The Holy Spirit
Described as
Water
A RIVER
LIVING AND FLOWING…
An introduction 7 Symbols:
Wind – John 3: 8, Acts 2, etc. (Breathe of God/Ruach)
Rivers – John 7: 37 – 39
Rain – Joel 2: 23 – 29; Isaiah 28: 11 & 12, Acts 2: 17
Oil – II Corinthians 1: 21 & 22, I John 2: 20
Wine - Ephesians 5: 18
Fire – Isaiah 4: 4, Acts 2
Dove – Matthew 3: 16, Mark 1:8, Luke 3: 22
Waters of Meribah (quarreling)
Numbers 20: 7 - 12
Background: Egypt, Passover, Red Sea, 10 Commandments
and…
V 7&8: God’s instructions to Moses – speak to the rock and it will
flow with life giving water…speak – that they may see Me
V9-11: Moses – “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out
of this rock!?!” – hit the rock 2 times…
V12: God said, “Because you did not trust in Me enough to
honor My name as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you (Moses)
will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
Symbolic sequence (order)
Egypt – land of captivity/sin
Passover – the blood of the lamb on the door
posts/death passed over those homes
Red Sea walking through – some writers say is
symbolic of our water baptism (possible)
Ten Commandments – #1-4 focuses on our
relationship with God and #5-10 focuses on our
relationship with community
Now, from hearts of stone (our speech/expression)
will flow rivers of living water…
God did not punish Moses because he
had a “hissy-fit” (blow-up anger)…
Moses derailed God’s pattern of
symbols… From the inner most parts of
believers will flow rivers of living water – the
symbol/picture of the Holy Spirit…
Isaiah speaks of the Holy Spirit as
water/streams poured out…
44: 3, “I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on
dry ground, I will pour My Spirit on your children and My
blessings on your descendants…”
55: 1, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters…”
Note: to the thirsty
Ezekiel 47
Streams from beneath the Temple become a
mighty river
Stream trickling from beneath the Temple … passed the altar
And became a river. Ezekiel was led into the river –ankle
deep, then led to knee-deep, then up to his waist, and finally
so deep he had to swim…
The angel led him to the riverbank and there Ezekiel saw
everything the river touched was flowing with life…it flowed
down to the Dead Sea and even the Dead Sea was flowing
with life… (parallels Revelation 22)
John 7: 37-39
Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty
come to Me and drink (Isaiah 55:1)… for
whoever believes in Me…rivers of living
water will flow from within them” (Isaiah
44:3) … “by this He meant the Spirit…”
Background: Feast of Tabernacles
and Herod’s Temple
John 7 happens during the Jewish celebration of the Feast of
Tabernacles – Leviticus 23: 33 – 38
7 days of living in a “tent”, everyday burnt offerings for
forgiveness of sin and grain and water offerings for
thanksgiving.
Two streams that supplied the Temple with water:
Etham stream = westside of the Temple that piped water into
the Temple used for priest’s duties
Waters of Shiloah = another water supply
On the 8
th
Day of the Festival…
Jesus stood up and declared (spoke loudly):
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink
(Isaiah 55:1)… for whoever believes in Me…rivers of
living water will flow from within them” (Isaiah 44:3)
… “by this He meant the Spirit…”
The Holy Spirit is pictured as:
He Who breaks the heart of stone and revives with living
water.
He is the River of Life that flows through us – bringing
healing to our souls and healing to those whom we
touch…
The deeper we enter into His presence – the more
precious the flow…