Water for life
The Bible has over 300 references to water and another 80 on rain.
- Which is the first verse that comes to your mind when you think about water?
The Bible looks at water in many different ways, using it as a symbol of destruction (Genesis 6-9), cleansing (Exodus 30:18), blessing (Jeremiah 17:8) and spiritual need (Psalm 42).
Read Deuteronomy 28:12 and Psalm 65:9.
- What is the Bible saying here about our need for water?
- What does it say about God’s provision for our spiritual needs?
In the early chapters of Leviticus we learn of many rituals that were used to bring cleansing (Leviticus 16:4, 24 and Leviticus 17:15).
Read Psalm 24:3-4
Reflect on our need for spiritual cleansing. Jesus’ sacrifice provides us with the means for spiritual cleansing.
- Are we careful to keep our spiritual bodies clean?
Read Isaiah 41:17 and reflect on God’s promises to us.
- What can we do in our community to ensure that the poor and needy can receive God’s gift of water?
Pray and consider God’s provision of water and its symbolic meaning.
Water as a symbol of blessing
In the Bible, water is used as a symbol to show several different aspects of God’s power. It can be used as a symbol of cleansing, as in the ceremonial washings of the Old Testament sacrificial system (for example: Exodus 30:18-21).
It can be used as a symbol of destruction, as with flooding (Genesis 6-9:17). But the most common symbol of water is as a symbol of blessing.
One of the many passages in the Bible which uses water to symbolise blessing is Isaiah 35. Much of the book of Isaiah concerns Isaiah’s prophecies of God’s judgement on the sins of the people. But this chapter looks ahead to God’s glorious promises to those who trust him.
Read Isaiah 35:1-7
- Why did the desert suddenly burst for joy?
- What were the signs of this joy – both in the desert, and in the lives of those who believe?
Read Isaiah 35:8-10
The highway is God’s path for us – the path which leads to eternal life. Remember that Isaiah wrote this prophecy hundreds of years before the coming of Christ.
- What signs are there in your life of the joy of trusting in God?
Pray that as the desert brought forth streams and springs of water because of God’s presence, we also will be filled with the joy of believing and trusting in God.
Sanitation
Read Deuteronomy 23:12-14
There is very little teaching in the Bible about sanitation apart from these verses. The Israelites were given these clear instructions thousands of years ago. However, a huge number of people still lack access to good sanitation.
- What responsibility do we have to ensure that everyone has adequate sanitation today?
Verse 14 talks about how this command was given to keep the camp holy, but the practice would also have kept the camp healthy. God was aware of the need for good sanitation long before people understood about the diseases caused by poor sanitation. Physical cleanness is linked to moral holiness.
- Do our sanitation practices and personal hygiene show that we care about our own health and the health of our families?
- Does our way of life cause others to suffer illness because of lack of hygiene in and around our homes?
The Bible’s teaching on hygiene
The Bible’s main teaching about physical cleanliness appears in Leviticus chapters 11-15. Some of the rules may seem strange and harsh to us. However, our modern understanding of how many diseases are transmitted shows other rules to be very sensible.
Read Leviticus 11:32-40, 13:29-59 and 15:1-15
The need for washing and isolation to prevent the spread of infection is often emphasised here.
Even today, it may be difficult to distinguish between different types of infection. Good hygiene is very important in preventing the spread of infection. The transmission of diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis through blood and other body fluids shows clearly the need for care.
Read Romans 12:1
Paul urges us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.
- What sort of bodies do we offer as we live for him? We cannot always avoid sickness, but are we making the best use of our resources, both physically as well as spiritually?
- Are others put at risk by our own poor hygiene? Is this a Christian attitude? (Philippians 2:4)
Read Matthew 23:25-28
Jesus criticised the Pharisees for being clean outside but unclean inside. He told them to be clean from the inside out.
- Would Jesus say anything different to us today?