HIS WORD, ENGRAVED ON OUR HEARTS…
Jeremiah 31:31-34 hints at what Jesus was talking about when He stated He was coming to “complete” the Torah / God’s instructions. And, Jeremiah 31:31-34 was then — a most curious prophecy to the Hebrews struggling to keep the original instructions God gave them:
Israel” in the above scripture means ALL those who worship Yehovah — along side or within the people of Israel. And, this is a direct prophecy foretelling exactly what Jesus did for all individuals who choose Him.
Two word pictures — among MANY of Jesus’ analogies on this — will help us to understand just how God would “engrave” the hearts of those accepting Him. The picture symbols we are choosing to look at here — are Water and Bread.
WATER: “Living Water”
In the Bible, “water” has been synonymous with spiritual cleansing and His spiritual indwelling us. The use of water for spiritual purification started with several Hebrew rituals, dating back to when God gave Moses His instructions to the Hebrew people. But after Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection, ‘water’ had come into a fullness regarding its spiritual meaning — as to just how God planned to prepare us for His kingdom after this earth.
Living Water is a phrase Jesus — a Jew— also carried on in His teaching. In the ancient land of Samaria, He purposefully encountered an outcast woman. He met her at a famous water well to the Jews. She came to get water one day at that well. And there was Jesus. She did not know Him. In the course of His conversation with her, Jesus began revealing things He knew about her. And, that what she really needed was not water from a well, but “living water.” Of such source, that Christ said would never make her “thirsty” again. She very quickly realized that He was the promised Messiah. Read John 4 for the very moving story that changed her life. Also His same promise in John 7:37-38.
The lesson was not only for the Samaritan woman at the well; it is for all of us. We all need Him to satisfy our spiritual void in life. Our spiritual thirst. We try to replace that thirst with materialism; substances; sex; and other vices, amusements, distractions… But it is Jesus, whom is the only One who bridges that void in us. Once we accept Him as our Savior, he puts a thirst in us for this Living Water — His Perfect Spirit. His Spirit that counsels us; guides us; speaks to us; warns us; loves us; comforts us. So the Holy Spirit — that is the very Spirit embodying Christ Himself — is the one engraving God’s Word on our hearts.
BREAD: “The Bread of Life”
The promise of Living Water / His Holy Spirit is often used in conjunction with the Bible’s references to “bread.” Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 when he says to the devil trying to tempt him: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from he mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
He later says to those listening to His teaching: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” John 6:35
The Bible tells of God supplying nutritional sustenance to the Hebrew people going through the desert to their promised land. With nothing to eat, and harsh conditions, God sent a sweet flaky substance miraculously appearing in the morning dew. They called it Manna. This sustained them until they could reach the land of Canaan. A beautiful picture of God’s Word sustaining us, until we get to heaven.
MANNA
ABOVE: Hebrews collecting manna from heaven, for bread cakes in the desert. NOTE: A jar of manna was one of the three objects stored inside the Tabernacle’s Ark of the Covenant. Its placement there was to remember God’s provision and compassion, while wandering in the desert for 40 years.
Just like sending down bread from heaven compassionately providing food, Christ was provided as our total salvation, as the completed bridge to God. Jesus the Messiah says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” He was the embodiment of God’s Word and Truth — as that truth literally became flesh. Upon acceptance of this “bread”, His Spirit comes to dwell in believers . And His Spirit coming into us Jesus compares to the fluidity of water. Living Water — which washes us clean by His Word, writing His Word onto our hearts… just as Jeremiah prophesied.
Now we can see how vitally we need His Word.The Bible.It is something to hunger for, like the best bread ever.The Word intersects every part of our being, writing and re-writing our new creation onto our corrupted spiritual DNA.This is what the prophets such as Jeremiah above were foretelling.The very Word is Jesus the Christ — indwelling in those who believe, writing Himself on our hearts.
WHEN HEAVEN AND EARTH INTERSECT:
Students of the material world: Does all of this sound like a problem of physics? Not a problem for the Creator of both the physical universe, and the spiritual realm. He has bridged these two for us beyond the physical universe and our scientific understanding.
When we accept Jesus the Christ as God’s Son; His work at the cross for us and His overcoming physical death at His resurrection — and sincerely ask Him to forgive us, and fill our lives, we are spiritually reborn in Him. John 3:7, John 3:16 He loves to come into our lives and work in those with this humility. This kind of reception of God allows His Holy Spirit to dwell within us. And, this can only happen because a believer is now made new. Our sins are covered by Jesus, simply because we received it! As Christ followers, we are now an acceptable vessel for His Holy Spirit and commune with us. He then begins making us into the true individuals that God intended us to be. And this is how the engraving upon our hearts begins. A dynamic relationship with Him as we are purified by His Word on our hearts! Our sustenance in every way.
HIS SPIRIT INSCRIBING HIS WORD ON OUR HEARTS:
The most powerful way God’s Spirit can take hold of a believer at any age — from young to old; from new believer to seasoned believer — is to be transformed by his dynamic living Word. The Word of God. The Bible is that Word. It is the most important agent of His Spirit to speak to us, and write His ways onto our heart. When we realize the results of His ultimate guidance, we can say…
“Your Word is a lamp for my feet, and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105
All subject links in the Wellspring Posts are here:
