Faithful on Fridays Blog

Water: Part Seven

I can’t imagine the confusion John must’ve felt as he experienced these visions of the end times, and yet undoubtedly drew on his knowledge of the Old Testament to give him clarity. We do that as well when we remember the Old Testament lower stories revealing the New Testament upper stories. 

We’ve seen God use the lower story of water to punish humanity that had fallen into grave sin and yet He saved Noah and his family. Now, in Rev. 8:8-11 and 16:3-6 an angel announces that all waters, salt and fresh, will become undrinkable. It’s reminiscent of the Egyptian plagues and the wanderings at Marah (Ex. 15) when Moses obeyed God and He rescued them. Both times God used the lower story of water to teach people to trust Him, the upper story, that was the point. 

Being a counterfeiter, Satan has always tried to ‘flood’ God’s people with troubles and accusations (Rev. 12:15-17) hoping they’ll turn away from Him, but He promises rescue.  

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; Isaiah 43:2a 

When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

Is. 59:19b NKJV

It’s not surprising, therefore, that the ‘beast’ (an aspect of Satan) rises up from the darkness of symbolic waters (Rev. 13:1). He blasphemes God and makes war on believers, yet God’s roaring voice authoritatively declares He’s the Creator of that same water (Rev. 14:2, 7)! He makes our troubles like a symbolic ‘sea of glass’ when we trust Him (Rev. 15:2). 

That same roaring voice, like a thunderstorm, will be heard when Jesus returns to set up His final and eternal Kingdom for those who have been cleansed of sin and trust Him as their Savior (Rev. 19:6-8). There’s a new upper story ‘river’ waiting for us at that moment.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:1-2 

As we’ve walked through the writings of John concentrating on light and water, recognizing the upper stories, hopefully your understanding is enlightened and goes deeper. My hope is that you’ll slow down as you read His Word, take the time to envision what you’re reading, and allow Him to quench that thirst you’re experiencing. He’s alive on every page.

And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” Revelation 21:6