin. By then, the food they had brought from Egypt had been completely consumed.

1. Hunger and Complaints in the Wilderness of Sin

   In the Wilderness of Sin, the Israelites grew hungry and began to grumble intensely against Moses, saying, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt! There we sat by pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted. But you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve this whole assembly to death.”

   Because of their hunger, they lacked the strength to go forward and erupted in complaints. This is much like what many Christians experience today. As they journey along the Lord’s path, they reach a point where spiritual nourishment seems lacking—leaving their spirits famished and their service drained of strength. From this state of spiritual hunger, murmuring often arises.

2. God Sends Manna as Food — Christ is the Bread of Life

   At that time, the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day... On the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily." This symbolizes that Christ is our Bread of Life. As we continue on the spiritual journey, the Lord not only desires us to know Him as our satisfaction and rest—He further leads us to personally experience the life-giving sustenance from heaven. John 6:35 records: "Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst'"

   From that time onward, the Israelites ate manna daily in the wilderness for forty years. Whenever they were lazy and failed to gather it, they went hungry and were too weak to continue walking. Similarly, today we walk on this path of life toward the beautiful land of Canaan—to enter into the fullness of Christ. How can we reach our destination along the Lord’s way? We must eat manna daily—meaning we must receive Christ as our bread of life every day. Sadly, many Christians today do not partake of manna daily. Though we have received grace and salvation and begun walking the path of life, we have yet to realize that Christ Himself is our daily nourishment. If you go one day without eating manna, you will not be able to continue on the path in the wilderness. Only by eating the manna—experiencing Christ as the bread of life—can our spiritual lives grow strong. Brothers and sisters, we all rely on Christ as our bread of life to grow in our spiritual lives. A Christian who does not eat this Bread of Life will remain weak and stagnant, unable to grow. Therefore, may the Lord have mercy and grace upon us, that we would all become disciples who gather and eat manna every single day.

3. Receiving Christ as the Bread of Life Through Bible Reading and Prayer (John 6:51, 63)

   In the wilderness, the Israelites could not survive without manna; likewise, today, if we do not receive Christ as the Bread of Life, our spiritual lives cannot be sustained. No wonder when Jesus spoke to the crowd about manna, He clearly declared: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." (John 6:51) He continued in verse 63: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."

   In spiritual experience, eating manna means receiving spiritual nourishment through daily prayer and reading of the Word of God. A day without prayer and reading Bible as spiritual food, you’ll be unable to walk in the Lord’s path that day. Just as the Israelites gathered manna daily, we too must seek nourishment each day through prayer and reading the Bible.

   I still remember during my student years, the Lord stirred up a group of twenty to thirty young Christians in our school. We were boarders, and during the coldest winter months in northern Taiwan—December, January, and February—we encouraged one another to rise before 6 am. The biting cold made it difficult to leave the warmth of our beds, but drawn by the love of the Lord, whoever got up first would rouse the others. For those who wouldn’t budge, we’d pull off their blankets so they had no choice but to get up! We’d then gather on the campus lawn for morning devotions, to collect our manna—our spiritual sustenance. Thank the Lord! It was in those days that I established my early morning devotional life. By His mercy and protection, I’ve maintained this rhythm for over forty years. Every day, I receive manna from heaven through prayer and reading God’s Word. Except from illness, there hasn’t been a day I’ve eaten breakfast before gathering manna. I’d rather skip breakfast than miss my spiritual food. Even when flying to the U.S., with unclear day or night in the cabin, I would always pray and read the Word before accepting a meal. May the Lord graciously help us all to build a daily habit of receiving spiritual nourishment through prayer and the Bible.

   A young brother from Taiwan came to the Philippines to pursue a master’s degree and was received into our fellowship. I asked if he kept morning watch, and he said he had already established the habit in Taiwan. After meeting a co-worker in our midst, they began to consistently keep morning devotions together at the meeting hall.

   Dear young brothers and sisters, our special conference has set a rule to observe morning watch at 6:30 a.m., for the purpose of cultivating and training you in the experience of gathering manna in the wilderness. We earnestly hope that after descending the mountain when the conference ends, each one of you will continue the habit relying on the Lord—no manna, no breakfast. You must seriously establish a daily spiritual life of partaking manna. Press on daily until we see the Lord face-to-face. Just as the Israelites ate manna every day until they entered Canaan, we likewise must partake of the bread of life daily, so that we may enter into the fullness of Christ.

4. Characteristics of Manna — Knowing Christ, the Bread of Life

   So then, are we truly able to gather manna daily? In other words, do our daily prayers and Bible reading yield spiritual nourishment? And through this, do we come to know Christ, the bread of life? Let us briefly outline the characteristics of manna to explore the experience of gathering it:

   1. Descending from Heaven — Heavenly (connects to heaven)

      This manna came down "from heaven" (Exodus 16:4), signifying that Christ, the bread of life, is heavenly—not earthly.

