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ND the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur . . . . 13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 14 Wherefore the well was called Beer–lahai–roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. (Genesis 16:7, 13-14)
I find the fountains, springs, wells, and rivers of the Bible to be awe-inspiring and very expressive of God’s timely grace at the moments of greatest need. The springs of water demonstrate how a mighty river may have humble origins but at last become a swirling flood of waters. The headwaters of the Mississippi, the Nile, and most other rivers began as much smaller streams than that which they become downstream as other tributaries add their waters thereto. The Creative Wisdom of God forms the fountains, rivers and seas into which the rivers flow.
The springs feed into the Jordan River high atop Mount Hermon, for example, from three tributaries that result in the life-giving waters of the Jordan. Wherever the Jordan flows, there is an abundance of life and green vegetation. The Sea of Galilee is teeming with the waters of life fed into it by the Jordan on the north, and departs from Galilee on the southern edge. The broad green band of flora marks the route of the Jordan at every point – until it enters the Dead Sea Wilderness and dies there.
I love to consider the course of the Jordan to the Triune Godhead. If I consider the snow-capped heights of Mount Hermon to be an illustration of God the Father, I might as well consider the Jordan River (only 100 miles in length) to illustrate the life of Christ. Everywhere He goes, one finds an abundance of life. Even the Dead Sea is a perfect picture of our Lord Jesus Christ dying in the wilderness of our sins for us. He was pure and wholesome, but the Dead Sea prevents the free flow of the Holy Spirit to go beyond its dismal banks. Christ died for us in the wilderness of our sins.
Poor Hagar, an innocent servant girl, was harshly treated by her mistress, Sarah, and escaped into the Wilderness of Shur where the Lord found her by a fountain of waters. He sent her back to Sarah until it would be the time for her and Ishmael to be separated from Abraham. At the time of Hagar’s final departure from Abraham, the Lord again found Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness of Beer-sheba. Hagar had left Ishmael under a juniper tree and walked the distance of a bowshot away to avoid seeing the death of her child from thirst. Hagar, weeping bitter tears, was standing once more by a fountain of water, but she could not see it for the tears. The Angel of the Lord opened her eyes and she saw a fountain of water. To Hagar and Ishmael, that fountain provided Living Water for their journey throughout the Wilderness; however, the Fountain of Living Waters that our Lord has purchased for all who believe provides Living Waters for our journey as pilgrims on earth who seek a better city – that of New Jerusalem.
The woman of Sychar at Jacob’s Well came seeking that water of the well to satisfy a temporary thirst, but she left with the Water from the Fountain of Living Waters that satisfies fully and forever. Jesus said unto her: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14)
Many today are seeking that water at the bottom of a hand-crafted hole in the earth, but there is a source of water that is of a totally different nature that flows, as does the Jordan and the Nile, from on snow-capped heights to those who can find it. How do we find it? We must come seeking as did the Woman of Sychar, but seeking is not enough. Our eyes must be opened to the source as was the eyes of that woman and those of Hagar. That last part is the work of the Holy Spirit that opens our eyes to the source of the Fountain of Living Waters and quickens our dead souls to new life.
Many today, especially in our beloved America, have been blessed by that Fountain of Living Waters that is Jesus Christ. But seeing is not enough. We must taste of the waters of life just as Adam tasted of the fruits of death at Eden. Failing to partake of the Water of Life, we are doomed to the fate of Cain and his ilk.13 O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the Fountain of Living Waters. (Jeremiah 17:13) And for those who are thusly awakened to the Spirit’s call, there is a healing balm: Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. (Jeremiah 17:14)
