Judgment and Deliverance by Water

 

Painting by Lidia Kosenitzky 2009 (wikimedia)

Water in the Bible may represent God’s blessings of physical and spiritual sustenance and healing. But the Lord gives and He takes away (Job 1:21), and He can use water as an instrument of His omnipotent wrath as well as His infinite love.

God used water to judge mankind for their sin when He destroyed the vast majority of men and living creatures in a global flood, sparing only faithful Noah and his family (Genesis 6:17). Thankfully, He promised that He would never again destroy the whole earth by water, and He gave us the rainbow as His sign of that promise (Genesis 9 :11-15).

Nonetheless, God continued to use the destructive force of water and localized flooding as an instrument of judgment, as in the ”overflowing flood ’’ that destroyed the city of the Philistines (Jeremiah 47:2). While sparing the Israelites and allowing their escape from captivity as He parted the Red Sea waters (Exodus 14::21-29; Nehemiah 9:11). He released the waves just in time for the pursuing Egyptians to drown (Psalm 106:11).

Other examples of water as a barricade preventing passage until God miraculously intervened include His drying up the Jordan waters so the Israelites could pass over (Joshua 4:23,) and Elijah and then Elisha parting the waters to cross the Jordan (2 Kings 2:8,14). Oceans and other great bodies of water tend to isolate peoples and nations, particularly before modern times of air travel. In the new heaven and new earth, there will be no more sea (Revelation 21:1), perhaps representing the unity of all the saints throughout eternity, and free passage to one another at the speed of thought!

God used the violent power of water to punish Jonah for his disobedience (Jonah 2:3-5), as his boat was tossed about in the storm, he was plunged beneath the waves, and he was swallowed by a great fish. But once he learned his lesson and prayed to God for mercy, the whale vomited so that the waves could cast Jonah safely onto dry land (Jonah 2:10). Similarly, the churning waves in a storm tested the faith of Jesus’ disciples while revealing His supernatural power to save them (Matthew 8:24-27).

Contamination of the water is a terrible judgment, as in the Egyptian plague of waters turning to blood (Exodus 7:17-24; Psalm 105:29). To punish the Israelites for their sin of idolatry, Moses ground up the golden calf and added the powder to their drinking water (Exodus 32:20); During the Tribulation, the waters will again be contaminated as the star Wormwood falls into the sea, polluting one third of the water (Revelation 8:10-11).

Elisha purified barren water with salt (2 Kings 2: 19-22), foreshadowing Christ’s commandment that believers be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), comforting and restoring those marred by the sinful world. Moses turned bitter water to sweet with a medicinal branch (Exodus 15:23-25), and Jesus Christ Who is the Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15) purifies our sinful souls.

When believers are born again by placing their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to eternal life (John 14:6), the indwelling Holy Spirit makes each of us a source of living water to refresh the world (John 7:38) by sharing God’s Word and His love.

But sadly, our remaining sin nature sometimes pollutes our testimony. As James reminds us, the same fountain cannot give forth sweet and bitter water (James 3:11-12), and if we allow our sin nature to gain control, what we spout forth is poison not fit for others to consume (James 3:8). But if believers yield to the Spirit, He can use the living water, or Scripture spoken in love, flowing from us to help cleanse others from sin-sickness and to be a healing force for good and for salvation.

With every instance of God’s judgment through water He has provided deliverance for those who are faithful and obedient to Him. Noah and his family found refuge in the ark floating safely above the flood waters, which was echoed in baby Moses floating in his basket to escape infanticide as he was rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:10). In their angry pursuit of the escaping Israelites, the Egyptians perished in the Red Sea, but God made a way through the raging waters for His chosen people.

God chastised Jonah by enclosing him in a watery grave for three days and nights, foreshadowing God’s ultimate plan of salvation as Jesus Christ rose from the dead to conquer sin and death forever (John 3:16; Romans 5:12-21). The prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2) may control the waves, but even he must cease and desist when the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) rebukes the storm. Praise God that He is not only the Righteous Judge (Psalm 9:8; Revelation 19:11), but also our Savior, Deliverer and Redeemer! (Isaiah 47:4; 60:16)

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

God Answers Prayer!

