GLEANINGS FROM THE SCRIPTURESTHE WATER OF THE WORDBy Keith L. EstesDuring most of its long history, Jerusalem's main water source was the Gihon spring in the west wall of the Kidron Valley. Its waters flow only once or twice a day in the dry season, and so from earliest times the city's people have built storage pools and cisterns to catch rainwater. In order to reach the spring when under attack, the ancient Jubusites sunk a shaft inside the city walls and tunneled to it. As you will see, this proved to be their undoing. The city was considered so defensible, in fact, that the Jebusites laughed at David's threat to take it. They said that the blind and the lame could defend the city against him. David had his own brand of caustic humor as according to 2nd Samuel he told his soldiers to smite the Jebusites, "Let them go up the water shaft to attack the blind and the lame." Chronicles tells us that Joab, who was to become the general of all David's armies as a reward for the feat, led a contingent of soldiers up the limestone tunnel from Gihon and surprised the complacent defenders. The city fell and Jerusalem became the political and religious capital of the newly united Jewish nation. It belonged neither to Judah nor to Israel, but was the king's personal possession. "And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David." In the eighth century B.C. King Hezekiah, under threat of an invasion, had a deeper tunnel cut through the limestone, channeling the spring's water 1,765 feet into the Pool of Siloam. This pool had a part in Jesus' healing of a blind man. Jesus said, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." So he went and washed and came back seeing. Yes, water is used for washing and for purification, but this very common element is also to be utilized in following Jesus' instructions in the great commission. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, BAPTISING them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the end of the world." The word of God does not stop at baptism. The process of sanctification then begins. We must draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to us. Chambers writes: “When a truth of God is brought home to our soul, never allow it to pass without acting on it internally in your will…Record it with ink and with blood- work it into your life. The weakest saint who transacts business with Jesus Christ is liberated the second he acts and God’s almighty power is available on his behalf. God delivers us from sin- we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life.” If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. He offers us the water of the word freely. References: 2 Sam. 5:8, John 9:7, Matt. 28:19,20, James 4: 8, 8:36. |