So, our church just came off of a 21-day fast during January. No, we were not asked to fast food for 21 days. But, we were asked to fast something, and if that meant a day or a week of fasting food, then that was that. I prayed about what to fast because I know myself, and I don't do well with food fasts. The only things I felt led to fast were Facebook and a mobile game I'm somewhat addicted to. So, I did. I gave up Facebook and the game and filled my time I would have spent on those two things, instead - I studied the meaning of the word WATER in the Bible.
So, in a sense, I went on a 21-day WATER fast - only my fast was studying water.
What I discovered is that water is used for cleaning, for purifying, and in the Bible it typically represents the Holy Spirit.
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One of my all-time favorite verses that proved to be a complete comfort to me during times of loss, especially during my miscarriages is that He is doing a new thing, and this new thing springs up - LIKE STREAMS IN THE DESERT!
Moving onto Job... I tend not to choose to study Job as a way to live my life because much of the book consists of advice that his friends are giving him that is really not completely truth, a lot of it is conjured up by his friends based upon their lofty thinking and does not address the real reason why Job is suffering. So, if you study the book of Job, you really must study it in its entirely to gleen the truth of God's words and not just take advice from Job's friends. Still, this stood out to me. The book likens his treatment to drinking mockery, like water... If you take it to a spiritual level, the influence of the Holy Spirit (water) is being replaced with the mockery of man. It's like eating junk food instead of nutrients or drinking soda or alcholo to replace pure water.
Another glimpse into water comparisons is in Amos where he compares true justice as water and righteousness as a torrent of water.
Again, the idea of streams of water in a desert is delivered in the reference to bringing water forth from a rock.
It goes on to express that our words, what we speak and breathe from our mouths, are deep waters, a fountain of wisdom, and a flowing brook. (Think about it - all Scripture is God-breathed - it flowed from his mouth).
When we look into a pool of water, there is a reflection that looks back, like a mirror. In this Scripture, water is compared to the heart in how it reveals a reflection of our hearts.
Like water in a spring, our mouths should be edifying and sweet as fresh and bitter can't ome from the same source.
Again, we see how the Spirit - The Water - and the Blood are all one!
And, in this passage, it talks of water as a cleansing and holy event, and it refers to being immersed in it as it introduces the Holy Spirit, the Ruach Ha-Kodesh.
Here, water is used to irrigate or nourish a forest.
In a dry place, in a valley, they found water... Not just water but living water:
Water... This time associated with peace:
Our souls pant for our maker, our God, like a deer who pants for a stream.
There are a couple incidents in the Bible that records God making a way for His people through the water and then when they are safely to the other shore, covering the enemy in death with this same water He had parted to provide life and safety.
This passage struck me as interesting - Water is also someting on which some do their business. Not just any water, but mighty waters.
Giving this water returns a gift to the giver, satisfaction.
The entire earth was formed and spread out on water, and look who was hovering over it all:
Oooh, I love this. It's like the phrase - still waters run deep! Speak wisdom and words of kindness always!
This verse has at least two elements to it: First he cried out to Adonai. Then, God showed him a tree (life), he had to act in faith to obey and throw it into the water, and the water was made sweet.
Water is part of the very basic needs to live:
Love, love love this verse becaue it got me through my pregnancy with my rainbow baby after 3 miscarriages - God provides water in the midst of a desert and dry barren ground:
Look who the fountain of living waters is:
Here is more on the trees that are planted near water. look how water makes them flourish:
THE STREAM OF GOD I FULL OF WATER>>>>>>>
Why would it surprise anyone that Christ could walk on top of these waters:
Look at this - John the Baptist immersed with water so that He, Christ, might be revealed:
The very first miracle was turning WATER into wine..... Representative of new wine?
Jesus walks on the water. I can't help but think there's so much more to this than just a good Sunday School story. The Son of God gives living water, and The Son of God is not overcome by water but is in control of it so that it sustains his physical body above it as if it were dry ground.
Again, water is associated with nourishing a flourishing tree. This time, the tree is representative of a person who believes:
Living Water flows out of everyone who believes:
While John the Baptist was immersing in water, and Jesus himself was immersed, he also takes part in a ceremonial and physical cleansing of merely washing the feet, an act of servitude that is about as low as you can humble yourself.
Again, we see water and blood together in the same place, only this time the two are separated indicating that Jesus' human fleshly body had died.
When Peter saw Jesus coming, he plunged right into the water to greet him.
Immersion baptism is an act of repentance and cleansing of our sins, but this Scripture talks about how it also ushered in the Holy Spirit's immersion, covering, and filling into our lives.
This is an interesting event. After the Ethiopian Eunich was baptized, the Ruach Adonai snatched Philip away.
Finally, we see the question, asking can anyone refuse water to those who want to be cleansed and covered in the washing of our sins and then receive the Holy Spirit, the Ruach ha-Kodesh washing over us.
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