Exodus 15:27
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Exodus 15:27 and Revelation 7:9-17
The Israelites move on from the bitter sweet waters and arrive in Elim where they discover an oasis at the edge of the desert on the bank of the Red Sea. The location is marked with twelve springs and seventy palm trees. Numbers in the Bible have meaning and point to the power and wisdom of God. These numbers seem to be a reminder from God of a prophecy we have heard before.
When the Lord called Abraham to serve Him and leave his home for Canaan, God gave him a prophecy:
I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you. (Gen 12:2-3)
The number twelve holds a profound symbolism in the Bible. It represents perfection, authority, and completeness, often signaling the foundation of God’s divine order. There are twelve tribes of Israel and there were twelve apostles of Jesus. John tells us in Revelation that the New Jerusalem has twelve gates guarded by twelve angels, with the names of the twelve tribes and twelve apostles inscribed.
The number seventy is a multiplication of two perfect or complete numbers seven and ten so it is typically used to symbolize wholeness and universality. Genesis 10 lists the Table of Nations where seventy nations are listed as descendants of Noah. Jacob brought seventy descendants with him to Egypt and Jesus sent out seventy disciples in Luke 10.
Springs of water are used in the Bible metaphorically as a symbol of life, hope, and God’s provision for his people. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that he is a spring of living water that brings eternal life. And Revelation 7 says,
“For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” (NIV)
Palm trees symbolize success and triumph. Psalm 92 says, “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree.” Jesus entrance into Jerusalem was announced by the people with them placing palm branches along his path. In Revelation, people from every nation raise palm branches to honor Jesus. “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands” (Rev 7:9).
So let’s try to put all of this together. We know the seventy palm trees were grouped around twelve springs of water. Since we know the number twelve represents the twelve tribes of Israel and the number seventy is the number of the nations of the world, we could conclude that the nation of Israel will be a blessing to all the nations of the world just as Abraham was told.
But we also see this oasis in Elim can be God pointing to the end of time when Jesus sits on his throne in the presence of 12,000 souls sealed from the twelve tribes of Judah. Revelation 7 paints us a picture of a great multitude of people from every nation standing before the throne where Jesus the lamb is seated. They were waiving palm branches in their hand giving Jesus praise. Never again will they thirst because Jesus the shepherd will lead them to springs of living water. I like to think Elim was God pointing to a time when this oasis would last forever.
Christ in the Old Testament 
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