Key Verse: "For I will pour out on the thirsty land, streams on the
dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on
your descendants."
Isaiah 44:3
There is an old gospel
song that goes:
"There's a river of life flowing out through me.
It makes the lame to walk and the blind to see,
It opens prison doors and sets the captives free.
There's a river of life flowing out through me!
Spring up oh well within my soul.
Spring up oh well and make me whole!
Spring up oh well and give to me
That life so abundantly.
In truth, the song refers to an incident during the wanderings of the
Israelites in the desert when the Lord led them to a well near Beer. (Numbers
21:16-18). The desert, however,
serves as a useful picture to describe all of us in our wanderings through the
ravages of sin.
The people of Jesus’ day were, in a sense, no better off than their ancestors
who wandered outside the Promised Land.
They were all suffering in sin in one way or another. Galatians 3:22 says, "The scripture
declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised,
being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who
believe." The Jews were oppressed
by the Romans. The Romans were oppressed
by their government. There was corruption
and religious oppression everywhere. Immorality was rampant. It was a desert of hopelessness. Yes, Jesus had come, but He had also left and
now the festival of Pentecost was coming.
The religious calendar, same old, same old, marched on. The disciples
were praying, but for what?
Yet, the stage was being set. The
poor and the alien alike were invited to this festival. The oppressed of the world were invited to
come and bring their offering and to give thanks for what the Lord had done for
them despite their oppression.
"I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry
ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your off spring, and My blessing on your
descendants. They will spring up like
grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. One will say, "I belong to the
Lord," another will call himself by the name of Jacob; another will write
on his hand, "The Lord's," and will take the name Israel." (Isaiah 44:3-5) "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave
nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal.
3:28-29)
The feast of Pentecost invited the world to come. Come from the desert. Come out of your struggle and receive the
Lord's blessing. He will restore what
the locust of sin has eaten. (Joel
2:26) He will bless with His water
from which you will never thirst again.
(John
4:14) Yes, the world was poised to
receive a new thing and they couldn't have even imagined just how wonderful it
could be!
Hymn: "Holy Spirit Rain Down"
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