“Kingdom of God: Part 3: Spirit Hovers/Living Water”

In following on with the Holy Spirit’s hovering over the testimony of Jesus, we go on with David’s life.

We started with Saul. He was to represent God to the people in his role as Israel’s king.

And for that, he needed God’s guiding hand and the anointing of the Spirit Who would supply his needs for this.

Now, let us go over to David to see the substructure for the guarding the testimony of Jesus within man.

We start in 1 Samuel 16:7. This is some time before Saul was discharged from his kingly role. 

God told Samuel to travel to Bethlehem where he would find Saul’s successor and anoint him.    

Samuel had his own ideas about how a king ‘ought to look’, as he inspected all of Jesse’s sons.

But the Lord looked beyond Samuel’s idea of who would be the best replacement.

Instead, God said to him, ‘’Look not on the countenance, nor on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’    

It was David, of course, whose heart the Lord had sought
as His choice for Israel’s next king.

The Spirit of the Lord once again touched earth and lighted upon David whose heart was seasoned for this Divine Gift.

For we see in v 13: ‘Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.’

And then, we go on to read, right after that, in v 14, ‘But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.’

When the Spirit of the Lord departed, Saul had only emptiness within and a troubled spirit fell upon him.

It became obvious how Saul’s conscience started sliding downward toward callousness and wickedness.

If you read through First and Second Samuel, you can follow the history of that.

But it was Saul who proved the futility of man’s life when his heart does not gravitate toward God and stay focused on Him.

Saul resorted to rebellion against God. He ignored God’s explicit instruction. (1 Sam 15:8-9)

And the verdict was that Saul had rejected the Word of the Lord (v 26), and, when he did, he cut off the testimony of the Lord, of representing God to the people.

So God chose David through whom His Word was to be preserved.

Even before Saul was out of the picture, the Lord already had anointed David as Israel’s next king.

David, on the basis of what his heart could receive of divine depth, would not reject the Lord’s word and rebel against it.

David’s heart always seemed to long after spiritual joys, his flesh ached for God ‘in a dry and thirsty land where no water was’.

Read through the psalms he wrote to see how deeply he yearned for the living God.

But how could such a man’s thirst be satisfied? How did God arrange it?

And, here, we must see the connection in which the Holy Spirit, in conjunction with our spirit, seeks to so guard the testimony of Christ that rivers of living water do not fail to flow out.

And for this, we go over to John’s Gospel to see the ‘Guard’ of His testimony.

In Jn 4, Jesus disclosed it to the Samaritan woman who had come to the well to draw water. 

She had the container, the waterpot, with her to do so. Jesus apparently had none with Him. 

He opened the opportunity by asking her to draw some water for Him.

She, being a Samaritan with whom the Jews had no dealings since they considered them as ‘dogs’, wondered why He was speaking to her.

And Jesus answered her: ‘If you just knew Who it was speaking to you, you would ask for ‘living water.’

With that, she figured Him to be some kind of a miracle worker. 

‘Living water? From where will you draw living water?’, she asked.

And Jesus answered: ‘Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again.

For, the water that I will give him shall be in him a well springing up into everlasting life.’

There is much about this story that can be said but I want to adhere to our main point tonight.

The woman started a theological discussion about the proper places of worship.

To that, Jesus answered with the amazing statement in verses 23 and 24.

There he said: ‘...the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipper shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.’

And then, in the next verse: ‘God is spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.’  

What two amazing changes did Jesus announce to her? 

First, the historical problem then existing between the Jews and Samaritans was being solved in this discussion with the Son of God before her very eyes. 

He let her know that the worship she knew about would change.

‘The outward places of either the Jerusalem temple or the mountain is not needful for true worship,’ He was saying.

She - nor anyone else - who drinks of ‘living water’ would no longer need to be concerned about the places and all of the other outward modes of worship.

Ceremonies, rituals, and even the sanctuary where David found his strength, were all required under the law - but - ‘the hour is come, and now is’ which changes all of that!

Under the law, those things were binding. But, now, they  would no longer be issues - would no longer be necessary!

Nor would there be any reason for the division she was feeling between Jew and Samaritan!

