The Israelites in the Wilderness were Bitter

Then Moses led 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. When they came to Marah, they could not

drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. So the people grumbled at Moses, saying,

"What shall we drink?" Then he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters,

and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation,

and there He tested them (Exodus (Exodus 15:22-25).15:22-25).

The Israelites in the Wilderness were Bitter

God brought bitter people face to face with God brought bitter people face to face with bitter water which revealed their bitter water which revealed their

grumbling, evil heart. grumbling, evil heart.

After they complained, God still provided After they complained, God still provided sweet water so they could drink but sweet water so they could drink but they were never satisfied and died in they were never satisfied and died in

the wilderness. the wilderness. (Numbers 14:22ff)

God allows us to be tested to see if we are going to be bitter or better from the

experience!

Definition of Bitterness Mara or Mar- Old Testament (38X)

“bitterness, chafed, discontented” Four different Greek words in the New Testament

(12X) Arndt and Gingrich define pikria as "bitterness,

animosity, anger, harshness“ (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p.

663).

H.A.W. Meyer defines the word as "a bitter, malignant, and hostile disposition“ (Critical & Exegetical Handbook to the Epistle

to Acts of the Apostles, p. 172)

Marvin Vincent defines it as a "bitter frame of mind" (Word Studies In The New Testament, Vol. III, p. 397).

Bitterness Affects the Wicked and the Righteous

Esau when the blessing was given to Jacob.““When Esau heard the words of his father, When Esau heard the words of his father,

he cried out with an he cried out with an exceedingly great exceedingly great and bitter cryand bitter cry,, and said to his father, and said to his father,

"Bless me, even me also, O my father!“ "Bless me, even me also, O my father!“ And he said, "Your brother came And he said, "Your brother came

deceitfully and has taken away your deceitfully and has taken away your blessing” blessing” (Genesis 27:34-35).

Esau was a godless person (Heb. 12:16-17) who desired to kill Jacob after this (Gen.

27:41).

Bitterness Affects the Wicked and the Righteous

Naomi after losing her husband and two sons.

She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for call me Mara, for the Almighty has the Almighty has

dealt very bitterly with medealt very bitterly with me. "I went . "I went out full, but the LORD has brought me out full, but the LORD has brought me

back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has witnessed against since the LORD has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me“ me and the Almighty has afflicted me“

(Ruth 1:20-21)?

Bitterness Affects the Wicked and the Righteous

Hannah was provoked bitterly by her rival when she didn’t have a child.

““Her rival, however, would Her rival, however, would provoke her provoke her bitterly to irritate herbitterly to irritate her, because the , because the

LORD had closed her womb. It happened LORD had closed her womb. It happened year after year, as often as she went up year after year, as often as she went up

to the house of the LORD, she would to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not provoke her; so she wept and would not

eat” eat” (1 Samuel 1:4-5).

Bitterness Affects the Wicked and the Righteous

Mordecai when he heard that he and all Mordecai when he heard that he and all his fellow Jews were to be his fellow Jews were to be

killed.killed.

““When Mordecai learned all that had been When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on done, he tore his clothes, put on

sackcloth and ashes, and went out into sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and the midst of the city and wailed loudly wailed loudly

and bitterlyand bitterly.” .” (Esther 4:1)(Esther 4:1)

Bitterness Affects the Wicked and the Righteous

Job after he lost his wealth, health & Job after he lost his wealth, health & children. children.

"Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I "Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in will complain in the bitterness of my the bitterness of my

soulsoul” ” (Job 7:11).(Job 7:11).

"I loathe my own life; I will give full vent to "I loathe my own life; I will give full vent to my complaint; I will speak in my complaint; I will speak in the the

bitterness of my soulbitterness of my soul” ” (Job (Job 10:1).10:1).

Bitterness Affects the Wicked & the Righteous

Hezekiah when he was facing death Hezekiah when he was facing death (Is. (Is. 38:1-3).38:1-3).

"What shall I say? For He has spoken to me, "What shall I say? For He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it; I will wander and He Himself has done it; I will wander

about all my years because of about all my years because of the the bitterness of my soulbitterness of my soul. "O Lord, by . "O Lord, by

these things men live, And in all these is these things men live, And in all these is the life of my spirit; O restore me to the life of my spirit; O restore me to

health and let me live! "health and let me live! "Lo, for my own Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness…” welfare I had great bitterness…”

(Isaiah 38:15-17).(Isaiah 38:15-17).

Bitterness Affects the Wicked and the Righteous

Simon the Sorcerer became a Christian but Simon the Sorcerer became a Christian but became poisoned by bitterness as he became poisoned by bitterness as he desired the buy the gift of God with desired the buy the gift of God with

money. money. (Acts 8:13, 18-19)(Acts 8:13, 18-19)

"For I see that you are in the "For I see that you are in the gall of gall of bitterness” bitterness” (Acts 8:23a).(Acts 8:23a).

Is your heart poisoned by bitterness? Is your heart poisoned by bitterness?

What Does Bitterness Do?It grieves the Holy Spirit of God

““Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all redemption. Let all bitternessbitterness and and

wrath and anger and clamor and slander wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all be put away from you, along with all

malice. Be kind to one another, tender-malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

(Ephesians 4:30-32)

Bitter people are not kind and forgiving.Bitter people are not kind and forgiving.

What Does Bitterness Do?

It is a spiritual poison which binds people in It is a spiritual poison which binds people in their iniquity. their iniquity.

"For I see that you are in the "For I see that you are in the gall of gall of bitternessbitterness and in the bondage of iniquity and in the bondage of iniquity

(Acts 8:23)(Acts 8:23)

Bitter people are ensnared by the devil to Bitter people are ensnared by the devil to do his will do his will (2 Timothy 2:26).(2 Timothy 2:26).

What Does Bitterness Do?It leaves us short of God’s grace, springs It leaves us short of God’s grace, springs

up unannounced, causes much trouble, and up unannounced, causes much trouble, and by it many are defiled. by it many are defiled.

““See to it that no one comes short of the See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no grace of God; that no root of bitterness root of bitterness

springing up causes trouble, and by it springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled”. many be defiled”. (Hebrews 12:15)(Hebrews 12:15)

Don’t let unresolved bitterness destroy you, Don’t let unresolved bitterness destroy you, your family, and your brethren.your family, and your brethren.

What Does Bitterness Lead to?

“…there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned

aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good,

there is not even one. Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is

under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness…destruction and misery are in their paths” (Rom.

3:10-14,16).

ConclusionGod allows us to go through trials like he

did with the Israelites to test our faith to see if you and I will be bitter or better.

Bitterness doesn’t just affect the wicked but also the righteous (who will

overcome it).When bad things happen to you, when you When bad things happen to you, when you

are rebuked, or are suffering the are rebuked, or are suffering the consequences of your sins, do you ask, consequences of your sins, do you ask,

“Why me Lord?” “Why me Lord?” Instead of harboring that bitterness, let

your guilty soul find liberty at Calvary (Acts 2:36f).