WATER, BLOOD, FAITH, AND GRACE
There’s an interesting story in 2Kings about how the kings of Israel and Judah link up to fight Moab. After seven days of marching through the desert, they had no more water. Only then, do they inquire of the Lord through Elisha and the Lord graciously answers.
[2Ki 3:17-18, 20, 22-24 NIV] 17 For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18 This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. ... 20 The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was--water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water. ... 22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red--like blood. 23 "That's blood!" they said. "Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!" 24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites.
Not only did the Lord miraculously fill a valley with water to sustain Israel's army, but He used it to deliver their enemy into their hands. It’s amazing how gracious the Lord is to us, despite our little faith. He doesn’t only want to sustain our lives but wants to give us victory over our enemies, grow our faith in Him, and give us abundant life.
In 1John we have another passage about water, blood, faith, and grace:
[1Jo 5:4-8, 11-13 NIV] 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 6 This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ... 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Here God not only fills a valley with water for the Israelites, but He fills everyone on the earth who would believe in Jesus with rivers of living water that flow from within them. (Jhn 7:38-39). Instead of only giving the Israelites victory over the Moabites by making the water appear as blood, He gives all believers in Jesus Christ victory over sin and death (Rom 8:2) through Jesus’ shed blood on the cross.
But God doesn’t end there. He knows us well and wants us to clearly understand that it is only by our faith in what God had done for us through Jesus that we overcome the world. God doesn’t use human testimony although there were many who knew Jesus before and after His resurrection. He uses the trustworthy testimony of the elements by which He came – the water and His righteous blood. And He adds the testimony of the Holy Spirit, who is the truth, to complete His assurance that He has given us eternal life in Jesus by our faith in Him. We now may know that we not only have abundant life in Jesus Christ, but we have eternal life in Him as well!
We see in Hebrews that God wants us to rely on the full assurance that our faith in Jesus provides and to regularly draw near to Him.
Hebrews 10:22 (NIV) let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
And in Ephesians we see our amazing God and His amazing gift of grace! [Eph 2:8 NIV] 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
Cary Allen (cary.allen@comcast.net)