The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Kings 2:21-22,
"This is what the Lord says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.' And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken."
As we all know, the purpose of water in God's creation is to provide the hydration necessary for life to flourish. Whether it be man, animal, vegetation, a stand of timber or farming, water is required for life. However, water that has come to a condition where it will not sustain life is worthless water. Such water does not provide for its intended purpose.
As the people of Jericho observed to Elisha, the town was well situated but the water was "bad and the land unproductive." Again, the water at Jericho was worthless, it did not provide its intended purpose. It had become deadly.
From here I am going to make a leap as I view this water at Jericho as a metaphor. Just as the water at Jericho was tainted and not useful for its intended purpose, so mankind has become tainted and no longer fulfills God's intended purpose. God created mankind with the intended purpose for fellowship with him, for a loving relationship with him, for interaction with him. As such God created man with a will of his own to do as mankind pleased. Following God's creative acts, as he viewed his creation, including mankind, God himself was pleased, "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." Genesis 1:31.
"This is what the Lord says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.' And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken."
As we all know, the purpose of water in God's creation is to provide the hydration necessary for life to flourish. Whether it be man, animal, vegetation, a stand of timber or farming, water is required for life. However, water that has come to a condition where it will not sustain life is worthless water. Such water does not provide for its intended purpose.
As the people of Jericho observed to Elisha, the town was well situated but the water was "bad and the land unproductive." Again, the water at Jericho was worthless, it did not provide its intended purpose. It had become deadly.
From here I am going to make a leap as I view this water at Jericho as a metaphor. Just as the water at Jericho was tainted and not useful for its intended purpose, so mankind has become tainted and no longer fulfills God's intended purpose. God created mankind with the intended purpose for fellowship with him, for a loving relationship with him, for interaction with him. As such God created man with a will of his own to do as mankind pleased. Following God's creative acts, as he viewed his creation, including mankind, God himself was pleased, "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." Genesis 1:31.
Then mankind did the unthinkable. With his volition, he chose to rebel against his Creator! Just as the water at Jericho, mankind now became worthless, unsuited for God's intended purposes for which he created him.
Elisha "healed" the water at Jericho. He threw salt into the water and the Lord made the water pure. I see in Elisha's "healing" of the water in Jericho a metaphor for another who provided "healing" for mankind. Just as Elisha's miracle (actually the Lord through Elisha) of restoring the usefulness, the return to fulfilling the purposefulness of water in Jericho, Jesus Christ came to restore the intended purpose of mankind in God's great creation.
For each of us to enjoy the existential reality of God's intended purposes for mankind, all he asks is that we embrace him in faith and trust!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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