Bitter and Sweet

[InSpiritInTruth]

In the story of the Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt we read in Exodus 15:22-23 that after Moses brought the children of Israel from the Red Sea, and were 3 days journey in the wilderness they found no water. And they came to a place called Marah, but could not drink the waters because they were bitter.
But after Moses cried unto the Lord, the Lord then told Moses what to do to make the bitter waters sweet. Exodus 15:25;”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,”

I believe this Tree that was cast into the bitter waters to make them sweet is a similitude of the Tree of Life, which also speaks of the Word of Life, just as God’s words are sweet. Psalm 119:103;”How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” So if God’s Word is a sweet blessing the opposite could be said of bitter words as in a curse.

And we see this here in James 3:10-11;” Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”
We also see this same sign of God’s Word given as sweet in Ezekiel 3:3;”Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. Which also brings us to another mystery of the sweet and bitter shown here in Revelation 10:10;”I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. This is the sign of the blessing of God’s Word becoming a curse. And you might ask why?


It all goes back to what the Lord told the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt, how if they would hearken to His Word then they would receive the blessings from it, but if they refuse to hearken to His Word it would then become a curse unto them. Deuteronomy 30:1;” When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations,”


Which dispersal also happened after Israel in part rejected their Passover Lamb in Jesus, which I also believe is why the Lord commanded them to eat the Passover with a bitter herb. Exodus 12:8;”That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.” And also seen here Lamentations 3:15; “He has filled me with bitter herbs and given me gall to drink.
This giving of gall to drink was shown in Jesus on the cross, which is a similitude of how the people would also curse the blessing sent to them in Jesus by the bitterness of their words. Matthew 27:34;”There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.”

So in effect those Living waters were made death to them because they did not receive the Word of God sent unto them, just as it was in the days of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 3:7;” But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.” So instead of receiving God’s Word and being blessed, they would reject it and be consumed by it, just as the Lord told Jeremiah.


Jeremiah 5:14;”Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. This is all a sign of the consumption that would be decreed by the Lord as was also forewarned of in Joshua 24:20;”If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.”

This consumption by fire and water was also shown in the judgments determined on the third parts in the book of Revelation, even in the waters made bitter by Wormwood. Revelation 8:11;”And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
And why were they made bitter? Amos 5:7;”Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,”

 

[granpa]

and I went away unto the messenger, saying to him, `Give me the little scroll;' and he saith to me, `Take, and eat it up, and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet -- as honey.' 10 And I took the little scroll out of the hand of the messenger, and did eat it up, and it was in my mouth as honey -- sweet, and when I did eat it -- my belly was made bitter;




And Samson goeth down -- also his father and his mother, to Timnath, and they come unto the vineyards of Timnath, and lo, a lion's whelp roareth at meeting him,
6 and the Spirit of Jehovah prospereth over him, and he rendeth it as the rending of a kid, and there is nothing in his hand, and he hath not declared to his father and to his mother that which he hath done.
7 And he goeth down and speaketh to the woman, and she is right in the eyes of Samson;
8 and he turneth back after [some] days to take her, and turneth aside to see the carcase of the lion, and lo, a company of bees [are] in the body of the lion -- and honey.
9 And he taketh it down on to his hands, and goeth on, going and eating; and he goeth unto his father, and unto his mother, and giveth to them, and they eat, and he hath not declared to them that from the body of the lion he took down the honey.




And all [they of] the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field;
26 and the people come in unto the forest, and lo, the honey dropped, and none is moving his hand unto his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27 And Jonathan hath not heard of his father's adjuring the people, and putteth forth the end of the rod, which [is] in his hand, and dippeth it in the honeycomb, and bringeth back his hand unto his mouth -- and his eyes see!
28 And a man of the people answereth and saith, `Thy father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who eateth food to-day; and the people are weary.'
29 And Jonathan saith, `My father hath troubled the land; see, I pray you, that mine eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.
30 How much more if the people had well eaten to-day of the spoil of its enemies which it hath found, for now, the smiting hath not been great among the Philistines.'
31 And they smite on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people are very weary,

 

[Fireinfolding]

InSpiritInTruth, this is a wonderful post, I have been looking at this because I have been wondering on some of the things contained in here. Im like wow, and Im trying to catch some others as well. Heck, maybe even you can help me out, because I dustrust myself making the right comparisons, but I definately see somewhat of a patern in thses things, even elsewhere (considering the wording) and so I am curious.

Duet 29:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations;lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;


Jerm 9:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

Which is interesting because here likewise it says...

Rev 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

Rev 8:11a And the name of the star is called Wormwood:

And this in connection to it...

Rev 8:11b...and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

Now back up a verse...

Rev 8:10a and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

James speaks of ourselves as a fountain

James 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

Whereas here...

Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

And then look here...

Rev 8:11b and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.


