1. The Importance of and Uses of Water
Water is the universal solvent and is the only one there will ever be. It cannot be recreated or duplicated. There is no such thing as synthetic water. And the water that was brought forth by God in the beginning is the same water that we have today on earth only as polluted as man and his foolishness and greed have made it since the fall. And yet God still preserves enough good water to drink and blesses man with knowledge and skill to produce devices to purify water from toxins and infuse it with the proper minerals and ions to help the body heal.
It is true that without water there can be no life. However, this primordial and universal truth, unless viewed from Biblical Creation, leads the wisdom of this world to look for life outside of the Life-giver Himself and search for it somewhere in the universe. Billions of dollars, energy, effort, and probation time have been wasted sending up men and space probes looking for the origin of life or the presence of it in the arid planets by the “evidence that water once existed in some form” when that money and resources should have, could have been used to relieve the needs and suffering of countless millions right here on earth! O what folly! Indeed the wisdom of men is foolishness to God!
Baptism by Water
Baptism by immersion in water, preferably in a flowing stream or river, is God’s appointed means that a sinner is publicly signifying he has chosen to follow God and be born again to walk in the newness of life. All other means are either totally unavailing, such as sprinkling, a pagan practice in origin, or “mere profession of faith”—when the occasion clearly calls for baptism or rebaptism.
The Use of Water for Healing
“In health and in sickness pure water is one of Heaven’s choicest blessings. Its proper use promotes health. It is the beverage which God provided to quench the thirst of animals and man. Drunk freely, it helps to supply the necessities of the system and assists nature to resist disease. The external application of water is one of the easiest and most satisfactory ways of regulating the circulation of the blood.
Pure water to drink and fresh air to breathe invigorate the vital organs, purify the blood, and help nature in its task of overcoming the bad conditions of the system.
If those who are afflicted would assist nature in her efforts by the use of pure, soft water, much suffering would be prevented.
Water treatments, wisely and skillfully given, may be the means of saving many lives. [1] Let diligent study be united with careful treatment. [2] Let prayers of faith be offered by the bedside of the sick. [3] Let the sick be encouraged to claim the promises of God for themselves.
The refreshing water, welling up in a parched and barren land, causing the desert place to blossom and flowing out to give life to the perishing, is an emblem of the divine grace which Christ alone can bestow, and which is the living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul.”- My Life Today, p. 139.
The Cup of Cold Water
“Seize every opportunity to contribute to the happiness of those around you, sharing with them your affection. Words of kindness, looks of sympathy, expressions of appreciation, would to many a struggling, lonely one be a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul. A word of cheer, and act of kindness, would go far to lighten the burdens that are resting heavily upon weary shoulders. It is in unselfish ministry that true happiness is found. And every word and deed of such service is recorded in the books of heaven as done to Christ.”- My Life Today, p, 165. Jesus said, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matt. 25: 40.
This is the principle of the Golden Rule: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also so to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matt. 7:12 “The Savior taught this principle to make mankind happy, not unhappy; for in no other way can happiness come. God desires men and women to live the higher life. He gives them the boon of life, not to enable them merely to gain wealth, but to improve their highest powers by doing the work He has entrusted to mankind—the work of searching out and relieving the necessities of their fellow men. Man should not work for his own selfish interest, but for the interest of every one about him, blessing others by his influence and kindly deeds. This purpose of God is exemplified in Christ’s life.”- ibid.
The Water of Bitterness
Dr. John D. Davies says that during the Mosaic dispensation the water of bitterness was: “Holy water [?] in an earthen vessel, mingled with dust from the floor of the sanctuary (Num. 5:17), was intended to reveal the innocence or guilt of a woman accused of adultery by her husband, when there were no witnesses.
The charge was perhaps only brought when suspicion was aroused by the woman’s being found with child. The accused woman, with loosened hair, sat before the Lord in the sanctuary, and held an offering of dry, unscented barley meal in her hand (18, R. V.)
