The Well of Salvation

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Have you ever been watching a movie for an hour and a half and then right at the climax, when there is only twenty minutes left, someone walks into the room starts asking questions? They want to know everything about the characters and what is happening so they can watch the end with you. When that happens to me, my inclination is to grab the remote, turn up the volume, and pretend I don’t hear the intruder. Hopefully, you’re more polite than I am and pause the movie to give as full of an explanation as possible so that person will understand the characters, plot, and inside jokes that usually come at the end of a movie.

This text, which is a stunning song, is one of the climactic parts of the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 12 is absolutely magnificent, but jumping straight into it like we have today is like coming in for the climax of a movie. Without the context, you miss the beauty and wonder. Well, don’t worry. Today, I’m a preacher, so I won’t just ignore the questions that this text begs. Let’s all get caught up.

The two questions that stare us in the face when we come to this beautiful chapter are first, when is “that day”? And second, who is the “you” that will sing this song in “that day”?

To get at the ‘when’ of that day, we have to go back to Isaiah 11 which begins with a famous prophecy of Jesus’ birth. “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” And as you get to v. 6of Isaiah 11, the focus shifts to looking beyond Christ’s birth to His return on the Last Day. There, Isaiah talks about how “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb,” etc. And as you work your way down to v. 10, Isaiah speaks about how Christ will, “stand as a signal for the peoples – of Him shall the nations inquire, and His resting place shall be glorious.”

So, when we get to our passage here in ch. 12, what day is Isaiah referring to when he says this beautiful song will be sung? Is it when Christ is born in Bethlehem, or is it when He returns on the Last Day? I think the best and safest answer is, “Yes. It’s both.” Which also means that the answer to the second question about the identity of the “you” who sings this song is you, believer.

Dear saint, you live in the day when God’s anger turned away from you and to Christ. God comforts you because Jesus went to the cross to suffer God’s wrath against your sin in your place. On the cross, Christ, the eternal Son of God, became your salvation. Today, you trust in Him and are not afraid. Jesus is your strength and your song, and He has become your salvation.

And to see how this is for you now, we have to do a little leg work. And, please, bear with me; this will feel more like Bible study than a sermon for just a bit. And it would be helpful for you to turn to ch. 7 of John’s Gospel. There in Jn. 7, Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths. That feast was when God’s people commemorated their time of exodus in the wilderness and lived in tents. If you want to learn more about what God commanded for that feast, see Lev. 23[:33-36, 39-43] and Dt. 16[:13-17].

Each day of the celebration of that week-long feast, the priest would go to the Pool of Silom in Jerusalem and draw some water and carry it back to the Temple in a parade filled with trumpets. The crowds would follow the priest who was carrying that jar of water and sing v. 3 of our text, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” When they reached the Temple, that water was poured around the Altar as a thank offering for God’s provision for the people during the Exodus.

So then, look at Jn. 7:37-38. It was on the last day of that feast that Jesus cries out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”So, in the context of the people singing for a whole week about joyfully drawing water from the wells of salvation, Jesus says, “If you’re thirsty for salvation, come to Me and drink.”

Now, the way the ESV reads there, the one who drinks from Christ will have living waters flowing from his heart. But I want you to notice something. If you are looking at one of our pew Bibles, there is a little footnote #3 which provides an alternate translation (which, I think, fits better with the context).

The alternate translation reads, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me, and let him who believes in Me drink. As the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Translated that way, it makes Jesus Himself the source of the rivers of living water. In other words, Jesus is saying, “Believer, drink from Me because out of My heart flow the rivers of the living water of salvation.” And understanding Christ’s words that way makes more sense since Christ is inviting those who are thirsty for salvation to come to Him and be satisfied.

Also, think back to what John tells us happened after Christ died on the cross. The soldiers came to Jesus, saw that He was already dead, and pierced His side with a spear. And what came out? Water and blood flowed from Christ (Jn. 19:31-37). In other words, when we understand Jesus as the source of the rivers of living water, it is the very wounds of Christ that are the wells of salvation for you, believer. From the wounds of Jesus, salvation has poured and flows into this world. God be praised!

That is why we Christians sing. We give thanks to the Lord, we call upon His name, and we make His deeds known among the peoples.

All of this brings me back to you, Israelle. Israelle, today, God has joined your voice to the great choir of His children. Today, God poured the wells of His salvation over you. Though you were born in sin, Jesus’ heart has flowed with rivers of living water to save you (see also Jn. 4:10, 14).

Israelle, in your Baptism today, you have begun to drink from the wells of salvation which are the wounds of Christ. Because of God’s promises given to you in your Baptism, His anger has turned away from you, and He has comforted you (Is. 12:1). Continue to drink from Christ. And continue to sing His praises because He will never leave you or forsake you.

Israelle, Jesus will always be in your midst to deliver and save you (Is. 12:6). He will bless you with every good and perfect gift from above (Jas. 1:17). His right hand and holy arm have worked salvation for you (Ps. 98:1). Israelle, God has given you the Holy Spirit to guide you into all the truth throughout your life (Jn. 16:13). So, continually put away all filthiness and wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted Word of God, which is able to save your soul (Ja. 21).

And all you Christians, come today to this altar to drink again from the wells of salvation as Christ gives you His Body to eat and His Blood to drink. Nourished by this pure gift, give Him thanks. Go back out into the world making His deeds known among the people you encounter.

Sing His praises. He has done gloriously. Shout, and sing for joy, you inhabitant of Zion. The Holy One of Israel is great in your midst today and forever. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.