“Psalm 23: 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul.” Only in God, who is the living streams of water who provides peace and joy, do we find our refreshing (revival) and inner strength. No other “streams of water” in this world will quench the inner thirst of the soul and spirit. In revival, we drink from God, and we are finally no longer thirsty! Revelation 22 speaks of Eden restored, and it says, “1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city.” When we abide with God one day for all time, there is still the water which serves as a continuous reminder that only God eternally and for now satisfies our inner thirst!
In Exodus 15 we read, “22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah, 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.” Glory to God, this world only offers us water that is bitter and of no use. Yet Jesus is the root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10) and in Him we find our life and hope. The Hebrew word used for “root” (sheresh) implies a root that remains alive and sends up a shoot or branch; thus, the root of Jesse was a root from which more descendants could come. Yes, Jesus gives us life and hope!
In Exodus 15, God then led them to Elim, of which we read, “27 where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.” This was the second encampment of the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. It was a contrast to the previous camp as we saw called Marah because of the bitterness of the waters. The traditional site is an oasis. An oasis is described as a fertile spot in a desert, where water is found.
So in revival or with a spiritual awakening, God wants to lead us from a state of Marah to Elim. Therefore, from a state of dryness and bitterness within the soul and spirit to a state of sustenance, joy, peace and hope! God is the one who provides such “water” for the thirst of the soul, for only god can truly satisfy our needs and wants.
Exodus 17 says, “1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” 3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” 4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.”
The people were thirsty, and God provided fresh water! Many see the water coming from the rock as alluding to the living waters that comes from Christ who is the eternal Rock of Salvation. God does provide, not only to quell our fears, but He provides the “waters” of joy, salvation and hope. For many in their times of revival and awakening, they have also come to a place where they can no longer go on. They are tired, quarrelling with myself, the world or even God, but the Lord never gives us bitterness but always the best water!
Come to the well and drink! God satisfies all longing, and all yearning, for only He provides true rest and hope. Only in God do we belong, for in God we come home to a place where we are accepted and loved.