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O
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GOD, thou art my God; early will I
seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and
thirsty land, where no water is; 2.To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have
seen thee in the sanctuary. (Psalms 63:1-2)
Having fled to the Wilderness of Judah, David's
tongue perhaps clave to the roof of his mouth as he was famished for water.
Though the want of his body was for physical water, his thirst for the comfort
of God and His miraculous works far exceeded the physical thirst he suffered.
We all have experienced our spiritual thirsts in the wilderness of life. Just
as water alone will satisfy our physical thirst, only God alone can satisfy our
spiritual.
Following our previous discussion of the Nile River
as a Type of God the Father, we will now examine the two Rivers – the Jordan
and the Zayanderud – as Types of Christ (He being the central figure of the
Trinity as depicted on the AOC symbol).
The Jordan
In an illustration of the Dead Sea and the Sea of
Galilee I gave previously, I spoke of the relatively short span of the River
Jordan. It rises from three primary sources (springs) from the Heights of Mount
Hermon in the north, cascades down the slopes picking up other reserves of
water and nutrients from tributaries on its way to the valley. From the base of
Mt. Hermon, the Jordan flows across fertile pastureland and into the Galilean
Sea which is teeming with life. It emerges on the south banks of the Galilean
and continues down the wilderness valley to the lowest point of landmass in the
world – the Dead Sea. (420 meters below sea level contrasting to Death Valley's
86 meters). The Sea of Galilee teems with life because it surrenders all of the
Water of Life that it receives. The Dead Sea is dead because it gives up
NOTHING. The Jordan River is only about 100 miles long quite short. The life of
Christ was only thirty three years again, quite short. The Jordan River gives
life everywhere it goes, and so does the Lord Jesus Christ. The Jordan flows
down to the lowest point on earth. Christ came down to us (far below the
pavilions of Heaven) and dwelt among us. He even descended to the grave (lowest
point). Like the Jordan flowing into the Dead Sea and dying, so did Christ flow
into our world and died in the Wilderness of our Sins. What a wonderful Lord
and Savior He is to us!
The Zayanderud Giver
of Life in Farsi
The second river to be typical of the Life of Christ
is one in Persia called the Zayanderud. This is a Persian Word meaning
"Giver of Life." This river originates in the snows of the Zagross
Range of Mountains to the West of Esfahan, the central city of Iran located on
the high desert. The waters are pure and cold as they flow down the mountain
peaks and into the Valley high desert valley. This river literally teems with
life, and gives of itself to otherwise dry, arid meadows stretching from the
base of the mountain range toward the desert city of Esfahan. They flow through
the City of Esfahan providing life and joy to its residence. This typifies
Christ as He went about healing and feeding all who came to Him. As the river
courses through the city, men cast refuse into it. The world also abused Christ
even in His deeds of righteousness. On the Eastern Gate of the City, the waters
emerge and continue the journey across the barren desert.
My wife and I were posted to this city and lived so
near the river that we saw it every day of the five and one half years that we
were assigned there. When flying above the desert terrain, one can know exactly
where the course of the River flows, because there is a wide band of green
vegetation for 5 or 10 miles either side of the rivers embankment. Everywhere
Christ walked, there were multitudes on all sides hoping to benefit from His
healing touch. The River gives Life everywhere it goes, and healing to the
people.
That is exactly what Christ has done for us.
The River continues for about one hundred miles from
its source and dies in the desert salts and sands. How like Christ in living a
short thirty-three years, and then dying in the desert (a sinful world) of our
sins for us.
Though a very short River, its impact is immeasurable
in its blessings to the people of Persia. Just like the Life of Christ – rich
and bountiful for us. The deadly salt-sea into which the river flows and dies
is called Gav-Khuni or Blood of an Ox. It seems almost more than coincidence
that this dead sea in a moslem nation should be so-called. Christ, too, was the
Lamb of God whose blood was shed for us. These dead sea waters bear the deep
red appearance of blood when viewed from the shore just as that blood that
Jesus shed on the cross for us is ever before the eyes of the forgiven sinner.
This River, called Giver of Life, is exactly an
illustration of our Savior Jesus Christ. Christ is not only the Giver of Life,
but He is the Truth, the Way, and the Life itself. Like this river, Christ came to a point between Heaven
(Zagross Mountain Range) and Hell (Dead Sea Lake of Gav-Khuni) to benefit and
save us. He feeds us with His daily Water of Life and Bread of Heaven. Have we
tasted? Do our own souls thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry
and thirsty land, where no water is? Just as the Giver of Life River gives life
to all who come near its shores, so does the Lord Jesus Christ give eternal
life to all who draw near by faith. Have you done so?