The priest, taking the water of bitterness, asked that it had no effect upon the woman, if she were innocent, but that God would cause her body to swell and he thigh to fall away, is she were guilty. The woman responded, Amen. The priest wrote the imprecation in a book, and washed it out into the water; and having waved the meal offering before the Lord and thrown a handful of it on the altar, he gave the water of bitterness to the woman to drink.
If guilty, it became bitter within her and the curse went into effect; if innocent, the potion remained inoperative, and the woman pronounced clean and received or retained ability to conceive. The essential part of this procedure was the oath, the ritual was symbolical, the effect was left to God. It is probable that this ordeal was an old custom, which the Mosaic law took up in order to regulate and elevate it [??]”- A Dictionary of the Bible, 4th revised ed; Westminster Press, PA, 1942.
Jesus, Water of Life, Fountain of life, the Fountain of Blessing
“Jacob’s well is a deep one about 1/mile south of ‘Askar” a possible site of the New Testament Sychar and about 2 miles east of Nablus, at the eastern part of Mount Gerizim. It is near a fork of the road coming from Jerusalem, one branch of which leads to Samaria, and the other to Torzah and Beth-Shean. The well was dug by Jacob when he encamped in the vicinity of Shechem, probably to obtain water for his family without getting into conflict with the people of Shechem (John 4: 12; Gen 33: 18, 20; 37:12). It was here that the memorable conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman as recorded in John 4: 5-26 took place.” –Seventh-day Adventist Dictionary, item, “Jacob’s Well.”
At Jacob’s Well. See John 4:1-42. E. G. White in Desire of Ages, pp. 187, 1991, 454, 381, says:
“Jesus did not immediately answer the question [of the Samaritan woman] in regard to Himself, but with solemn earnestness He said, ‘Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.’
“He who seeks to quench his thirst at the fountains of this world will drink only to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. The long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, ‘’The Desire of all nations,’ is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul.
“Jesus did not convey the idea merely one draft of the water of life would suffice the receiver. He who tastes the love of Christ will continually long for more; but he seeks for nothing else. The riches, honors, and pleasures of this world do not attract him. The constant cry of his heart is, More of Thee. And He who reveals to the soul its necessity is waiting to satisfy its hunger and thirst. Every human resource and dependence will fail. The cisterns will be emptied, the pools become dry; but our Redeemer is an inexhaustible fountain. We may drink, and drink again, and ever find a fresh supply. He in whom Christ dwells has within himself the fountain of blessing,–‘a well of water springing up into everlasting life.’ From this source he may draw strength and grace sufficient for all his needs. . . . .
“As the woman talked, she was impressed with His words. Never had she heard such sentiments before from the priests of her own people or from the Jews. As the past of her life had been spread before her, she had been made sensible of her great want. She realized her soul thirst, which the waters of the well at Sychar could never satisfy. Nothing that had hitherto come in contact with her had so awakened her to a higher need. Jesus had convinced her that He read the secrets of her life; yet she felt that He was her friend, pitying and loving her. While the very purity of His presence condemned her sin, He had spoken no word of denunciation, but had told her of His grace, that could renew the soul. . . . . p. 189.
“Our Redeemer thirsts for recognition. He hungers for the sympathy and love of those whom He has purchased with His own blood. He longs with inexpressible desire that they should come to Him and have life. As the mother watches for the smile of recognition from her little child, which tells of the dawning of intelligence, so does Christ watch for the expression of grateful love, which shows that spiritual life is begun in the soul.” p. 191.
We need to ponder on these thoughts about our professed relationship with Christ now more than we ever did. First, do we hunger and thirst for Him? Second, has it ever dawned upon us that our Savior and Redeemer still hungers and thirst now? , “Our Redeemer thirsts for recognition?” “He hungers for sympathy and love from us whom He purchased with His own blood?” “He longs with inexpressible desire that we should come to Him and have life even more abundantly’? That as a mother watches for the smile of recognition from her baby which indicates the dawn of intelligence, so does Christ watch for the expression of grateful love, in word and deed, showing that the spiritual life has begin in our soul”? Think on these things for these are what will determine the degree of our “relationship” to Him! (to be continued)