Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians

The Word on the Mountain
(Lesson 10)

The Hungry and the Thirsty (Part 4 of 5)

The Study of Water

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6 AV)

Our study of water begins at the beginning. To understand water deeply, we must have knowledge of His Creations, which are formed from and around His cherished and beloved waters...

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that [it was] good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

“And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which [were] under the firmament from the waters which [were] above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”

“And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry [land] appear: and it was so. And God called the dry [land] Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that [it was] good.” (Genesis 1:1-10 av)

This surging and moving water where the Spirit of the LORD GOD came to relax and contemplate, is the beginning of His plans for creation. All creation accomplished by the LORD GOD originates from this moving water, and His Plans for His Creation uses water as the basis for all He does.

Because we know how the LORD GOD uses water for man’s regeneration, strengthening and refreshment, we can glimpse at how He felt as He moved upon the surging water. We can know that he felt regenerated, strengthened and refreshed, because He offers us the same gift through water now. It is the powerful water that influences and moves the Spirit of the LORD GOD to create. Without this rushing water, the creation of the heavens and earth, might not have ever been. It is through the contemplation of the rushing waters that moved the LORD GOD to create, and it was rushing waters that moved God to base all life on.

Rushing water existed before the heavens and earth. The LORD GOD received relaxation, refreshment, strength and regeneration as He moved upon the great waters. As a result, He contemplated all that He received from the waters, and chose to create. His Creation was based on these waters, and plays a central part in your relationship to Him, and His relationship to you.

Typology note: When water in the Word of God is typologically classified, the character and nature of it must be taken into consideration. For instance, flowing water in rivers and fountains belongs to the LORD GOD and His people. Stagnated water that is non-moving and contained within a pit belongs to the animals, the worldly and the wicked. Well water can either be fresh and drinkable, or stagnated and fit only for animals. Context of Scripture must be considered always to determine the deeper meanings accurately.

It is important to note that even the flowing waters of the LORD GOD, when gathered together in a pit and neglected, will one day stagnate. When the mire and mud of the pit mixes with water, the water is made unclean, and acceptable to only those who do not follow the LORD GOD.

“And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.” “And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou [art] with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand [will be] against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, [it is] between Kadesh and Bered.” (Genesis 16:7-14 AV)

It is through this naming that we can understand that to come to the waters given by the LORD GOD, allows Him to see us.

“And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave [it] unto Hagar, putting [it] on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against [him] a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against [him], and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he [is]. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 21:14-21 AV)

It was not the tears of Hagar that the LORD GOD heard, but rather the voice of the child Ishmael, who He had destined to prosper. We know that Hagar was confident that the LORD GOD had once seen her, because she named the well Beerlahairoi, with that distinct interpretation that noted this very fact. Regardless, it was not Hagar that the LORD GOD focused on, but rather her child Ishmael, who was marked by Him to become a great nation.

Sometimes, when the LORD GOD is moving His Works and Will toward a specific goal, the players surrounding and participating in the events often believe that they are the focus of God because He sees them. Being in the presence of His Things as they move according to His direction, causes many to believe it is their doings that usher in His Will.

Hagar was so certain that she was that focus, because of the attention that the Angel of the LORD given when her pregnancy with Ishmael was announced. The focus of the LORD GOD was not on Hagar, however, but on the upcoming birth of Abraham’s first born child, Ishmael. She bore the burden of the destined child, and was given the necessary nourishment to sustain him while they were exiled to the wilderness. In fact, she was given the exact amount of water she needed to reach the next well of water, if only she could see.

It takes more than the LORD GOD seeing a person and more than being used for the accomplishment of His specific Works to be in His Focus. In the big scheme of His Things, each of us can only be as He has made us to be. Hagar was a servant to Abraham and Sara, and was used to by them to give birth to his first son. Hagar remained a servant to them after giving birth to Ishmael, until the jealousies of Sara became too great. Cast out of Abraham’s presence, Sara continued to be a servant as she walked in the wilderness with the burden of caring for Ishmael bearing greatly upon her shoulders.

