Reading: Isaiah 10-14
And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise Thee: though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for He hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee (Is. 12:1-6).
Chapter 12 of the Book of Isaiah is a song of prayer and praise; its content is reminiscent of the Book of Psalms. However, we need to take careful note of what is being referenced here. Isaiah is not praising God for actions that He has already taken; he is praising Him for the future restoration of His people, and he is composing the song that will be sung by all those who will share in God’s salvation when that time arrives. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation.
Outside of the air that we breathe, there is nothing on this earth that is more essential to the human body than water. While a typical adult can survive for three or more weeks without food, they will die in less than a week without water. The recuperative powers of water are extraordinary. If you were to give water to a person dying of dehydration, they would begin to revive within minutes of the precious liquid touching their lips. It is only fitting then that Isaiah states: Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. The water to which he refers is the living water, which can only be obtained through Jesus Christ our Lord (John 7:37-39).
As the gospel has been spread across the earth, many wells have sprung up from which have poured the water of life, but in every instance, the source of that water is the same. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14). Jesus IS the fountain from which the living water spills. Every believer must receive the priceless, satisfying, life-sustaining water from Him and Him alone.
In celebration of this, Isaiah’s words ring out in eternal praise. Praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted. A gift such as the one we have received is too magnificent not to be shared! And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). The Word of God is clear; it is our greatest privilege and most sol- emn responsibility to share this life-saving water with all who are spiritually dying.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17).
Thought for Today: Spiritual thirst might me easier to overlook then physical thirst, but the consequences of ignoring it are much greater.
Christ Revealed: As the Descendant of Jesse, King David's father (Is. 11:1; compare Luke 3:23,31-32). Isaiah 11 reveals Christ's coming earthly rule of righteousness.
Word Studies: 10:1 grievousness = oppression, injustice; 10:12 high = proud; 10:20 stay = rely; 10:22 consumption = destruction; 10:33 lop = cut off; 14:16 narrowly look upon = gaze at.
Pray For Staff:Judy McCrary • Government Official: Sen Chris Murphy (CT),Rep. Gabe Vasquez (NM) • Country: United States of America (318,892,103) North America • Major Languages: English, Spanish • Religious Freedom • 51.3% Protestant; 23.9% Roman Catholic; 1.7% Mormon; 1.6% Other Christian; 1.7% Jewish; 0.7% Buddhist; 0.6% Muslim; 2.5% Other/ Unspecified; 12% Unaffiliated; 4% None • Prayer Suggestion: Ask the Lord to be merciful and to forgive your sins (Ps. 25:6-7).
Optional Readings: Hebrews 11