In Scripture, water is either a barrier to overcome, a judgment to endure, or a gift to receive. The Old Testament records bitter and undrinkable waters—reminders of sin and hardship. Yet, in the New Testament, Jesus offers Living Water—pure, abundant, and everlasting.
Consider the contrast:
Exodus 15:23 (CSB)
“They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter—that is why it was named Marah.”
John 4:13-14 (CSB)
“Jesus said, ‘Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. The water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.'”
At Marah, water was bitter. At the Jordan, water was renewed. At the Red Sea, water was a wall. But Jesus offers Living Water—a source that never runs dry.
THE DEAD SEA: A BODY OF DEATH
The Dead Sea is a striking picture of stagnation. Its extreme salt content prevents all life—no fish, no plants, no movement. Water flows in from the Jordan River but has no outlet. Without circulation, it becomes lifeless.
The Dead Sea is a warning—a picture of spiritual death. When water does not move, it cannot give life. Those who hoard blessings without sharing or take in truth without living it become stagnant. Sin traps people in spiritual lifelessness, much like the Dead Sea traps its waters.
Although the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea, it remains fresh and life-giving.
JORDAN RIVER: CROSSING INTO LIFE
The Jordan River is a place of transition and transformation in Scripture. It plays a crucial role in two significant events:
- Crossing into the Promised Land (Joshua 3:14-17)
- Jesus’ Baptism (Matthew 3:13-17)
Crossing the Jordan: From Wilderness to Promise
When Israel reached the Jordan River, it stood between them and God’s promised land. But just as He parted the Red Sea, God stopped the river and allowed them to walk into their inheritance on dry ground.
Joshua 3:17 (CSB)
“The priests carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.”
The Jordan represents renewal—moving from the wilderness into God’s promise.
Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan: A New Beginning
Centuries later, John the Baptist baptized Jesus in these same waters. As Christ emerged, the heavens opened, and God declared, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
The Jordan represents cleansing and transformation. Unlike the stagnant Dead Sea, its waters move, purify, and bring renewal.
THE RED SEA: A WALL THAT BECAME A PATH
The Red Sea, like the Jordan, was a barrier. Yet in God’s hands, it became a passage:
Exodus 14:21-22 (CSB)
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left.”
Water can be an obstacle, but God makes a way where none exists. Whether escaping bondage through the Red Sea or entering the Promised Land through the Jordan, God’s people move forward when they trust Him.
WATER IN CRISIS TODAY
Just as bad water plagued ancient Israel, we see the same problems today.
A. Corrupt Water: When the Gift Becomes a Curse
- Dark Water in Parkersburg, WV – DuPont’s chemical pollution poisoned drinking water, leading to birth defects and cancer.
- Lead Contamination in Sebring, OH, and Flint, MI – Poor water management exposed communities to toxic lead levels.
- Nitrates in Water – Farm runoff in the Midwest contaminates water supplies, increasing cancer risks.
- Just like Jericho’s bad spring, corruption turns blessings into curses.
- Spiritual parallel: Many drink from poisoned spiritual wells—false teachings, unchecked desires, or stagnant faith.
B. Water Shortages: Dying of Thirst Beside an Ocean
- Maui and Pacific Palisades struggle with water shortages despite being surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean.
- Houston, TX, and Tampa, FL, are running out of groundwater due to overpumping, which is leading to saltwater intrusion.
- Just as people sit next to Living Water but refuse to drink, these cities sit next to vast oceans but have nothing in the pipes.
- Spiritual parallel: Many are surrounded by the gospel but never take it in, leaving them spiritually dehydrated.
Fluoride: Once Good, Now Questioned
- Initially hailed as a breakthrough, fluoride is now linked to neurological and thyroid issues.
DIETRICH BONHOEFFER
“The kingdom is to be in the midst of your enemies. And he who will not suffer this does not want to be of the kingdom of Christ; he wants to be among friends, to sit among roses and lilies, not with the bad people, but the devout. O you blasphemers and betrayers of Christ! If Christ had done what you are doing, who would ever have been spared?”
Bonhoeffer’s words remind us that following Christ is not about comfort. Fighting for pure water—both physical and spiritual—is not for the passive.
GOD SHOT
God turned bitter water sweet, healed poisoned springs, and parted the Red Sea. He still moves today. We must seek Him when facing a spiritual drought or a real pollution crisis. The Dead Sea shows what happens when water stagnates—Christ calls us instead to be like the Jordan, flowing with Living Water.
OTHER VERSES TO REFLECT ON
- Isaiah 12:3 (CSB) “You will joyfully draw water from the springs of salvation.”
- Revelation 22:17 (CSB) “Both the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!‘ Let anyone who hears, say, ‘Come!‘ Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.”
CONCLUSION
The Bible has many examples of water as obstacles or blessings, but also examples of God’s transformative changes.
- The Dead Sea warns us of stagnation.
- The Jordan River calls us to transformation.
- The Red Sea reminds us that God makes a way.
- Jesus offers Living Water—pure, eternal, and freely given.
The question isn’t just which water you drink, but which water you become.