The LORD GOD had seen Hagar once, when she met the Angel of the LORD at the well before Ishmael was born, and when the waters had run out, it was natural for Hagar to cry out once again for the attention of the LORD GOD. It wasn't necessary.

The LORD GOD had moved Abraham to give the life sustaining and blessed waters of His Grace as they set out on their journey in the wilderness. The amount was measured to the exact drop, to bring them to the place where another well could refill and sustain them along their journey. Where Hagar thought it was her desperate pleas that summoned the Angel of the LORD, and her burden that kept Him focused on their journey, it was rather His focus on Ishmael, and the provisions He gathered together to nourish him along His path.

Where Hagar cried to Him because of her burdened predicament, Ishmael spoke to the LORD GOD and his voice was heard.

The well filled with the flowing water of God’s grace was there all along. Hagar was spiritually blind, and unable to see, until the LORD GOD blessed her with an opening of her eyes.

There is a good reason why we hear no more about Hagar’s burden in the Word of God. The moment here eyes were opened, she was able to provide the necessary things for her son Ishmael by walking the path God led them, and accepting the sustenance He provided. She was given permission to stand upright, see and follow His Way, with their souls spiritually restored with His waters of grace, as she cared and raised Ishmael to become what the LORD GOD Willed.

“And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master [were] in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, [even] the time that women go out to draw [water]. And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand [here] by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: [let the same be] she [that] thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master. And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel [was] very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw [water] for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw [water], and drew for all his camels. And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten [shekels] weight of gold; And said, Whose daughter [art] thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room [in] thy father’s house for us to lodge in? And she said unto him, I [am] the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor. She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in. And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. And he said, Blessed [be] the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I [being] in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren. And the damsel ran, and told [them of] her mother’s house these things.” (Genesis 24:10-28 AV)

Although the seeker of a wife for Isaac was a servant, he assumed the authority and responsibility of his master who had sent him on the task. This servant prayed to the LORD GOD of his master Abraham, with confidence that even he would be heard under these circumstances, and that the LORD GOD would recognize that He was doing the will of his master. His delegated authority was so recognizable, that Rebekah greeted him as "my Lord" in an obvious sign of humble respect.

After providing drink to the servant of Abraham who had risen to an elevated position to accomplish the important task, Rebekah provided drink to all of the other servants who had come with him. These servants were not privileged to drink from the pitcher, but rather the trough was used to give them drink from the well of the LORD GOD. The trough is a communal watering vessel that provides drink to many people at once. The trough is the container used to provide water to flocks and servants.

The Called, Chosen and Faithful People belonging to the LORD GOD are usually given drink through a vessel such as a cup or a pitcher.

“Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water [is] ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. And he went up from thence to Beersheba. And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I [am] the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I [am] with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac’s servants digged a well.” (Genesis 26:12-25 AV)

When water is living, it is moving, springing, running, flowing or spraying. The LORD GOD’s water is always fresh and alive.

Stagnated water contained in pits and troughs, as well as leftover, unused and castaway water left to die, is no longer living, and no longer has the Grace filled, restorative properties given by the living water of the LORD GOD.

A place where the LORD GOD gave His blessing and promise to Isaac was surely the most blessed ground and the well that was dug at that location most certainly contained the Living Waters of His Grace.

“And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, [his] coat of [many] colours that [was] on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit [was] empty, [there was] no water in it.” (Genesis 37:23-24 AV)

The pit belonging to the world was completely dry of water, and completely bereft of the Things of the LORD GOD. As a youth, Joseph was taken away from his rightful place to experience and grow with the Things of the LORD GOD, and was forced to experience life without the protective shield and comfort of his Hebrew family surrounding him.

“And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:10 AV)

““Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew [water], and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.” (Exodus 2:15-17 av)

When Moses assisted the daughters in watering their father's flock, he was symbolically giving the people, under the authority of the priest of Midian, drink from the waters of the LORD GOD. This act foreshadowed His great role in leading the Israelites to the Promised Land through the sharing of the LORD GOD's Will with His People.

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart [is] hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I [am] the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that [is] in mine hand upon the waters which [are] in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that [is] in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and [that] there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in [vessels of] wood, and in [vessels of] stone. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that [were] in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that [were] in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that [was] in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.” (Exodus 7:14-25 AV)

The flowing and moving waters of the LORD GOD have life contained within them. This life, typologically represented by "fish" in the Word of God, are used not only to feed the followers of Him naturally, but also spiritually, as they represent portions of living sustenance which are prolifically spread throughout the flowing waters provided by Him. When the river was turned to blood, the opportunity to receive nourishment from His living waters was taken away from the Egyptians.

When the living waters were turned to blood, the life flowing in their midst died. The living nourishment within the waters of the LORD GOD was made dead, and began to stink. The stink was the same stink that happened to the manna used by the LORD GOD to feed His people in the wilderness, when some of the sustenance was not eaten immediately, and saved to eat another day. (Exodus 16:16-20)

The Egyptians were disgusted by the bloody, dead and stinking water, and would not drink any more. Without the life and sustenance of the LORD GOD, it was good for nothing.

“So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they [were] bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, [which] when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I [am] the LORD that healeth thee. And they came to Elim, where [were] twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.” (Exodus 15:22-27 AV)

At the beginning of the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites were given the first of many great lessons to by the LORD GOD. They were made thirsty in the wilderness, which caused them great concern about where water to drink would be found. When they finally found the water in the desert, it was bitter and undrinkable. The living water from the LORD GOD that could sustain their own natural lives was undrinkable because of harsh and heavy flavor, which echoed the LORD GOD's Nature toward their disobedient and murmuring nature.

The LORD GOD showed Moses a tree, and had him cast it into the waters. The waters were made sweet.

Trees in the Word of God represent men walking toward Him with a focus on their spiritual, rather than their natural lives. When men walked toward Him with a spiritual life focus, the living waters provided by the LORD GOD lost their bitterness and were made sweetened and drinkable to the people of God.

A statute of the LORD GOD is the establishment of a custom or a law that affects time, space, quantity, labor or usage. In the case of the bitter waters of Marah made sweet, the Israelites were given an ordinance by Him which formally decreed His expectations toward their approach, consideration, behavior, nature and partaking of his Living Waters. His ordinance not only established His Will, but also gave them the right and privilege to receive of His Living Waters, as well as lay a foundation for His Judgment, should they disregard His decree.

These twelve wells filled with the Living Water of the LORD GOD, and the threescore and ten palm trees, which gave drink, protected and sheltered His People in the Wilderness are a foreshadow of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ and the seventy evangelists who were sent by him to preach, teach and work miracles in his name.

And that is just one of many shadows presented throughout His Word, concerning His Living Waters and the filling of the thirsty according to His Will and Ways.

Our knowledge of the Living Waters flowing from the LORD GOD has barely rippled the surface, as we journey even deeper into His Word, to learn more in the next lesson about receiving His Will through the drink given by Him.

Cite Article Source

MLA Style Citation:
McFarland, Kathy L. "The Hungry and the Thirsty (The Study of Water)." The Word on the Mountain Jan 2007.   <http://guidedbiblestudies.com/sermon/10mountain.htm>.

APA Style Citation:
McFarland, Kathy L. (2007, January) "The Hungry and the Thirsty (The Study of Water)." The Word on the Mountain Retrieved   from http://guidedbiblestudies.com/sermon/10mountain.htm

Chicago Style Citation:
McFarland, Kathy L.(2007) "The Hungry and the Thirsty (The Study of Water)." The Word on the Mountain (January), http://guidedbiblestudies.com/sermon/10mountain.htm (accessed )

About the Author

Kathy L. McFarland is a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and Author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She is Idaho State Coordinator for Huck PAC, Religious Studies student of Liberty University, Hebrew language student attending Israeli taught Ulpan, and a Homeschool parent teaching the things of God. She is also well-known as a child advocate of innocent children tortured and suffering from the abuse of sexual perversion, out-of-control violence, and pathetic neglect by a carnal world gone mad.

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