That was shocking news!

But how could that be feasible?

What was the other change coming out of Jesus’ offer of ‘living water’ which made that possible?

And - here - is the second astounding, wonderful news for all mankind!

Here - He is instituting a new and different way: an homage to God coming from the innermost being, meeting with spirit and guarded by the Holy Spirit.  

He said plainly: ‘God is spirit’. That is, ‘God is not bound to places or methods or rituals or ceremonies.’

And those who seek to worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

That is, He told her, since God is pure Spirit, worship of Him must be in accordance with His nature.

He is ‘Father of spirits’ and therefore, requires a spiritual service in harmony with His being.

What a change this is!

It was beyond shocking! It was liberation!

But - why would Jesus teach such a radical measure as this to worship the living God?

Just look at past history and at current thought for the answer. 

All through the ages, man has decided, on his own, what God really wants in worship. Go back to Saul’s case, if you will. 

Even today, in our society, we know how many say that worship is an individual matter.

‘Each one may worship however he chooses. It is all up to the individual,’ we say.

But Jesus is plainly refuting this concept here.

He said it must - notice the imperative, ‘must’ be in accordance with Who God is - it must be ‘Something’ of His essential Being. 

It must center in the worshipper’s own spirit wherein he has this indwelling harmony with God’s Being.

What does this mean?

Let us go over to Jn 7 for the connection here.

Starting in the last part of Jn 7:37-39, in His reproof of depending upon the senses to ‘see and believe’ the works of God, Jesus also made this declaration: ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.’

Then, in verses 38-39, He went on to say: ‘He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’

Jesus spoke of the effect upon those whose thirst for God is quenched by belief on Him.  

And then we see the basis for this effect in the next verse: ‘But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive...’.

‘Rivers of living water’ will flow because of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus uncovered the basis of the preservation of His testimony.

Obviously, when God looked at David’s heart, He knew how the tie between Himself and a heart such as David’s can be reached to be spiritually re-created to keep His testimony.

And, according to Jesus Who explained this tie, it is by the Holy Spirit. He is the One Who can touch man’s spirit so that it is in harmony with God’s nature.

So - Jesus focused on the permanent effect of the ‘rivers of living water.’ He spelled it out plainly.

It has its foundation in the Spirit of God. He not only touched earth to protect God’s Word. But He is also given to those who believe in Christ to carry on that same work.

He would effect the ‘new’ way of the worship of God.

Here we are brought back to the Spirit hovering over the waters once again, only these are the ‘rivers of living water’.

This is the ‘water’ He broods or hovers over in this dispensation.

The Spirit settles within, and out from that heart, He sees to it that the ‘rivers of living water’, the ‘testimony of Christ holds!

Those indwelled by God, the Spirit, on the basis of Christ’s  atoning work, are free to worship God, the Father, in spirit and truth! 

In fact, God ‘seeketh such to worship Him.’ (Jn 4:23b)

For - the Spirit of God, Who has brought man’s spirit in harmony with God, will satisfy man’s thirst for God by His watchful ministry! 

What does this mean to us tonight?

It means a worship not dependent on the physical senses - the eyes nor ears - but ‘in spirit’, out from the new nature. 

It means the new nature is returning its gratefulness unto God, as implied in Jn 4:28-29. 

And it confirms it by the ‘living waters’ flowing out with a peaceful, seasoned heart and a rejoicing spirit!  

In short, it means a spiritual, reverential occupation with God Himself.

That is, the heart is occupied with Christ Whose testimony lies under the Holy Spirit’s guard! 

The charge Jesus gave of worshippers in Mt 15:8-9 is no longer valid of such spiritual worship.

There He said: ‘This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. They worship Me in vain...’.

This is not so of true spiritual worship. That heart stays upon Christ. It is God’s glory that is its aim and end. 

And its outworking is God’s design. He purposed this so that man could fully enjoy His divine favor and presence!

And, you can be sure, that remains under the Spirit’s watchful care and keeping!    

With this, I close tonight. I pray we will ponder these things before the Lord this week once again. May they penetrate deep within each of us!

Amen! Let us pray! Song: ‘We worship You, O Lord...’