Genesis 1:6-8 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
Ephesians 5:26-27 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Yesterday, we began our series of devotions focused on the birthing of the Kingdom. Continuing to develop these insights, let’s look at day 2 of creation and its focus upon water.
So much can be said: associated with creation itself, life, cleansing, purification, the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit, water, whenever it was made, was there at the beginning and carries tremendous meaning and significance in God’s creation.
And just as this world was conceived in and from water, our earthly life begins in the darkness of our mother’s womb, surrounded by water. Shortly before the final stage of birth, a critical event takes place which signals that there is no turning back now, as the increasing labor contractions leading to birth either have already begun or will begin shortly. The breaking of the amniotic sac, releasing the water in which the baby resides, precedes her soon coming passage through the birth canal.
In our personal spiritual journey, water baptism is a sacramental expression of our death to the self-life and resurrection to the new life in Messiah. It parallels our natural birth from water, a truth which is mentioned by the Lord in John’s gospel, “Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God”; [John 3:5]. Our baptism is a moment of truth and revelation closely associated with the receiving of God’s Holy Spirit, a defining moment in our life, publicly expressing our new faith, [Luke 3:21-22], and it happens in and with water.
We can thus draw a close connection between water and commitment. When the water breaks, the mother becomes committed to the labor leading to birth. When a soul enters baptism, she commits to a life of death to sin and resurrection to new holy life. Since, in fact, our Lord predicted birth pangs leading to His coming, we might expect a defining moment when “the water breaks” and the labor begins in earnest, which leads to the second Advent. This would be a defining moment which expresses commitment; i.e. the Lord’s commitment to His promised return in judgment, and our commitment to endure to the end by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Labor is painful, as must be the birth pangs of the end of the age. This seems obvious. But what about the association between water and life, water and cleansing, water and purification, water and the Holy Spirit? We see a potential in the water breaking moment that involves tremendous blessing: purification of our lives through trials, an increase in our need for and dependance upon the Holy Spirit, and the resulting great potential for a harvest, a birthing of souls, as our lives become more profoundly committed and authentic to the Lord’s image. And perhaps this water breaking moment will signal a second fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, “I will pour out my spirit on all mankind…”. We will see…
But, we do see what seem a lot like birth pangs now. Has the “water broken” yet? Maybe, maybe not, but we have never seen a greater need for true commitment, amidst these “contractions”. And one of the greatest promises ever delivered to mankind was also about water: “He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” [John 7:38] So, the water-breaking moment, whatever and whenever it happens, signals that God will be with us, for purification, cleansing, and empowerment, through hard contractions, right up until the end. And with His indwelling we can make it through, be more than conquerors, and participate in what may be the greatest harvest ever, at the end of the age.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Last night marked the beginning of Shavuot–a feast that many Christians recognize as Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit was poured out in Acts 2. But the roots of Shavuot stretch back much further. Long before that upper room encounter–about 1,500 years earlier–Shavuot was the day God gave the law to Moses on Mount Sinai, writing His commandments on tablets of stone.
In a world trembling with uncertainty–political unrest, economic turmoil, natural disasters–God is speaking again. Not in whispers, but with the shaking that reorders lives, redefines kingdoms, and removes everything that cannot stand in the presence of His glory. He is preparing us for a kingdom that cannot be moved. But in the midst of the shaking, there is rest — a deep, unshakable rest reserved for the people of God. Not rest as the world gives — temporary relief or distraction — but the kind that anchors the soul in the storm, the kind that is rooted in Yeshua (Jesus), our rest.
Just as a bird needs both wings to fly, a victorious life requires both faith and obedience. In Joshua, God calls Joshua to lead Israel into the Promised Land, not just with bold confidence but with complete dependence on His Word. Faith believes what God says; obedience acts upon it. One without the other stalls the journey. This moment wasn’t just about crossing into the promise land — it was about stepping into covenant reality, where trust in God’s promise was matched by surrender to God’s command.
The Book of Joshua offers more than a military history; it reveals the spiritual dynamics behind every victory and defeat in the life of a believer.
After Moses’ death, God commissioned Joshua to lead Israel into Canaan—a real place that carried profound spiritual meaning. Canaan was not a picture of heaven, for it was filled with enemies, obstacles, and the ongoing need for faith and obedience. Instead, it symbolized the believer’s journey: a life marked by conflict and conquest, failure and faithfulness, struggle and surrender. Just as Joshua was told to rise and cross the Jordan, every follower of Christ is called to move beyond mere spiritual survival into a victorious, Spirit-empowered walk—a life that embraces the fullness of God’s promises with courage, rest, and purpose.
When we hear the word Hineini—”Here I am,” many of us immediately think of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 6, standing before the throne of God, overwhelmed by His holiness. After being cleansed by the burning coal, Isaiah hears the Lord ask, “Whom shall I send?” and responds with the now-famous phrase: “Hineini—Here am I. Send me.”
Following Yeshua (Jesus) isn’t just about believing the right things or checking boxes. It’s about wanting to truly know God — to experience Him personally. And here’s the amazing part: even that desire starts with Him. God is the one who stirs our hearts and awakens our longing. If you find yourself hungry for more of Him, it’s because He’s already working in you.