Isaiah 12:3, With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Parts of our country are learning the importance of water.  Water should not be taken for granted.  In the Middle East water has been a scarce and precious commodity for ages.  It’s no surprise that scripture uses water as an image of salvation and plenty.

In Genesis 2, rather than rain a mist rose from the land watering the ground.  Yet a river which divided into four not only watered the garden but seems to have watered the whole earth.  God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt via parted water.  Soon God changed bitter water into sweet.  When it came to describing the new Exodus for Israel from Babylon, the way home will not be dry desert, but will run with rivers (43:19).

In Isaiah 12, “you” is plural.  All Israel will draw water from the wells of salvation.  God has a depth of grace that cannot be fathomed.  The well of salvation will never run dry.  When Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well he offers her living water.  (John 4:1-42) Her life has run dry.  She thirsts for more than the water from Jacob’s well.  However, she can’t imagine anything more than the daily grind of getting the water which will sustain her one day at a time.  But Jesus will give her flowing water, the Holy Spirit, who gives new birth through water (3:5).  Through her new birth she will believe that Jesus is the Savior, the well of salvation from which the woman and her village will draw the waters of life.