From Bitter To Sweet
Exodus 15:22-25 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. 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. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 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,
Marah means “bitter.” (This name has the same meaning as Miriam and Mary, which we will come back to in a few moments.)
Ruth 1:20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
The waters were bitter until the tree was put into it, then those same waters were made sweet. The interesting thing here is this event occurred only three days after Passover. There is a type or picture here many have not considered before.
In the New Testament, the cross of Calvary is referred to as "a tree" or "the tree" in various passages:
Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Acts 10:39-40
And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
Acts 13:28-30 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead:
Galatians 3:13
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Before we come to the Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him as our Saviour, the burden of our sins is bitter indeed. The only thing that can turn what is bitter to sweet is the cross of Calvary - the cross that the Saviour died upon. Maybe it would be clearer for me to state it this way: the effects of the cross turn our bitter waters into sweet waters. If Jesus had only died for our sins, there would be no sweet living waters flowing forth.
John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
In the Gospel of John, the Apostle shows us that there were three Marys gathered around the cross, watching Jesus die. Bitter emotions and a bitter reality - their Friend, their Teacher, and their Saviour was now dead. This was prophesied close to 33 years before by Simeon when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple after the days of purification for Mary were fulfilled.
Luke 2:34-35 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
Watching your firstborn Son die upon the cross - THAT would have been bitter indeed.
If the Biblical account had ended there, mankind would have been in bitter straits, would have been left without hope - but it didn't!
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Jesus paid the full price necessary on the cross - shedding His blood, becoming sin for us and experiencing the full weight of God's wrath upon sin (see 2 Corinthians 5:21), dying as our Substitute - then He was laid in the tomb for three full days...
Mark 15:47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.
Three days of bitterness, uncertainty; three days where they wandered in their own wilderness of grief and sorrow...
...and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter...
...the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet...
Three days later, we find at least two of the three Marys going to the tomb with the spices they had prepared.
Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Matthew 28:1-8 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
Watching the crucifixion would have truly been a bitter experience - but seeing the empty tomb and knowing that our salvation is finished, the effects of the cross bring great joy indeed.
It is the cross that makes our life sweet - whether seeing Jesus by faith on Calvary, having the burden of our sins being forgiven - or when we take up our cross daily, die to ourselves and accept God’s will. In both instances, life is no longer bitter, but sweet.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
“It is finished!”
November 30th, 2025
Jerry Bouey
For two wonderful poems touching on this theme, please read:
