Metaphors: Living Water
August 4, 2024Pastor Patrick presented today's message, "Metaphors: Living Water." Here's a video of the message.
Chasing after regular water only means you'll thirst again (paraphrased John 4:13). Struck me that's very much like chasing false gods that don't ultimately satisfy. Only chasing what God wants leads not only to a more internally peaceful life on earth, but eternal life afterward.
Exodus 20:3, "You shall have no other gods before me." This first of the Ten Commandments is far more than not choosing other gods from the pantheon of gods available in the Ancient Near East (ANE), nor even any of the all-to-available pagan ways of today. This command is as relevant today as ever. We chase all kinds of false gods that ultimately do not satisfy. You may think of a false god today in Prager's terms: "when anything is made an end in itself rather than as a means to God and goodness."
Here are examples, some surprising, others not, of what people can and do put as #1 in their life: education, any of the arts, wealth, fame, family, love (of anything before God), reason, science, compassion, blood/nationality, life, success, and even religion/faith.
The Noahide Laws that are considered applicable universally (to all people on Earth) do not obligate people to worship God. Rather, they require the denial of all other gods.
In a way, it's all about keeping all these other potential gods at bay. Reminds me of a dieting suggestion... Drink lots of water, especially before meals, and you won't eat so much, that is, keep the calories at bay. Apparently, water can help in lots of ways. Note, too, that being alive, living, implies having an appetite for sustenance (food).
There is a phrase for living water used in the Old Testament: mah-yim hay-yim (מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים). See Leviticus 14:5 where "living water" is used in a ritual to be cleansed.
Living water, as Patrick described, is not stagnant, rather, it's running. The notion of moving and being active is applied in the Old Testament to define living, as in animals, birds, and man; that is, creatures that are always in motion even if just breathing.
Water is foundational. Do you remember water in Creation? At the very beginning, when the earth was formless and empty, there was God moving over the face of... the waters (Genesis 1:1-2).
The ANE folks would have clearly recognized the importance of "living water."
As for the "Jacob's well" reference (in John 4:6 and 4:9)... "The traditional site of Jacob's well cannot be located by finding Sychar, as that city is no longer in existence. However, the site thought to be the biblical Shechem, called Tel Balata by archaeologists, is near a well. This is important because the Bible says Jacob bought land from Shechem and lived at that place for a long time (Genesis 33:19). He would have required a well, and it is perfectly reasonable that he dug one. Also, the well at Tel Balata is indeed of ancient origin. These biblical and geographical facts point to the site as a good match for what the Samaritan woman called 'Jacob’s well.' Today, the well is inside the Church of St. Photina (the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman by the Orthodox Church - the name is Svetlana in Russian). The church was originally built in A.D. 380. Through the years, the church was destroyed a number of times by natural and military forces. The current building is administrated by the Greek Orthodox Church, which obtained the site in 1893. The church and the well can be visited today in the West Bank." Source: GotQuestions.org/Jacobs-well.html.
"Water" and "Spirit" are mentioned together in this passage from Isaiah 44:3, "For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants."
Here are some other figurative meanings of water or waters (mah-yim) from Strong's Concordance: distress, force, rushing, impetuous, violent, overwhelming, transitory, refreshing, rest, peace, reckless bloodshed (poured out as water), a bride, wrath, and abundant justice.
The John 7 text referenced the Feast of Tabernacles, as Patrick pointed out. To read more on that, go to What is the Feast of Tabernacles / Booths / Sukkot?
Bonus
On to the Book of Joshua
Were you left hanging when the Torah ended (at the end of the Book of Deuteronomy)? I was. They haven't even entered the Promised Land yet! What happens next?!.
The Book of Joshua is next. And I'd like to recommend a commentary titled The Book of Joshua by Marten H. Woudstra. The following factoids are essentially quotes from this book.
Woodstra divides the Book of Joshua into three sections:
The Promised Land Conquered (1:1 - 12:24)
The Promised Land Distributed (13:1 - 22:34)
The Promised Land to be Kept in Covenant Obedience (23:1 - 24:33)
"[It] has its focus the progress of God's revelation and the establishment of His kingdom on earth."
The Hebrew name Joshua, Yehoshua (יְהוֹשׁוּעַ), means "the Lord is Salvation." That's clearly a significant name, but as the previous paragraph suggests, the book is not about any person or persons, principally. It's about what God has done.
The burials of Joshua, Joseph, and Eleazar at the conclusion of the book underscore the book's thematic concern - fulfilment of the promise.
The God of this book is like the God of the rest of the Old Testament. His existence is assumed. He communicates with Joshua as He did with earlier characters. Sometimes He makes his will be known by lots (e.g. "casting lots"). He also sends heavenly emissaries. God does control things, including miracles, but does not preclude action on the part of the Israelites. God hardens hearts. His hand is ever-present as it's been all along.