 

As born-again Christians, we believe that God is in control and that His will is done. Why, then should we pray?

We should pray because His Word commands us to (Psalm 62:8; Luke 11:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:17), as an act of worship pleasing to Him as a sweet-smelling fragrance (Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4), and because it changes us. Our prayers should not be directed toward changing God’s mind, since we know God does not change (Hebrews 13:8), but to align our mind and heart with the indwelling mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).

God always answers the prayers of His children who are right in their heart attitude toward Him (Isaiah 65:24), meaning they are not coming in rebellion or lusting after the flesh (James 4:3), but rather in humble submission, earnestly seeking God’s will and His face. Sometimes He answers “Yes,” sometimes “No,” sometimes “Yes, but in the right time,” and sometimes “No, because what I want to give you is even better than what you have asked for.”

It pleases God to give good and perfect gifts to His children (Luke 11:13), so if we ask Him to meet our needs in accordance with His perfect will, we can expect to be blessed (John 15:7). The clearest example of this is the sinner’s prayer, which is one prayer God will always answer “Yes!” because it is His perfect will that all should be saved (2 Peter 3:9). When the lost person realizes he is a sinner, turns away from his sin, and trusts in Christ as the Son of God, the perfect sacrifice for our sins Who died on the cross, was buried, and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) that we also may have eternal life (John 3:16), God will save him (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13).

However, the blessing we receive from prayer may not always be what we had prayed for, and it may even seem to our limited vantage point to be quite the opposite. When we ask for healing of our loved one who is sick, and that person dies, we may despair that God has not heard our prayer or cared enough for us to answer it as we had hoped. Yet if that person was saved, God has indeed given him perfect healing and perfect peace in Heaven, and he will use the situation to bring good into the lives of others in ways that we cannot begin to understand until we reach glory (Romans 8:28).

Paul asked God three times to take away his “thorn in the flesh,” a physical ailment that brought him great distress, but that kept his pride in check. God said “No,” because the lesson Paul learned of God’s grace being sufficient was a far greater blessing than physical healing would have been. This lesson enabled him to rejoice and be fruitful even when imprisoned, abandoned, and in other dire straits, because he was relying on God’s strength instead of trusting in his own flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

God the Father even said “No” to His own Son when Jesus asked that if it were possible, that the cup of suffering would pass from Him, yet the Son yielded to His Father’s will (Matthew 26:39).

God sometimes allows us to go through illness or other storms of life because they bring us closer to Him. If we seek His perfect will, He may sometimes calm the storm, as He did for His disciples in the boat on the troubled sea (Matthew 8: 24-27). But at other times, His perfect answer to our prayer may be to calm us instead, bringing us the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and the fellowship of His suffering that conforms us to the image of His Son (Philippians 3:10).

As we pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, helping us to pray in accordance with God’s will even when we don’t know what to ask for (Romans 8:26). He will teach us to trust Him (Proverbs 3: 5-6), deepening our faith (Mark 11:22-24) as we accept that He knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), and that He will give us what is best for us (Jeremiah 29:11).

We may not always understand or appreciate God’s answer to our prayers, for His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). Yet He answers our prayers exceedingly abundantly beyond what we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Thank God for His infinite wisdom and infinite love, for He answers our prayers in the best possible way!

Copyright 2011 Laurie Collett

Edited, expanded, and reposted from the archives

Triplets of Womanhood: Three Marys

 

Just as God portrays His Triune nature in patterns of three throughout His Word, His nature, and His creation, it is not surprising that there are three women named Mary in close association to Christ in His earthly ministry. These are Mary, mother of Jesus (Luke 1-2), Mary Magdalene, Jesus’s disciple from the time He cast out seven demons from her (Mark 16:19), and His close friend Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:2). These women were bound to Jesus by love as His family, follower, and friend.

