The Holy Spirit as WATER

by Anne Linington⁽²⁰⁹⁾ Red Star

http://Faithwriters.com

CD Pilgrim Heart : Simeon Wood- first heard at Lee Abbey

The Divine Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity, with God the Father and God the Son, is Holy, and part of his work is to cleanse and make holy the people of God.

Psalm 51

King David has sinned, committing adultery with Bathsheba after lusting after her; and committing murder by having Uriah her husband killed. The prophet Nathan is used by God to make David deeply conscious of his sin, not only against the people involved but against God:

“ wash away all my transgressions and cleanse me from all my sins” David prays

“ Against you, you only have I sinned”- he recognises that all sin is firstly sin against God

“ Cleanse me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow”

“ Create in me a pure heart O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me”

“ Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me” Psalm 51

As king, David had been anointed by Samuel, as was the custom for kings and prophets in the Old Testament:

“ So Samuel took the horn of oil and and anointed David in the presence of his

brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.

1 Samuel 16:13

The Holy Spirit reveals sin which needs to be washed clean

Baptism

John's Baptism in the river Jordan was a baptism of repentance- where in response to his preaching people came confessing their sins, and were symbolically washed to represent their sins being washed clean.

When Jesus was baptised, he was not only baptised in water, but anointed by the Holy Spirit, so that he would then baptise his followers in the Holy Spirit. The early Christians shared this anointing of the Spirit, which remained in them as in had in Christ.

Wedding at Cana

When Jesus turns water into wine, as well as showing his miraculous power to accelerate the normal wine-making process, it is also foretells the new wine of the Spirit inherent in the Kingdom of God.

Nicodemus

In John's Gospel spiritual life- new birth- is the activity of the Spirit of God, and baptism will the sacrament of baptism will become the symbol of the cleansed life within which the Holy Spirit resides. Just as natural babies are born of water, so with Spiritual birth in Christ- it is through the water of the Spirit of God.

Woman at the well

Having responded to Jesus' request for a drink of water, the woman is told that he is offering her living (spiritual) water, so that she need never thirst again. Jesus places within his followers a spring of water of the Spirit of God, which wells up, or culminates in eternal life.

Feast of Tabernacles

One of three agricultural pilgrim feasts- Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles

Also known as feast of Ingathering, the Feast, feast of booths due to temporary structures set up in Autumn at the time of the vine harvest. Celebrated in October to include all that years' harvests.

A reminder of their nomadic period between Exile and settling the Promised land.

Lasted seven days with an additional eighth “solemn assembly”

It included a procession to Siloam to fetch water and a ceremonial pouring of the water on each of the seven days , remembering the miraculous stream that appeared at Meribah (Exodus 17: 1-7)

With all this history and symbolism- ( multi-sensory learning at its best):

On the last day, Jesus stood up and said, “If a man is thirsty let him come to me and

drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will

flow from within him”.

By this he meant the Spirit , whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Revelation

“ The Spirit and the bride say “Come!”.

And let him who hears say “Come!”

Whoever is thirsty, let him come;

and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”

To S ummarise

The work of the Holy Spirit is like that of water- in that it cleanses from sin

The Holy Spirit brings about new birth , regeneration through the water of the Spirit

Baptism symbolises both this cleansing, this new birth and initiation into God's Kingdom

Jesus gives to the believer living water to quench their spiritual thirst

And makes springs of living water flow out in blessing others

Thirst is a common problem, particularly in the land of Israel, and in the south which is desert. Complicated irrigation systems can been seen in gardens and agricultural areas. So the concept of thirst would be easily understood in Biblical times- less so by us.

Are we thirsty ? Are we in need of that initial cleansing of our confessed sins? That new birth?

Is there anything in our lives which prevents the living water of the Holy Spirit satisfying our spiritual thirst and flowing out with life to others?

“To him who is thirsty I will give to drink WITHOUT COST from the spring of the water of life.

... THIRST.... COME.. DRINK .. AT NO COST to us, because Jesus paid the price in full on Calvary.

Article submitted Tuesday, May 24, 2011 & read 68 times.

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