Come to the Water – The Overview

Intro

Today we are launching our fall series “Come to the Water!” Yesterday we hosted the “Dive In and Make a Splash!” event. Over the next seven weeks, we are going to look at how the Bible talks about water.

Water plays a significant role in scripture. Sometimes it’s the hero, and sometimes it’s the villain. Sometimes water plays such a large role that it’s impossible to ignore, and other times it stays in the background – still significant but easy to overlook.

Today we’re going to start with a 30,000-foot view of where we find water throughout the Bible, but we’ll also focus on the dual role of water we find in the early chapters of Genesis. Then, if we have time, we will slingshot quickly through the Scriptures – see why God calls us to shout with a loud voice, “Come to the Water!”

Water is the central feature in the very first paragraph of the Bible:

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was without form and void (tohu va-vohu), and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1–2)

Water is also the central feature in the last chapter of Revelation:

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. … The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (Revelation 22:1-2, 17)

You’ll notice that in both instances God is there with the water. God is there with the waters of chaos, and God is there with the river of the water of life.

And in between these scriptural bookends, the image of water flows almost non-stop.

Early on, we see the great flood. (Genesis 6-9)

Baby Moses was set adrift in a basket on the waters of the Nile where hundreds of other babies were thrown to the alligators. (Exodus 1:22-2:3)

We read about the great sea that blocked Israel from escaping Pharaoh’s army, and how God parted the waters.(Exodus 14:21-29)

After passing through the sea God led them to an oasis in the desert with 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees. A spring of living water for each of the twelve tribes that watered the seventy palm trees representing the nations that were separated at the Tower of Babel. (Exodus 15:27-16:1)

There was water from the rock … twice! (Exodus 17:1-7, Numbers 20:1-14)

We are told of the bronze sea (a large container of water) between the tent of meeting and the altar where the priests would wash their hands and feet. (Exodus 30:18-21)

We recall the story where God parted the Jordan River for Joshua, just like he parted the great sea for Moses. (Joshua 3-5)

The River Jordan comes up several times where people crossed it, or were told to bathe in it for healing, and others were baptized in it.

Jonah sailed a watery getaway from God’s will and was later thrown into the sea to calm the raging water. But God saved him from a watery grave by sending a Great Fish. (Jonah 1)

David wrote a Psalm about God leading him beside refreshing water. (Psalm 23)

Ezekiel had a vision of a river flowing from underneath the threshold of the Temple bringing life wherever it went. (Ezekiel 47:1-12)

Jesus was baptized in water. (John 1:32-34)

Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine. (John 2:1-11)

Jesus talked to a woman at a well and revealed himself as the Messiah. He told her about a spring of living water. (John 4:1-26)

He also walked on water (John 6:16-21; Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52) and calmed the raging sea. (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25)

Later, on the last day of Israel’s third Pilgrimage feast, celebrating God’s protection and provision and the final harvest, Jesus announced how rivers of living water would soon be flowing from his followers. (John 7:14-39)

Paul, Timothy, Luke, and others went down to the riverside “supposing there was a place of prayer.” There they met Lydia, a Gentile merchant who dealt in purple cloth, who later helped finance their missionary journeys. (Acts 16:6-15)

And it goes on and on and we’ll look in detail about many of those stories over the next few weeks.

Like I said when we started, water plays a dual role in scripture, and we see that right away … “In the Beginning …” There are actually two creation accounts in Genesis that show God as the one who transforms an environment of chaos into a life-preserving, life-giving environment.

In Genesis 1 we see the waters of chaos.

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was without form and void (tohu va-vohu), and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1–2)

In Genesis 1, we come face-to-face with the reality of chaos, and God’s power to bring order to chaos; to bring fruitfulness where there is barrenness; and to bring life where there is death.