There are also three additional women named Mary described in less detail in Scripture, but also worthy of mention. One of these is referred to as "the other Mary" (Matthew 27:61), also known as the mother of the disciples James and Joses (Matthew 27:55-61); and as the wife of Cleophas (John 19:25). The second is the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12); and sister to Barnabas (Colossians 4:10), who opened her home to the disciples to meet for prayer (Acts 12:12). The third is Mary of Rome, whom Paul thanked for her "many labors" in support of his ministry to the Roman Christians (Romans 16:6).

These three women: the “other Mary,” the mother of John Mark, and Mary of Rome, are known for their association to Christianity by being relatives of the first missionaries and by their service to the early church. All six of these women have much to teach us about the Biblical ideal of womanhood.

“Mary” in the New Testament is the Greek equivalent of the Old Testament Hebrew names “Miriam,” given to the sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15:20-21), and “Mara,” the name Naomi adopted to reflect her great sorrow in bereavement (Ruth 1:20). The name means bitterness, sorrow, or trouble, reflecting the pain, grief and tribulation each woman bore, though in differing circumstances. 

The root word of this name is the same as for the spice known as myrrh, a bitter, fragrant and costly herb. In symbolic terms, myrrh may represent the bitterness of childbirth, mandated by the curse of sin (Genesis 3:16); the joys of motherhood (Proverbs 23:22-25); and the priceless value of Biblical womanhood, exemplified by the Proverbs 31 woman.

Myrrh was one of the gifts presented to Jesus as a young child to symbolize that He came to die (Matthew 2:11); it was offered to Him on the cross (Mark 15:23); and it was used to anoint His body for burial (John 19:39-40). And yet it was also included in the holy anointing oil used in Old Testament worship (Exodus 30:23; Psalm 45:7-8); it purified women such as Queen Esther (Esther 2:12); and it perfumed the marriage bed. (Proverbs 7:17-18; Song of Solomon 1:13,3:6;4:14).

In keeping with Divine triplets in Scripture, there were three Marys present at the crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:25).  Mary, mother of Jesus, came to the cross by submission to God’s calling her to carry His Son (Luke 1:28-38).  Mary Magdalene came by Christ’s mercy as He freed her from demonic possession (Mark 16:19); and Mary of Cleophas came by her relationship with Christ’s followers, for she was the close relative of two disciples.

These three Marys present at the cross of Christ therefore represent the three-step process by which every born-again believer (John 3:3-8) comes to know Christ and places their faith in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). First, we have some association with Christians who share the Gospel with us; then we ask Christ for His mercy to forgive us and spare us from eternal death that our sins deserve (Romans 3:23); and finally we submit to His perfect will for our life (James 4:7), all through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Praise God that He gave us victory (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) over sin, death and hell! Three Marys witnessed the evidence of His resurrection firsthand as they came to anoint His body at the tomb, only to find that He had risen! These three were Mary Magdalene (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10; John 20:1), Mary the mother of James (the “other Mary;” Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1), and the mother of Jesus, as one of the women that were with Mary Magdalene at the cross (Luke 24:10).

Each of these women has a unique story, yet with common themes that illustrate how we can lead lives pleasing to Lord Jesus Christ. Like the three Marys, may we turn from the bitterness of sin to the joy of salvation and the blessings of serving Him!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Independence Day

                                                                                                        

Photo by Carol M. Highsmith 2008

On July 4, the United States of America celebrates its 250th birthday! Independence Day, commemorates signing of the Declaration of Independence. This document, drafted by Thomas Jefferson and approved by the Continental Congress on July 2, 1776, proclaimed independence of the thirteen American colonies from British rule.

As important as July 4 is in our US national history as a celebration of liberty from tyrannical oppression, an even more crucial date in the life of every Christian is their spiritual birthday. At the moment we were born again (John 3:3-8), we trusted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, Who died on the cross to pay our sin debt in full and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), so that all who believe in Him have eternal life (John 3:16).

On that date of our second birth – our spiritual Independence Day – we trusted the One Who came to proclaim liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18), to free us from the tyrannical rule of the devil, to break the shackles of sin and death. Yet, our independence from Satan, sin and death is accompanied by our realization that we are totally dependent on the God Who knew us from before the beginning of time (Psalm 139:13-16) and has an amazing plan for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 2:10).