      In practical experience, we must quiet ourselves, draw near to the Lord through prayer, and then carefully, slowly, read the Bible word by word, sentence by sentence. At points where our heart is moved, we pause and pray. Through this, we naturally encounter the Lord. Remarkably, we sense a condition within—an inner clarity that connects us to heaven, recognizing that Christ is the heavenly Lord, for He came down from heaven (John 6:63). Our spirit is united with the heavenly Christ, as if heaven and earth are connected. On earth, as in heaven—we intimately experience that with His presence, is heaven itself.

   2. Morning — Freshness

      Manna descended from heaven, the Bible specifically records: "In the morning, the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted… was a small round substance" (Exodus 16:13–14). Manna came down in the morning. "Morning" signifies freshness and vitality. Experience-wise, when dawn breaks and you rise to draw near to the Lord—praying, reading the Word—you sense freshness and liveliness in your spirit. This indicates that you’ve gathered manna and come to know Christ, the bread of life—who is ever fresh.

   3. Small — Humble

      Furthermore, the Bible describes the manna's appearance as “small” round substance (Exodus 16:14). The meaning is this: whenever you receive life nourishment from the Scriptures, you naturally become humble, as the shape of manna is tiny. Just as our Lord Jesus, when He became flesh and lived on earth, He was humble and lowly, so whoever encounters Jesus—the One prefigured by manna—will willingly choose humility and walk the path of Jesus of Nazareth. Knowing Christ, the bread of life, is a humble Lord.

   4. Coriander Seed — Strong

      "And the house of Israel called its name Manna; and it was like white coriander seed..." (Exodus 16:31) Coriander seed has life within—it contains a living grain, representing strong and full of energy. In terms of spiritual experience, before morning devotion, we may feel lazy or weak within. But remarkably, after drawing near to the Lord through prayer and Bible reading, that inner weakness disappears and is replaced with spiritual strength. This too is an experience of gathering manna—knowing Christ, the bread of life, as the strong and empowering Lord.

   5. White — Purity

      "…it was like white coriander seed." (Exodus 16:31) This implies that when we draw near to the Lord and read His Word at morning watch, we are cleansed by God's Word. Our being becomes pure, sanctified in spirit. Thus, we come to know Christ, the bread of life, as the Lord who lived a life of purity.

   6. Made with Honey — Sweetness

      "…and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey." (Exodus 16:31) “Made with honey” reveals sweetness. This means that when we pray and read the Bible—gathering manna—we taste the sweetness of the Lord. We are attached to Him and unwilling to leave. We come to Christ, the bread of life, as the tender and sweet Lord.

   7. Wafers — Satisfaction

      Manna ... was like “wafers” (Exodus 16:31), indicating that when we receive it, it is as though we’re fed and satisfied. Isn’t that true? Often, before approaching the Lord, our spirit feels empty, hungry, and confused. But once we come to Him in Scripture, our spirit becomes satisfied and full of joy. We come to know that Christ is indeed the bread of life.

   8. Pearl — Radiance

      "The manna… its color like the color of bdellium (Chinese version-Pearl.) (Numbers 11:7) Pearls and precious stones shine and reflect light. Spiritually, this means that when we encounter the Lord in prayer and Scripture, His Word shines upon us. We are enlightened, and our spirit becomes clear and bright. At the same time, we come to know Christ as the radiant Lord.

   9. Fresh Oil — Fragrance“

      "…its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil.” (Numbers 11:8) Fresh oil represents fragrance. In spiritual experience, when we draw near to the Lord through His Word and gather manna, we taste His sweetness. Our hearts are filled with grace, our spirits revived, and we become saturated in the Lord Himself. Naturally, we then emit the fragrance of Christ. As the poetic line says: “Enter the inner veil, let the Lord’s sweetness perfume you, so that when you step out, His fragrance flows from you." Thus, we know Christ as the fragrant Lord.

   10. “What is it?” — Fresh Spiritual Understanding

       The Israelites obeyed the command of the Lord, and indeed, in the morning, they found the ground around the camp covered with small round things like white frost. The Bible records:"when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, 'What is it?' For they did not know what it was." (Exodus 16:13–15) Each day as they gathered this small round substance, they would ask, “What is it?” Spiritually, this signifies the pursuit of knowing Christ. Every time we gather manna—encounter the Lord—we ask anew: “Who is Christ?” In other words, in our praying and Bible reading, there should be moments of fresh and vivid revelation of Christ. From within our spirit, we perceive Him as the unfathomable Lord of immeasurable richness. Therefore, as we daily read the Word and pray, we should receive fresh understanding, new insight, and renewed experiences of Christ. May the Lord inspire and keep us through this, that each day we gather manna with fresh awareness, fresh vision, fresh experiences—and new glimpses of Him and of heaven. Amen.