In the Jewish mind, the “waters of the deep”, was the most dangerous place for humans to be. Human beings are not designed to live in the deep water. People died in the “deep”. The Leviathan, the sea serpent, the monster of chaos, lived in the deep. (Job 3:8; 41:1; Ps 74:14; 104:26; Isa 27:1)

Some people will make fun of our superstitious ancestors, but even in 2024 we are well aware of the Waters of Chaos. We have several recent examples.

Some of you know my pastor-friend Paul Flores. He’s been here a couple of times. This is his house in Plant City, Florida after Hurricane Milton passed through is neighborhood.

North Carolina Floods – Hurricane Helene

In this first picture, we see a historical marker near the Biltmore Estate commemorating the Flood of 1916 where houses, crops, mills, and bridges were destroyed and 4 lives were lost that July 108 years ago.

Just look at the destruction …

NORTH CAROLINA – A devastating photo has surfaced showing North Carolina grandparents stranded on the roof of their home as floodwaters from Hurricane Helene surrounded them. Soon after this picture was taken, the roof collapsed, and they and their 7-year-old grandson drowned. The waters of chaos.

Cheryl and I know the power of the waters of chaos. 11 months ago, we had over 66,000 gallons of water flow through our crawlspace after a water main was punctured. We’re told that over 500,000 gallons of water were emptied out of the nearest water tower. We are still dealing with the damage that those waters caused, and there doesn’t seem to be a resolution in sight.

Think back with me twenty years ago, this coming December 26. A major 9.2 Magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. Twenty minutes later a giant tsunami over 100 ft. high, traveling at 500 MPH hit the shore with no warning. That’s like a ten-story building of water traveling faster than a commercial jet airplane. Over 230,000 people died. The waters of chaos.

We live in a world of chaos, and frequently water is used in scripture to symbolize that chaos. In Genesis chapter 1, God brings order to the waters of the deep. Twelve times in the first 22 verses we see God hovering (or fluttering) over the water, separating the water, gathering the water, and bringing life to the water.

Yahweh God has authority over the waters of chaos that flow in, and around, and through our lives.

But in the second creation account, Genesis 2, we see a different kind of chaos – the wilderness of chaos.

When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground … (Genesis 2:5)

There were no plants, no rain, and no one to work the dry barren land. The “wilderness” is another image of chaos in this world. The wilderness is a dangerous place for humans. Humans are not designed to live in the barren wilderness. People get lost in the wilderness and die. By definition, a desert wilderness has almost no water, which we need to survive.

Strange and dangerous animals live in the wilderness. The wilderness is described as the location of unclean spirits (Matthew 12:43). The bible talks of fiery serpents, scorpions, (Deuteronomy 8:15), jackals (Isaiah 35:7), lions, ravens, wild goats, wild donkeys, wild ox, birds of prey (Job 38:39-39:30), and ostriches (Isaiah 43:20).

BTW, I thought it was funny to include ostriches in the list of dangerous wilderness animals. But listen to what I learned this week: ostriches can deliver powerful kicks that can kill lions. Their feet have very sharp claws that can disembowel a person with a single blow. They can knock you down and trample you to death. They can weigh between 165 and 330 pounds and can run at speeds up to 45 MPH. An ostrich can kill you.

In the desert wilderness, the temperature swings are dangerous. Due to a lack of humidity, daytime temperatures average over 100°F, and during the night the temperatures average about 25°F. Then, these temperature swings actually generate powerful winds and sandstorms.

But look at what God does in Genesis 2. After he creates the man, he places him in a garden that is watered by a life-giving river.

… and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. (Genesis 2:6-14)

Yahweh God, the one who subdues the waters of chaos in Genesis 1, is the same God who in Genesis 2 deals with the chaos of the wilderness by sending a life-giving river.

In the first Genesis account, Yahweh takes the “chaos waters of the deep”, a place that is inhospitable for humans, a place that is dangerous to humans, a place where we were not designed to live. He subdues the “chaos waters of the deep”, separates them, gathers (or re-orders) them, and fills them with life. He separates and gathers the waters of chaos, creating a place where humanity could live in the midst of the chaos.

In the second creation account, Yahweh takes the “chaos of the wilderness”, a place that is inhospitable for humans, a place that is dangerous to humans, a place where we were not designed to live. He then sends a river of life to flow through it, and everywhere it flows, life springs forth! He doesn’t just make a place where humanity can live within the chaos of the wilderness, he transforms the wilderness into an Eden-like condition.

Do you see it? This is not just a way of escaping the chaos. This is a way of transforming the chaos!

This is where we can find the PASSION of Discipleship. Quickly, I want to take you zooming through Scripture to touch on four passages. We’re going to race through the end of the message.

Isaiah 43:16-21 – You need to understand: this is Shocking! Written DURING the Exile to Babylon. They are clinging to what God did in the past. That is their hope. It’s part of the origin story of the nation of Israel. God delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians. He parted the sea! He made a way of escape THEN, surely he will make a way of escape NOW. Remember the Passover! God’s going to do it again! Listen to what God says:

16 Thus says the LORD,

who makes a way in the sea,

a path in the mighty waters,

17 who brings forth chariot and horse,

army and warrior;

they lie down, they cannot rise,

they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:

18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.

(WHAT!?!?!?!?! Remember NOT??????? That’s how you saved us!!!!!! What are you talking about???????)

19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.

20 The wild beasts will honor me,

the jackals and the ostriches,

for I give water in the wilderness,

rivers in the desert,

to give drink to my chosen people,

21 the people whom I formed for myself

that they might declare my praise.

(Is 43:16–21)

Ezekiel 47:1-12 – Water Flowing from the Temple.

Later in the Babylonian exile Ezekiel has a vision about the glory of God being restored to the Temple. And water flowing from the Temple to the surrounding area.

Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.

3 Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. 4 Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. 5 Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. 6 And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, …

The Arabah is an arid desert valley (a wilderness) that runs from the south end of the Sea of Galilee (Jesus’s ministry base) to the northern tip of the Red Sea (where God had parted the sea in the Exodus from Egypt). The Arabah is six miles wide and 200 miles long. In the middle of this 200-mile stretch is the Dead Sea (Salt Sea).

… and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. 9 And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea (The Mediterranean). 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. 12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

(Eze 47:1–12)

John 7:37-39 – Now we jump to Jesus, at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot – which begins this year at sundown on October 16 and runs through October 23). This is the feast celebrating the final harvest of the season. It’s a time when they remember that God provided for Israel as they wandered in the Wilderness between Mt. Sinai and the Promised Land.

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37–39)

Jesus is talking about the upcoming events of the Feast of Pentecost after his crucifixion and resurrection, where the people of God now become the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Temples of the Holy Spirit that now have rivers of living water flowing from them. Which takes us to Revelation.

Revelation 22:1-17 – The last chapter of the Bible. John is shown a vision of the new heaven and new earth. And look what we find there!

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. … The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (Revelation 22:1-2, 17)

Conclusion

God doesn’t want us to just escape the chaos around us; he doesn’t want to make a way of escape through the chaos. God wants us to be sources of living water who transform the chaos around us into fruitful, life-giving, healing communities of joy, and peace, and righteousness! Forget the old way! Behold I am doing a new thing! Do you not see it? Do you not perceive it?

Are you tired of the chaos in your life? Are you frustrated with the chaos all around you? Do you wish it were different? Come to the Water!

Do you see the devastation in our communities? Do you see the heartache of dry and barren lives? Do you wish it were different? Come to the Water!

Christian, God has not called us to escape this world.

And he has not called us to be the waters of chaos in someone else's life.

Come to the water! He has called us to transform this world by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let the Living Water flow through you to the people around you! God is making all things new!

“For behold, I create new heavens

and a new earth,

and the former things shall not be remembered

or come into mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)