Isaiah 12 (Drawing Water from the Wells of Salvation)

Isaiah 12 - Drawing Water from the Wells of Salvation

Isaiah 12 is a prophetic SONG of SALVATION: “In that day, you will SAY: "O Lord, I will praise You; though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. Behold God - is my SALVATION. I will TRUST and NOT be AFRAID; for Yah, the Lord, is my STRENGTH and SONG; He also has become my SALVATION. Therefore with joy you will draw water from the WELLS OF SALVATION. And in that day, you will SAY: PRAISE the Lord, CALL upon His Name, DECLARE His deeds among the peoples. Make mention that His Name is exalted. SING to the Lord, for He has done excellent things; this must be made known in all the earth. CRY OUT & SHOUT aloud, O inhabitant of Zion-for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of you."

v1a. “And in that day.” This is a prophecy of the day of Messiah and the New Covenant, an age of great spiritual blessing that the Messiah will bring in. We see this from the context of Isaiah 11, which introduces the Messiah as a man filled with the Spirit: “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD” (v2,3).

Then Isaiah 12 says He will also usher in an age of the Spirit. The salvation He brings is compared to the time of the Exodus: “As it was for Israel in the day that he came up from the land of Egypt” (11:16).  As Moses led Israel out of the bondage of Egypt into a Covenant with God and into the Promised Land of blessing, so Messiah (the Greater than Moses) will bring His people out in a SECOND EXODUS for God’s people, out of sin, spiritual death, bondage, curse and oppression into a New Covenant and a promised land of life, blessing and fullness of the Spirit. So the Exodus forms the backdrop and pattern for Isaiah 12.

v1b: THE BASIS of SALVATION - the Blood of the Lamb. In the Exodus parallel, the basis of their salvation was the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb which protected them from judgement. Likewise, Christ, our Passover Lamb has saved us from God’s judgement and obtained forgiveness for our sins: “you (singular - an individual, personal experience for each believer) will SAY: "O LORD, I will praise (thank) You; though You were angry with me (because of my sin), Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me (by propitiation). Isaiah fully describes how this is done in another Song (Isa 53).

v2. The RESULT of this SALVATION is inner transformation as God’s life, strength and blessing is imparted: “Behold (look at the One Who has accomplished this, it is) God - my SALVATION’ (lit: Jeshua - the name of the coming Messiah is revealed here!). Therefore, because God Himself has paid for my Salvation on the Cross and because He has also become my Salvation in Life: I will TRUST and NOT be AFRAID; for YAH, the LORD, is my STRENGTH (patience, durability, victory in life against pressure) and SONG (an inner welling up of joy); He also has become my SALVATION."  

Salvation is based upon Christ’s (God’s) Person and Work. His Work on the Cross releases Him to be my Source of Life. So now the true believer acknowledges God as the Source of his life and salvation. It is not just that God gives us some strength and salvation but that now in the New Covenant HE IS our strength and salvation. This means that God is united to man, that He has come to live in the heart of man imparting His life from the inside! This song is what they sang at the Exodus (a type of this salvation) after going through the Red Sea: “I will SING to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! ... The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him” (Exodus 15:1,2).

In His death and burial Jesus entered into the depths with all sin, curse and satan upon his back. When He rose again he left them buried and defeated forever. As Israel, identified with Moses came through into a new-birth and life, so we were identified with Christ in His death, burial and victorious resurrection, leaving behind us sin buried, the curse cancelled and satan defeated, so that now we can enter into our Promised Land, singing the same song of salvation.

v3: LIVING IN THE FULNESS OF THIS SALVATION. “Therefore (because ‘God within me’ is now my Salvation and Source of life) with joy (with confidence and rejoicing) you (plural, all believers) will DRAW (living) WATER from the WELLS of SALVATION.” At the Exodus, although they were saved, they needed to stay strong and refreshed, so God provided the water they needed: “Then they came to Elim, where there were 12 wells of water and 70 palm trees; so they camped there by the waters” (Exodus 15:27). Likewise, God has provided WELLS, from which spring living FOUNTAINS of the WATERS of Life and Salvation. God has SPRINGS of Healing, Life, Strength, Wisdom, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Humility, Faithfulness, Self-Control- for us to enjoy, but we must tap into them, it is up to us to draw upon them by faith. In the New Covenant we have the Indwelling Holy-Spirit, Who is the Source of the waters of life and salvation springing forth.

