The Story of WaterSample

Water in the Old Testament

Soon, God’s people found themselves enslaved by cruel masters, the Egyptians, and thirstier than ever for redemption. Pharoah issued a terrifying command: all their baby boys were to be thrown to their death into the Nile River. Yet in the midst of the smothering horror, a small hope appeared: a basket floating above the waters. In faith, a mother tucked her baby into a basket and surrendered him to the waves—and to the God who is sovereign over their every move. The same God who brought judgement to the earth with a flood protected a child in a rushing river. Pharoah’s daughter discovered this child in the very waters that were meant to kill him, and she raised him as a son of Egypt.

Even still, Moses knew his true heritage as one of God’s people, and it eventually prompted him to flee from Egypt into the wilderness. He sat down by a well, and it was there, by the water, that he met his future family who taught him to shepherd flocks—until God called Moses to shepherd His people in Egypt, guiding them away from their cruel masters. After God orchestrated a series of plagues, Pharoah finally granted God’s people their freedom—before quickly changing his mind yet again and trapping them between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea.

Though rescue seemed impossible, it wasn’t: Moses lifted up his staff, and God told the waters to become walls, to offer His people safe passage in the most unexpected way. The Egyptians hurried after them, but once God’s people were safe, Moses stretched out his hand again as God commanded, and the water swallowed up the enemies until not one was left. God told the water to bring about life and death on the same day, and the Israelites had no doubt of God’s love, God’s sovereignty, and God’s life-giving power.

And yet, how quickly God’s people forgot about Him! As they journeyed deeper into the wilderness, their physical thirst revealed their spiritual thirst. With parched tongues, they angrily asked Moses, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” (Ex. 17:3). Had they forgotten the God who made water into walls? Moses cried out to the Lord, and He commanded Moses to strike a rock with his staff. With God’s command, water flowed from where it never should: a rock in the dry wilderness.