Download What is the symbolism of water in the bible

What is the symbolism of water in the bible?
Q. What is the symbolism of water in the bible relative to the other religions
like,Hindu, Islam, Buddhism, Greek philosophy?’
In Greek philosophy water was believed to be the original substance that all things were
made from. With this, the Bible seems to agree:
2 Peter 3:5 - 6 "For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens
existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,through which the
world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water."
Genesis 1:2 "The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the
Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters."
The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." Water seems to play an
elemental part in Islam. I should remind you that the Koran was written some 600 years
after the writing of the Old and New Testaments, and is largely an answer to Christianity,
therefore, we would expect to see a lot of similarity in the teaching of the Koran with
regard to water.
Buddha thought water to be of little significance, as far as I have been able to learn.
Most of his teaching emphasized the "mental" aspect of world enlightenment. Physical
things were not considered of great importance, and attachment to anything physical was
considered "weakness."
The Hindus believe that the Ganges River (in India) is sacred. Water is a sacred element
in Hinduism, and in many other polytheistic religions.
Because of the scarcity of water in the Bible Lands it is especially appreciated by the
people there. The main source of water in Palestine is rainfall. This moisture is carried up
from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow. This supplies the springs and
streams. The rivers are mostly small and have little or no water in summer. For the most
part springs supply the villages, but in case this is not sufficient, cisterns are used. Most
of the rain falls on the western slopes of the mountains, and most of the springs are found
there. The limestone in many places does not hold the water, so wells are not very
common, though there are many references to them in the Bible.
There is the pool of Bersheba (Gen. 21:19), Isaac's well (Gen. 24:11), Jacob's well (John
4:6), Pool of Siloam (John 9:7), the waters of Nephtoah (Joshua 15:9).
Washing with water was required under the Old Testament Law for the Levitical priests,
in fact, it held a considerable place in the temple ceremony (see. Leviticus 11:32; 16:4;
17:15; 22:6; Numbers 19:7; Exodus 30:18; 40:7), and sacrifices were to be
washed (Exodus 29:4; Leviticus 1:9; 6:28; 14:5).
In the New Testament water symbolizes a number of things. For example:
In John 3:5 "Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
In this place Jesus is teaching the significance of baptism by immersion in water. By
being baptized, we symbolically go through the death, burial, and resurrection through
which we become a child of God (see Romans 6:1-4). When we are baptized for the
forgiveness of our sins (by immersion in water) our sins are washed away (Acts 22:16)
and we receive the gift of the Spirit (Acts 2:38). This act unites us with Christ (Romans
6:1-4), and we are added to His Kingdom, which is His church. (Acts 2:47, Col. 1:16;
Gal. 3:26-27; Ephesians 1:21-22).
In another place Jesus taught:
John 4
10* Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says
to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you
living water.”
11* She *said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where
then do You get that living water?
12* “You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank
of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”
13* Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;
14* 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.”
15* The woman *said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come
all the way here to draw.”
This water which symbolized eternal life was the Word of God which Jesus taught the
woman at the well.
Ephesians 5:26 says of those in the church " so that He might sanctify her, having
cleansed her by the washing of water with the word . . " The Word of God is the pure
water for which our souls thirst.
The Hebrew writer says: Heb 10:22 "let us draw near with a sincere heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our
bodies washed with pure water." This is a reference to baptism.
In the book of Acts there are numerous references to water and baptism:
Acts 8:36
36* As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look!
Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
37* And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and
said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38* And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as
well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
39* When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and
the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.
In this place we learn that when one is taught about Jesus (by God, through His Word)
one is taught about the necessity of baptism, and it's relationship to salvation.
With this, the Apostle Peter agrees when he says:
1Peter 3:20 - 21
"who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah,
during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought
safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal
of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the
resurrection
of Jesus Christ . . ."
God has chosen water as a symbol of salvation for the Christian. The Apostle John used
water in the way in a number of passages:
1 John 5:6
"This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but
with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the
truth.
1 John 5:8
the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement."
Re 7:17
"for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to
springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."
Re 22:17
"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let
the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost."
Water can symbolize may things for the Christian. God's care and concern, God's
provision, God's Word, God's salvation. While there is no mystical or magical power in
water, it stands as a symbol for these things. Remember also the rainbow (which is made
up of water) which reminds us of God's unfailing love.