The maker of water had none
Years ago, I visited the McAbee Fossil Beds for a fossil dig. The beds used to be open to the public for supervised digs. The beds lie high atop a ridge in desert-like conditions, in what was an ancient lakebed, near Cache Creek, BC. It was in the heat of the summer. I walked up the long trail from the valley floor, dug for a couple of hours, and came down laden with fish and plant fossils. I hadn’t taken enough water, and by the time I reached where Kathy and the dog were resting comfortably in the shade, I was parched. I was so thirsty it felt like I hadn’t had a drink of water in days. That cold bottle of water was so good.
Thirst is one of those sensations the body is designed to pay attention to. Sufficient water is vital to our health in every way. Looking at a picture of the beds recently, I recalled that thirst, and it brought to mind a familiar Bible Passage.
Jesus has been crucified, and John is recounting the last painful moments of our Lord on the cross.
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-20 ESV
John says this was to fulfill Scripture. Most will turn to the Psalms to see the prophecy.
They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink. Psalm 69:2 1 ESV
John also hints at something else. The Romans gave him a drink on a hyssop branch. During the first Passover, they painted the lintels with blood using hyssop to appeal for protection (see Exodus 12:22).
The man who was thirsty made every bit of water that ever existed, yet He had none on the day He died for us. He made it possible for us to thirst no more. Jesus told the woman at the well…
“…everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14-24 ESV
The next time you are thirsty, pause to remember the one who died to give us the living water.
Praise His name
Kevin
SUMMARY
On the cross, the One who made all water cried, “I thirst,” so we could thirst no more. The next time you are thirsty, pause to remember the One who died to give us living water.
TAKEAWAY
When Jesus said “I thirst,” He fulfilled Scripture. The hyssop branch that carried the sour wine points back to the hyssop used to paint the Passover blood.
The One who made every bit of water that ever existed had none on the day He died for us.
Whoever drinks the water Jesus gives will never be thirsty again. Let your next thirst remind you of Him.
