SPRINGS OF WATER
Joshua 15:13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. 14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. 15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher. 16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. 17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. 18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou? 19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs. 20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
We have come now to the end of the campaigns of war under the hand of Joshua, who is a picture of the Lord Christ. Twice the Holy Spirit inspires the words, And the land rested from war. (Joshua 11:23, 14:15). But then we come to the continued warfare under the command of Caleb. For as Christ broke the dominion of sin, so Joshua broke the dominion of the Canaanites over the land promised to Abraham for Israel. Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
And this new dominion, now given to the church by the Sovereign Lord, shall never be taken from us! Daniel 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Observe Joshua 12:7-24 for a listing of the 31 nations completely destroyed from the land, in order for Israel to be able to come in and settle where the Lord wanted them.
The Lord broke the dominion of sin for us by destroying Satan’s hold over us in sin! Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
But we, with our remaining corruptions, like Caleb with the remaining Canaanites, still have to war against the remaining lusts within our souls, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord! 1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 2 Corin. 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The man Joshua, as we have previously stated, pictures the Lord Jesus Christ. And both pass into death before Caleb and the Holy Spirit take up where they left off, leading the people into a greater fullness in possession of the land. This is what our Lord instructed about his own going away, and the Spirit being sent. John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Notice that in our text (vs. 16,17), that immediately when Caleb begins his conquest he inducts an individual to accomplish the task! This is different than when Joshua was breaking the back of the Canaanite dominion. For Joshua enlisted all the forces of the men of war, never using just a single individual! This is as it was with our Lord Jesus in his conquest against the devil and sin! He tread the winepress alone! But the Holy Spirit, like Caleb, immediately begins to select individuals for his work!
Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
We have been so brainwashed by Scofield-ism that none seem to know that the members of the true church and the Holy Ghost are the two witnesses! Forget Moses and Elijah! For that is just not scriptural! Just read these verses without the prejudice of dispensational influence!
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. – That second ye includes the Holy Spirit and the church!
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. – Verse 32 should be cross referenced in all our bible margins to Revelation 11:3 in order to clarify just who the Bible, and not man, states very clearly, is the identity of the two witnesses!
John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. – And again in these words of our Lord himself we find the same truth! For it is the Spirit testifying within the heart and minds of the individual believers that bear witness of Christ!
Now let us look at the specifics of the conquering of the first city under Caleb’s command. First we notice the name of the city. It is called, Kirjathsepher. The first part of that word, Kirjath, is also translated into English as, from the city of, in Numbers 21:28. And the last part of our word, sepher, is listed as book of in Joshua 1:8. Therefore we come to understand that the spiritual meaning of this first conquest was to bring forth the church as “the city of the book!”
We find John, as a representative man, in Revelation chapter five weeping very much because the believers of his day have had all their scriptures fulfilled. Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Now even their priests are no longer usable. Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
They need a new book! And John saw that which dried the tears of all those weeping over “the loss” of the Old Testament traditions. (There are still a lot of religionists in our day pining for those “weak and beggarly elements!” Gal. 4:9). He saw a Lamb as it had been slain take the book from the right hand of him which sat upon the throne. Then the weeping of John turned into the worship of the church! For the secret, predestinated things of the Father are revealed in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God! Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
For Christ is all that is revealed in the scriptures! John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
And the Holy Spirit is the author of all scripture! 2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. For he is the only one who could remember all that the Lord Jesus both said and did, in order for the disciples to pen it down! John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
And what of the individual’s name used to conquer this city? His name is Othniel. And that name means, “the force of God.” For it takes God within us to accomplish anything spiritual! John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
One thing is sure! No one will accomplish anything for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom except it be by the Spirit of God! Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. For the hay, wood, and stubble of works righteousness by religious efforts will be consumed by the fire of God’s holiness.
And this Othniel, in proving himself in the warfare against the enemies of the church, conditions himself to become the first judge of Israel after the death of Joshua! Judges 3:9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
We have so erred in our generation as to that which qualifies a man to minister to the church! We have chosen Dr. Bottlestopper down at the Bible College to train up our ‘ministers,’ rather than the Holy Ghost! We prefer that they have a “D.D.” behind their name rather than grace and truth in their hearts! This gang today would have rejected the fishermen and tax collectors that our Lord choose! They are turning out cookie-cutter personalities, with no individuality, no fire, and sadly, no urgency in declaring the glories of Christ. They just bring us book reports accumulated from reading Calvin and Spurgeon. For we are far more about “books,” than we are about The Book! We have so many echos, but few voices! May God have mercy!
But how does the Spirit state that leaders of the Word are made known among us? 1 Corin. 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. That word, approved, is the same word, tried in James 1:12. The Spirit shows them to be “tried and true” over a few things, so that they are now qualified to be rulers over much!
But Othniel’s valor won him more than becoming judge over Israel. He also was ‘awarded’ the righteous daughter of Caleb. She goes immediately into the presence of Caleb on behalf of her family and sues for – not gold, not recognition, not anything contrary to her father’s will – but Springs of Water! O, that the Bride of Christ would press heaven for more of those living springs of water, so direly needed in this darkened age of ‘church-anity!’ Would to God that tradition would be overcome by necessity! that routine would be shaken by worship! that conversation be overcome by communion!
For out of the mouth of the bride of Othniel, “the force of God,” comes the request to him who represents the Holy Spirit, give me also springs of water! Luke 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
We must ask in order to receive! And listen to the Word, himself speaking to us! John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
And he gave her both the high springs and the low springs. – We have spirit enough to accomplish all tasks! Pastor Gene Breed.