I mean, I can be all over the place at first, trying to catch something that is yet unclear to me (ofcourse) but there are like pictures and words there.

For instance,

James 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?


Romans 3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness


Whereas James says,

James 3:18 My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Then when you look here, maybe understandably so


Psalm 109:18 As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.


Because it also says...

Prov 18:20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.


1Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.


So I was wondering, perhaps being "full of" the blessing of the Lord (inheriting blessing) through blessing, or nigh to cursing, wherewith as he clothed himself (in the same cursing) whereas it speaks of letting it (the same cursing) "come into" his bowels like water. Sorta like the rendering of judgment (in that way). Rather then "I give you the morning star" I will feed you will the star "Wormwood" in that patern. (If you know what Im saying)

Im still just really looking at this though, because it speaks of the water that causes a curse (as shown in the law) but even as you have shown those things as it speaks of eating the roll (there too).

I should wait to post I guess because Im just sorta tossing these out there in respects to what I am just looking at, and find myself comparing.

But really good post, it makes sense in the way you had posted on that.

Thanks for that, God bless you

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Thanks Sis, and good connections seen there in those verses of scripture.

And yeah the same Word (water of Life) can be either sweet and refreshing like a blessing if received by faith.

Or that same Word can become a curse (like waters of death to us) if it is made bitter through rejection of them, and unrighteousness judgment by them.

The waters are what we make of them, by not only how we receive them, but also by how we speak them.

Deuteronomy 11:26
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

 

[Fireinfolding]

Thanks Sis, and good connections seen there in those verses of scripture.

And yeah the same Word (water of Life) can be either sweet and refreshing like a blessing if received by faith.

Or that same Word can become a curse (like waters of death to us) if it is made bitter through rejection of them, and unrighteousness judgment by them.

The waters are what we make of them, by not only how we receive them, but also by how we speak them.

Deuteronomy 11:26
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

Yeah, by not abiding in Him, because our fruit comes by Jesus Christ

Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

He even said, that which bears no fruit is taken away, and that which does bear fruit is purged that it might be even more fruitful. Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit.

But your right, the abiding in Him and His words, reject the one your own fruit is by beareth the other, is shown nigh unto cursing (over blessing).

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Yeah, by not abiding in Him, because our fruit comes by Jesus Christ

Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected,and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

He even said, that which bears no fruit is taken away, and that which does bear fruit is purged that it might be even more fruitful. Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit.

But your right, the abiding in Him and His words, reject the one your own fruit is by beareth the other, is shown nigh unto cursing (over blessing).

Amen, and we also see this blessing of Life and curse of death in the words we speak.

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

And those who have God's Word dwelling in them, out of their belly shall flow rivers of Living water which come forth from that Fountain of Life.

 

[Fireinfolding]

Amen, and we also see this blessing of Life and curse of death in the words we speak.

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

And those who have God's Word dwelling in them, out of their belly shall flow rivers of Living water which come forth from that Fountain of Life.

Amen bro, and for such a little member that tongue kindlest the greatest of matters thats for sure, the fruit of our lips, and being filled by them. And being filled with the fruits of righteousness (are shown by Christ) whereas not so abiding were being filled with the fruits of unrighteousness. His words are in righteousness, his words are wholesome, and spirit and life for sure

You have that whole, How can ye being evil speak good things, He creates the fruit of the lips.

A wholesome tongue is equated with a tree of life

Prov 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

As well as the ordering of ones conversation aright, the salvation of God

Psalm 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

Pretty kool

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Amen bro, and for such a little member that tongue kindlest the greatest of matters thats for sure, the fruit of our lips, and being filled by them. And being filled with the fruits of righteousness (are shown by Christ) whereas not so abiding were being filled with the fruits of unrighteousness. His words are in righteousness, his words are wholesome, and spirit and life for sure

You have that whole, How can ye being evil speak good things, He creates the fruit of the lips.

A wholesome tongue is equated with a tree of life

Prov 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

As well as the ordering of ones conversation aright, the salvation of God

Psalm 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

Pretty kool

Good catch Sis! I missed Prov 15:4 I could of used that one in my original thread with the tree being cast into the bitter waters to make them sweet.

Thats sweet Sis!

 

[Fireinfolding]

Good catch Sis! I missed Prov 15:4 I could of used that one in my original thread with the tree being cast into the bitter waters to make them sweet.

Thats sweet Sis!

There you go! Yeah bro, speaks of the honeycomb (being pleasant words) and after his ressurection they offered him a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb. I always wondered if they connected in that same way. But couldnt really make it tight there, so not sure.

Yeah! lol We are "created In Christ", the tree cast into the bitter waters and makes them sweet, "I create the fruit of the lips" and our fruits are by Christ. After His ressurection, just as it speaks of the honeycomb as pleasant words, they offered the same to him (along with a piece of broiled fish). So pretty kool bro