We cannot live apart from Jesus Christ any more than a branch can grow grapes when cut off the grapevine (John 15:5). Without Him, we can do nothing, but with Him, all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26). It is only when we come to the end of ourselves, realizing our complete helplessness to free ourselves from sin (Ephesians 2:8-9), that we can let go and let God! Jesus Christ completed His work on our behalf on the cross (John 19:30) and rose again. All we need to do is to accept His freely given gift of salvation (Romans 6:23) and believe He is Who He says He is.

One of the most widely quoted excerpts from the Declaration of Independence is: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The truth that there is a Creator God (Isaiah 40:28; 1 Peter 4:19) is indeed self-evident, as His infinite wisdom and power are implicit in the magnificent design of His creation (Psalm 19:1). Scripture teaches us that all who deny this are without excuse (Romans 1:18-20).

In an ideal government, all are treated equally, following the model of Christ’s rule over His Kingdom. We are one in Christ Jesus, regardless of race, gender, family heritage, worldly power, status, or education (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28). As God is love (1 John 4:8), Christ loves each of His children infinitely, meaning that He could not love any one of us any more than He already does, and hence, He loves each of us the same amount.

Not only did Jesus Christ create each of us, and everything else, but He gifted each of His children with rights that nothing and no one can take away from us. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31). Nothing and no one – no person or power -- can separate us from the love of God, throughout all space and time (Romans 8:35-39). We are kept in the hand of Jesus Christ, which is kept in the hand of God the Father (John 10:28-29), which is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30).

What do our unalienable rights as born-again Christians include? God has transformed us from His enemies (Romans 5:10) and children of the devil (John 8:44) to His friends (John 15:13), ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), children (1 John 3:10), betrothed, beloved (Ephesians 5:25), and joint-heirs (Romans 8:16-17) with His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Declaration of Independence refers to the unalienable Rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Christ came to give us not only eternal life with Him in Heaven (John 3:16), but abundant life (John 10:10) here on earth, for He gives us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17).

Liberty in Christ means that we are freed from a legalistic adherence to the law that cannot save us (Romans 8:3) but can only show us how far we have gone astray (James 1:22-23). No man can keep the law perfectly, for all are sinners, and if we break even a part of the law, we would be found guilty of breaking the whole law (James 2:10-13).

Jesus held us to an even higher standard, saying that our very thoughts and words, and not only our deeds, could condemn us. If we look at someone with lust, it is as if we have committed adultery in our hearts, and if we lash out in anger against someone, it is as if we have murdered him (Matthew 5:21-30).

But Christ gave His followers liberty from sin and death. We are now freed from the power of sin, for the Holy Spirit within us provides the way to refrain from sin even when we are tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13). We are freed from the penalty of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23), and one day in Heaven we will even be free from the presence of sin, for our glorified bodies will be unable to commit sin (Jude 24-25; 1 John 3:2).

Yet liberty from sin is not license to sin – as the apostle Paul says, God forbid!  (Romans 6:1-2; 14-18). Although Christ has washed away our sins in His own blood (Revelation 1:5), paid our sin debt in full (Colossians 2:13-14), and clothed us in his perfect righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), we are to honor Him by following the law of Christ. This is to love God above all and to love one another, treating each other as we would like to be treated, for all the laws given to Moses are summarized in this one commandment (Luke 10:27).

Our Founding Fathers promised us the right to the pursuit of happiness, which depends largely on our external circumstances. Yet Jesus Christ promises us the joy of His salvation (Habakkuk 3:18), and the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), which are far better. No matter what trials we may face, we can have true joy in our Father’s love (1 Peter 1:8), the Holy Spirit within us (Galatians 4:6), and our best Friend (Proverbs 18:24) Who will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We can rejoice in our living and blessed hope (1 Peter 1:3; Titus 2:13), meaning the anticipation of our wonderful and sure destiny. 

John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers, wrote to his wife Abigail that Independence Day “ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.” As Americans celebrate with parades, fireworks, and barbecues, may we take time to worship and thank God not only for the freedom we enjoy as a nation, but for our spiritual freedom from sin and death through the sacrifice and resurrection of His Son!

© 2023 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives