WATER
[p. 112] WATER
Judges 1:12 - 15; Judges 5:6 - 11, Judges 7:l-8; Judges 15:18,19
Caleb represents the element of continuance; he continued against great opposition and maintained freshness till a very great age. The element of continuance depends on what the daughter suggests here, that is, the springs of water. The daughter comes in on the family line.
The incident in chapter 5 alludes to another woman who speaks of the places of drawing water, places where the word of God is available, as it says, “The voice of those who divide the spoil in the midst of the places of drawing water”. She celebrated a great victory in which we also are sharing in our own way, a victory which others have achieved. There are places where these acts are rehearsed — “there they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, his righteous acts towards his villages in Israel”. These are meetings formed in the light of the assembly.
Chapter 7 brings in the thought of the denial of the natural in the service of God. The denial of the natural is seen in the lapping of the water for the sake of sustenance and not for indulgence.
Finally, the spring which Samson draws from in chapter 15 was opened up at a moment of exigency, a moment of great need. Samson was about to die of thirst when God clave the rock and water came out of it. His need was met by the immediate act of God.
Achsah denotes a church feature, that is, the saints coming to understand the church in relation to Christ. Knowing how to act, she sprang down in respect to her father, and asked for what she needed — “Give me also springs of water”. Achsah denotes a state; she understands that her father could give; she knew the wealth of his position. She is comely in attitude, recognising the man, her husband; then she speaks [p. 113] to her father in a comely way: she sprang down from her ass. Caleb speaks directly to her. She is seen here as understanding the range of his position and his resources. Our prayers are based on the known resources of God. Then her word is “Thou hast given me a southern land; give me also springs of water”, that is, he had done well for her and she recognises it, but she needed more to maintain her in what she had. Our prayers, then, should never be complaining.
Kirjath-sepher is the city of books. What a volume of written ministry there is for us to read today! This is a word for young people especially: Achsah did not read novels and worldly monthly magazines, she was maintained in married life by spiritual power. She is a fine type of young person in life starting out with the Spirit of God. Books are most pernicious things today, the most remarkable thing about them being the power of suggestion which they have. You say, ‘But the children have to read them at school’ and so on, but it is not what is obligatory that does the most damage; it is what is not obligatory that is so harmful. Daniel was on this line — he accepted all the education of the court, but not the delicate meats. He refuses that which would qualify him socially. The women in the wilderness gave up their looking-glasses and it is remarkable that these were used in the tabernacle. Achsah was concerned about sustenance; she was a young woman. The enemy’s effort is to get the present generation, the older ones will die out. In Russia and Germany the enemy is getting the present generation today, and the assumption is that, if their principles are instilled in the young and as the older ones die out, their system will be continued in this way.
Caleb gave her exceedingly abundantly above all that she asked or thought. In our prayers we ask things and God gives according to what is in us. It corresponds to what we have in the two prayers in Ephesians; these are intended to keep us going in our position.
He “is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us”, (Ephesians 3:20). The first point to see is that the answer is greater than the prayer. The nether springs correspond to Romans, to fulfil the righteous requirements of the law; it is a great point before going up; it must come first. Then the upper springs correspond to Ephesians, they are to maintain us up there, “raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies”, (Ephesians 2:6).
Othniel became a great leader and overthrew the king of Mesopotamia, which is literally the Syria of the two rivers. He was a man of great resources as suggested in the rivers; rivers greatly enrich a country. Othniel got his power on the line of the Spirit; it is by the Spirit that we overthrow worldly attacks.
Chapter 5 gives the celebration of a great victory in relation to the places of drawing water. Deborah represents the formation of meetings, the means of coming together locally. These were not in existence before Deborah. “In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the roads were unused, and the travellers on highways went by crooked paths. The villages ceased in Israel, ceased until that I Deborah arose”. Deborah represents the victory that brings in the thought of the local meeting, “those who divide the spoil in midst of the places of drawing water: there they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, his righteous acts toward his villages in Israel”. We are justified in treating this as the local meeting. This victory of Deborah leads on to the meetings having their place. The meetings are as villages, each stands on its own feet. In England the thought of villages is very prominent; some villages are greatly distinguished, more so than many of the cities. The thing is developed locally.
There was the fire kindled for Paul, the barbarians did it and then Paul added to it. The local assembly is [p. 115] to have warmth and then anyone coming should add to it. Deborah is a person who dwelt under her own palm-tree. She was a woman prophetess. While she did a man’s part, she remained a woman in character. As a prophetess she had the mind of God, but in womanly way.
This victory was not against a man but against a great military organisation. Jabin, king of Canaan, reigned in Hazor and had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he mightily oppressed Israel twenty years. His captain dwelt in Harosheth-Goim. This was strategy, the military man was placed where he would be of best service. Today, this is Rome. Hazor is head of the nations in Joshua. There has never been a military organisation like Rome. Through a great victory its power has been broken. Victory comes through some person laying himself out to get power. First the power must be over himself, the victory over himself; there must be a personal victory first. I must overthrow myself. Deborah sat under her own palm-tree.
In all our meetings there should be spoil, we should get something. “Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates”. They administer things in the gates. Gates suggest a place of power. “The Lord loveth the gates of Zion”, (Psalm 87:2). The movement to the gates suggests the care meeting.
Deborah is one of the few mothers in Israel. She was first a wife. No one can be a mother without first becoming a wife. She was the wife of Lapidoth, which means ‘light’; she was thus related to one who was in the light. Deborah does not represent just one sister, but a subjective state among God’s people. When the whole assembly is come together in one place there is that which is prophetic and then comes the victory: the man falls down. We are to discern the word of God, no matter through whom it comes.
[p. 116] Springs are a great general thought; they are self-acting, not pumps. The thought is self-acting energy. Water has its own place. The woman in John 4 drew water, but she left it and went into the city. But she had it. These places of drawing water suggest what Achsah had, the springs.
In chapter 7 we have the well Harod which is a place of testing. We have a good meeting and then go home and take our ease: there is no sacrifice. It is a question of how you take it: you do not take a can and then let it down, but you lap like a dog. You take what you need for the moment and then go on. It is drinking to live. What the Lord gives in the meeting is in view of a conflict. The meeting is to test; if God is ministering, there is something to be tested. “I will try them ... there”. It might just furnish me enjoyment. To drink with comfort means to consider for oneself, while the test is that everything involves sacrifice. It is not an armchair matter. Scripture speaks of those “that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice”, (Psalm 50:5). The flesh is never to be considered; it is always sacrifice.
Midian was naturally linked with Israel. They are persons linked with us on worldly lines. The camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley: this is a touch giving an advantage. Having this advantage over them, being thus in moral superiority, he was already victorious.
In chapter 5, persons in affluence are called upon to consider. “All seek their own things, not the things of Jesus Christ”, (Philippians 2:21). The whole thought of Christianity is sacrifice. On this line the Lord Jesus is the victorious Leader in sacrifice. In Luke the word is “Take heed ... how ye hear” (Luke 8:18). The three hundred had a keener apprehension of being in the service of God. Only spiritual men could stand what they had to contend with. Paul speaks about bearing about in his body the dying of Jesus. The flesh does not like this. There is no woman here; it is a man acting for God.
[p. 117] With Samson it is pre-eminently what one man can do. He never had an army, it is what he did himself. Judges gives us what God can do with one man. One is apt to give way. Samson was very thirsty; he “called on Jehovah, and said. Thou hast given by the hand of thy servant this great deliverance, and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? And God clave the hollow rock which was in Lehi, and water came out of it”. It is God furnishing what was needed in a crisis in answer to Samson’s calling, At a time when you feel at an extremity, the greatest spiritual history is made. All our so-called ‘sorrows’ have culminated in this way in crises where it is felt that the enemy has the advantage, and then God comes in. “God clave the hollow rock ... and water came out of it”. It is not here speaking to the rock or smiting it as with Moses but “God clave the hollow rock”. The rock is Christ. The cleaving is the bringing to light of some new feature of Christ: something which they never saw before. The refreshment came out of that. Every crisis brings out something distinctive, some new feature of Christ. Any name which signifies an event is a landmark in spiritual history.