Isaiah 12 (The Wells of Salvation)

Drawing Water from the Wells of Salvation

Isaiah 12 is a prophetic SONG of SALVATION:
VERSE: 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.
CHORUS: Therefore WITH JOY (rejoicing)
you will DRAW WATER
from the WELLS (SPRINGS) OF SALVATION.
VERSE:
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 and SHOUT aloud, O inhabitant of Zion -
for Great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of you.”
Isaiah 12 is a prophecy of the present day of grace and how God’s
people: “will draw water (including Healing-Power) from the
wells of salvation (their reborn spirit)” (v3). How do they do this?
“with joy” or “with REJOICING.” This whole prophecy confirms
that in the New Covenant, our wells (spirits) will be filled with the
waters of salvation (John 4:14), and it is by our WORDS that we can
draw up these waters to the surface, bringing them into manifestation.
v1a. “And in that day (introduced by the Messiah, this is referring to
Isaiah 11).” 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.
v1: THE BASIS of SALVATION -is the Blood of the Lamb.
“And in that day you will SAY: "O Lord, I will PRAISE You.
Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away
(by the Atonement of Christ), and You comfort me (we are now
under His grace and mercy).”
In the Exodus parallel, the basis of their salvation was the atoning
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: “And in that
day 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 (Isaiah 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’ (literally: ‘God - my 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 (healing,
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. He is trusting in God’s Salvation in Christ.
He has received his Salvation and Healing by faith. 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.
Having received Salvation and Healing from God we can now bring
His life forth and live in the fullness of His Life and Salvation:
“Therefore (because ‘God within me’ is now my Salvation
and Source of Life) with joy (or ‘with confident rejoicing’)
you (plural, that is all believers) will DRAW (Living) WATER
(including Healing Power) from the WELLS of SALVATION
(literally: JESHUA’S SPRINGS!). This is the central verse or
chorus of this Song, containing its key thought. Notice that
WE are to bring forth the waters of life from our reborn spirit!
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 the
living FOUNTAINS of the WATERS of Life and Salvation.
‘WELLS of SALVATION’ are literally ‘SALVATION-SPRINGS.’
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 now have the Indwelling Holy-Spirit, Who is the Source
of the Waters of Life and Salvation springing forth.
WHERE ARE THESE SALVATION-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)" (Psalm 87:7). God is our Salvation. But where is He?:
“for Great is the Holy One of Israel in the MIDST OF YOU!” (v6)
The Greater One (the Holy-Spirit) now lives in us! (1John 4:4).
"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?” (1Corinthians 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 (eternal, ever-flowing) 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 Isaiah 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 THE WATERS OF LIFE from these
well-springs of salvation 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...” (v3,4a).
Notice that v1 also starts with: “And in that day you will SAY.”
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” (Proverbs 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 (Isaiah 59:21). We
believe in the heart and confess with our mouth (Romans 10:8-10).
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 (Matthew 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 and
bitter from the same OPENING?” (James 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 us 7 WAYS to draw this water of life with our WORDS
(and we are also told to encourage each other to do these).
(1): THANKSGIVING: “In that day, you will SAY: "O Lord,
I will praise (thank) You ; though You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me” (v1).
This is thanksgiving for our 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) CONFESSION OF FAITH:
“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” (v2).
The next 5 WAYS are given in verses 4-6.
“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 and SHOUT aloud, O inhabitant of Zion -
for Great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of you.”
(3) PRAISE: “In that day, you will SAY: PRAISE the Lord” (v4).
As we praise Him, so the rivers of life are released from within us.
(4) PRAYER: “CALL upon His Name (v4). “The effective, fervent
prayer of a righteous man makes much power available, dynamic
in its working” (James 5:16, AMP). 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).
(5) WITNESSING to His Work of Salvation and to His Character.
“DECLARE His Deeds among the peoples (His Work).
Make mention that His Name (His Character) is exalted” (v4).
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you; and you shall be witnesses to Me" (Acts 1:8). The Power
of God within and upon us is released when we witness to Christ.
(6) SINGING: “SING to the Lord, for He has done excellent
things; this must be made known in all the earth” (v5).
(7) SHOUT FOR JOY: “CRY OUT and SHOUT aloud (for joy)
O inhabitant of Zion (all believers) - for Great is the HOLY ONE
(the Holy-Spirit of God) of Israel in the MIDST OF YOU!"
Sometimes we need to shout it out, not so much for God’s benefit,
but for our benefit - to release that fountain within.
Notice that these waters flow from within us, from the midst of us,
where the Holy-Spirit dwells! Our words of faith are like buckets
that contain and bring up the Water from our Wells of Salvation
within. A better example is that our mouth is a fountain-head, like a
nozzle or tap connected to a pressurised water supply, which when
turned on, releases the waters to flow out (into manifestation) for the
Waters are under an internal pressure from within, and just need an
opening (a believing heart and a confessing mouth) in order to flow.
Believers are to draw the Water of Life (including Healing) up
from their ‘spirit-spring’ by WORDS of THANKSGIVING, FAITHCONFESSION,
PRAISE, CALLING, WITNESSING, DECLARING,
SHOUTING and SINGING!
The reason that is given for all this praise, rejoicing and declaration
is that: “Great is the HOLY ONE of Israel in your MIDST!”
In the New Covenant, God Himself comes to live in us!
The Greater One is in us! The Holy Spirit lives in our spirit, filling
our well with living waters, so He is ready to manifest His Life,
Character (Fruit), Healing and Salvationin us, as we speak His Word.