WHERE ARE THESE SPRINGS? - this is the amazing thing in the New-Covenant. God, of course, is the Source of these Springs of Life. "All my springs are in You (God)" (Psa 87:7). He is our salvation. But where is He?: “for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of you!” (v6).

"The Spirit of truth ... He dwells with you and will be IN YOU” (John 14:16,17). “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1Cor 3:16). So these wells and these springs of life are put in us when we are saved!

In John 4:13,14, Jesus talking about the fulfilment of Isaiah 12, described these wells of salvation:"Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the WATER that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become IN HIM a fountain (spring) of water springing up into everlasting life." He is saying that by the New-Birth our spirit is now like an artesian well, that is bored deep under the earth providing a constant supply of water
welling up due to the internal pressures. Thus our spirit sinks deep into the depths of God (into the Spirit), so that waters of God’s life are freely springing up eternally. They are always available to us.

Thus, with this reborn spirit we can worship God in spirit: "The hour is coming (the day of Messiah of Isa 12), and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (v23,24). Jesus said He is bringing Isaiah 12 into fulfilment.

HOW DO WE DRAW WATER from these wells that are built within our spirit, so that they can fill and refresh our whole body, soul and life? “With joy you will draw water from the SALVATION- SPRINGS. And in that day you (plural) will SAY (v3,4). The key to drawing water from these wells is our WORDS. Drawing water happens at the fountain-head (the opening at the surface). This is our mouth: “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” (Prov 10:11). A closed
opening blocks the flow. When our mouth speaks the words of God we draw (pull) waters from the fountains of God within, releasing them to flow into our lives. This is how the New Covenant works (Isa 59:21). We believe in the heart and confess with our mouth (Rom10:8-10).  By speaking the words of the Spirit in English and in tongues we draw water from the wells of salvation for ourselves and others.

What flows from the inner fountain of the heart comes out of our mouth and into our life (Matt 12:34,35). “Out of the same MOUTH proceed blessing and cursing. Brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a SPRING send forth fresh
water & bitter from the same OPENING?” (Jas 3:10,11).

We have two kinds of springs (spirit and flesh) but only one opening. When we speak we either draw water from the wells of salvation (in our spirit) or of damnation (in our flesh)! By choosing what we yield our tongue to, we determine which kind of spring dominates and which waters are released to flow into our lives and to others. Thus we are either filled with life or death and eat the fruit of our lips.

God gives 5 WAYS to draw this water with words (we are to encourage each other to do these) - v4.

(1) PRAISE the LORD (thanksgiving for salvation). This is not just our emotional response to God but as we thank and praise Him for healing, wisdom, etc, we are releasing those fountains to flow and water our whole being. Thank God and confess boldly your blessings one by one:

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's” (Psalm 103:2-5).

(2) CALL upon His Name (PRAYER). “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man makes much power available” (Jas 5:16). Release your rivers of life to others through prayer, as Jesus said:"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." This He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive” (John 7:37-39).

(3) DECLARE His deeds among the peoples. Make mention that His Name is exalted.” This is WITNESSING to His Work of salvation & His character."You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me" (Acts 1:8). The power upon us is released when we witness.

(4) SING to the Lord, for He has done excellent things; this must be made known in all the earth.

(5) CRY OUT and SHOUT aloud, O inhabitant of Zion (sometimes we need to shout it out, not so much for God’s benefit but for our benefit - to release that fountain within) - for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of you!" (the waters flow from within us!).