The Waters of Marah

It’s incredible that 15 miracles happened in 45 days 2026-04-15-april-13-19-stand-still-and-see-the-salvation-of-the-lord-exodus-14-18 and the israelites were still having a hard time knowing where this would all lead.

I traced back the story to Exodus 3-4 to learn exactly how the Lord restored His Gospel through Moses. And the story was surprising. It’s filled with a lot of things.

1. Moses was a runaway murderer
2. The Lord calls him, and to prove it he shows Moses three miracles in addition to the burning bush. Those three miracles are then repeated the next few days in front of Pharaoh and all the Israelites.
3. Moses gets a name to call God so that people know who Moses is trying to point them to
4. They all believe. Then 10 miracles happen and then they wonder “are we here to die?”
5. Moses doubts himself 3-4 times in Ex 3-4. He’s even threatened with death and is only spared by the faith of his wife (who’s wilddly disappointed in him).
6. Moses practiacly says “i’m not going to do this - I don’t have what it takes. I can’t talk” and the Lord replies, “who made mouths?” But perhaps either the Lord wanted Aaron to support moses (two witensses), or he knew Moses just wouldn’t actually do it without the support of his brother. But he calls a support for Moses.
7. Moses then gets the courage and tells the peole “stand still” Exodus 14:13. They then see all the miracles.
8. The people cheer on the other side. they dance. they get out and sing for hours.
9. The people say, “oh no, we can’t drink that water, it’s disgusting”
10. Moses hears the voice of the Lord again to help them.

This is so many miracles in such a short amount of time.

14.26 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.

Nephi’s Exodus

We see Nephi and his brothers had a similar exodus. 1 Nephi 17:3 states,

14.3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.

Nephi and his family wandered for 8 years. (17:4). The Lord promised Moses “milk and honey”, and to Nephi “much fruit and also wild honey” (17:5).

Lamand and Lemuel decry, “these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance;” (1 Nephi 17:21). What they don’t realize is they’re doing the same thing that the Israelites did. They’re lodging the same complaints.

My takeawy from this is that compalining and murmuring is as old as time itself. Society can get more advanced, but the people will still complain at what God has given them.

Conclusion

• You have the capacity to complain, the same way you have the capacity to have faith.
• The Lord didn’t “harden Pharaoh’s heart” - Joseph Smith Transaltion clearly articulates this - this is the choice of the man himself. This is also the choice of the peple. and it’s the choice of Laman and Lemuel.
• Many miracles culd happen (liek to Laman and Lemuel), but the ability to disbelieve is strong.
• Prophets are weak. They are made strong through the Lord. But he lets them sin because they’re just human. They learn to rely on the Lord.

Choose to believe. Choose to see.