       
       

IX. The Rock of Living Water (Exodus 17:1–7) — Christ as the Water of Life

[Rephidim]

Next, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s command. They journeyed from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Rephidim.

1. The Israelites were Thirsty

   Unexpectedly, there was no water at Rephidim. The people, weary from the journey and parched, quarreled with Moses: “Give us water, that we may drink!” They even accused him, “Why is it you have brought us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” Their complaint reveals the spiritual hunger and thirst of God’s people.

2. Moses Strikes the Rock, and Living Water Flows

   Moses cried out to God, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord instructed him to take the rod he used to strike the river, gather the elders of Israel, and go to the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will flow from it for the people to drink. Moses obeyed. He struck the rock with his rod, and water gushed out for the congregation and their livestock to drink.

   Moses represents God’s Law, the rod signifies divine authority, and the rock typifies Christ. When Moses struck the rock, he foreshadowed the Law’s authority executing judgment on Christ—Christ’s crucifixion on our behalf, bearing our sins and being crushed for our transgressions. When Jesus was crucified, blood and water flowed out. In typology, after His death, resurrection, and ascension, Christ poured out the Holy Spirit—the fullness of Holy Spirit flowed out from Christ. The Holy Spirit is also called Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11). The water springing from the rock becomes a living fountain; all who thirst come and drink from this flowing fountain. Just like when the Holy Spirit poured down at Pentecost, all the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit.

3. Filled with the Holy Spirit — Freedom and Release

   Now we will briefly and concretely describe the basic experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

   1. The Freedom of the Spirit

      “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17). This means that before a Christian is filled with the Spirit, he often senses his spirit is bound, unreleased, and not free. Yet when the Holy Spirit comes upon us and fills our entire being, we immediately experience full freedom in our spirit.

   2. The Release of the Spirit

      "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1–2). We thank the Lord for His mercy in making our church a Spirit-filled church. We fervently hope that no one here remains unfilled by the Spirit. We pray that the Lord would grant us grace so that from within ours spirit we may see that Jesus not only crucified but risen and ascended, already having poured out the Holy Spirit. Just as Moses struck the rock with his rod—splitting it so that water flowed continually—so now all who come may freely drink. The Spirit has come; if our hearts are open, we can all be filled with the Spirit, experiencing true freedom and release.

4. Receiving the Fullness of the Holy Spirit

   How to be filled with the Holy Spirit is not complicated; in fact, it is exceedingly simple. We will mention two key points:

   1. Seeing Christ Glorified

      John 7:37–39 says, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." This reveals that all who believe in Christ are meant to receive the Holy Spirit. At that time, the Spirit had not yet been poured down, for Jesus had not yet ascended and been glorified. But now—Jesus has risen, ascended, and been glorified! When He was raised from the dead and exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. (Acts 2:33). On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were gathered together in one place, and suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the house where they were sitting. Tongues like flames appeared and rested on each of them—and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. From that day until the Lord returns, this is the age of the Spirit. Whoever desire may come and receive the fullness of the Spirit, experiencing freedom and release in the spirit.

      First, we must recognize that Jesus has already ascended, been exalted, and glorified. The moment Jesus is glorified, the Spirit is poured out—and anyone who believes can receive Him at any time. In personal experience, receiving the fullness of the Spirit is just as simple as receiving salvation. Just as we opened our mouth to pray and invited the Lord Jesus into our hearts to be saved, so it is with the Spirit—when we open ourselves to Him, the Holy Spirit comes in and fills us completely.

   2. Praise

      Praise is the expression of faith. Faith is invisible to the naked eye, but when we praise, our hearts open, and faith is instantly released. When the Holy Spirit touches our faith, we are filled with the Spirit.

      At last year’s special conference, we used praise to help brothers and sisters receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Later, a middle-aged brother testified how he received the Spirit. He shared that when the message from the pulpit urged everyone to receive the Holy Spirit, the first step was to believe—and even better, to raise one’s hands and open one’s mouth in praise. He thought to himself, “I’m already a father, and while my daughters can shout ‘Hallelujah’ freely when filled with the Spirit, it would be rather undignified for me to do the same.” Yet his heart was sincerely longing. So he raised his hands in praise and shouted “Hallelujah!” in one accord. As he continued to praise the Lord, something wondrous happened—instantly, the Holy Spirit came upon him mightily. He was filled, thoroughly drenched in the Spirit, and personally experienced freedom and release in the Holy Spirit. The joy was truly beyond words!

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