In this issue we have been looking at water. In the Bible, water is used as a symbol to show several different aspects of God’s power.
It can be used as a symbol of cleansing as in the ceremonial washings of the Old Testament sacrificial system (eg Exodus 30:18-21, Leviticus 16:4 and 24, 17:15).
It can also be used as a symbol of destruction. Floods are very destructive. (eg The great flood in the time of Noah; Genesis 6-9:17).
But the most common symbol of water is as a symbol of blessing. One of the many passages in the Bible which uses water to symbolise blessing is Isaiah 35. Much of the book of Isaiah concerns Isaiah’s prophecies of God’s judgement on the sins of his people. But this chapter looks ahead to God’s glorious promises to those who trust if him.
Read Isaiah 35:1-7
Why did the desert suddenly burst for joy?
What were the signs of this joy – both in the desert, and in the lives of those who believe?
Read Isaiah 35:8-10. The highway is God’s path for us – the path which leads to eternal life.
What signs are there in your life of the joy of trusting in God?
Remember that Isaiah wrote this prophecy hundreds of years before the coming of Christ. Just as the desert brought forth streams and springs of water because of God’s presence, let us also be filled and overflowing with the joy of believing and trusting in God.
