stephen R Harrison

Once as I sat on the beach by the ocean, I read over 75 Scriptures referencing water. A quick search discovered over 700 verses about water. In the Bible, water illustrates God’s provision, protection, power, pardoning, and prominence. He created the waters (Gen. 1:9-10), commanded the sea (Proverbs 8:29), and calmed the waves (Psalm 109:27).

God parted it (Exodus 14), purged with it (Genesis 7), caused it to appear from nothing (Numbers 20), walked on it (Mark 6:45:53), transformed it (John 2:1-11), and baptized with it (1 Peter 3:21).

Water represents His forgiveness. David said, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (Psalm 51:2). Water symbolizes His Spirit. Isaiah 44:3 states, “For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descents.”

Water shows God’s restorative nature as illustrated in Isaiah, “I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs” (Isaiah 41:18).

Most importantly, water demonstrates Jesus’ live-giving salvation. In John 4:14, Jesus declares, “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

The water that is God satisfies the soul, soothes the scorched, sanctifies the servant, and saves the sinful. “More than the sounds of many waters, than the mighty breakers of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty (Psalm 93:4).

What’s your favorite Bible verse about water?