Springs Of Water
Bill Somers
Mount Gilead Ohio USA
September, 2007
Recently while listening to an audio version of the Bible, I came across a passage in Joshua that the Spirit had quickened to me in times past. It became clear that He wanted me to work up a teaching based on it. As I looked into the meaning of some of the elements, He gave more light. When you seek the Lord, he reveals more of himself to you.
We have recently started a prayer meeting, which may develop into a house church. For now we are meeting at our local public library. Their summer reading program was themed Get A Clue. That became the title of our bible study sessions. Then while sharing this insight from Joshua at the prayer meeting we saw it as a good example of approaching the scriptures and drawing from their depths. So our by-line for this teaching is this:
What To Do When You Get A Clue.
Here is the quote from Joshua.
Joshua 15:15-19
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.
The above passage in Joshua makes up an end time allegory. A similar passage is found in Judges 1:12-15, so it’s something that the bible has repeated twice.
Now here is the clue the Spirit gave me.
In verse 19 the upper springs, and the nether springs are the former and the latter rain.
So, what do to when you get a clue? We look up what else the bible has to say about the former and the latter rain. And as we do we find that is has great meaning as figurative language often does.
The Rains
Deuteronomy 11:11-14
11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:
12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
This quote from Deuteronomy indicates in verse 14 that these rains are given to make it possible to gather in the crops at the end of the year. Verse 13 lays out a condition for this, God’s people must be obedient for this to happen.
Jeremiah 5:24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
In Jeremiah there is also a mention of the rains. Both of these passages mention that the harvest, and the rains that make it possible, come in a certain season.
Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
This quote from Joel is interesting for several reasons. One is that it mentions the first month. The first month, however is a vague reference. How is this? There is a peculiar feature in the Jewish calendar. It’s because there is a civil calendar and a religious calendar. In the religious calendar the first month is in the spring, but in the civil calendar the first month is in the fall. So some will say that the former rain is the spring rains and others will tell you it’s the fall rains. Actually the bible is unclear on this.
Since the Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar, some years have extra months. But the extra month is always inserted, in the appropriate years during the winter. This means that there is always the same number of days between the beginning of the religious year and the civil year. And therefore the time between Passover and Tabernacles is always constant.
Both rains are needed in their seasons in Israel since the barley and wheat harvests come in the spring. That’s the corn. While the Oil and the Wine, which is the fruit harvest, comes in the fall.
The End Times
Joel chapter 2 is full of end time prophecy. This is another clue, which is that the rains have to do with the end times. Also note that in Joel it says God will send the former rain and the latter rain in the first month, that is both at the same time. Here’s another clue that we’re talking about a supernatural rain.
Zechariah 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Zechariah is another book full of end time prophecy, this verse speaks of asking the Lord for rain in the time or season of the latter rain. This idea suggests that the time of the latter rain is the latter days.
Next in James we find mention of the fruit harvest, the rains and the second coming of the Lord.
James 5:7-8
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
This should make it clear that when the bible mentions the former and the latter rain, and the season of the latter rain, that it’s talking about the end times and the return of the Lord.
Let’s pull in one more quote, this time from Matthew.
Matthew 13:38-39
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Here Jesus is speaking and he explains the details of the parable of the sower. Applying this back to Joshua, we know that the field is the world and the harvest is the end of the world, the end times. Achsah here is asking her father Caleb for springs of water to go with the land he has given her. This is a parallel to asking the Lord for the rains needed to bring in crops off the land.
Father, Bride and Groom
What to do when you get a clue? Next we do a little research on the meaning of names. Here’s what we come up with.
Othniel [Oth'ni-el] means lion of God and
Achsah [Ach'sah] means ankle-chain, anklet.
Smith’s Bible Dictionary
From this we should be able to figure out that Othniel is a type of Jesus, and Achsah is the Bride of Christ. Then this makes Caleb a type of Abba, the Father God.
When Caleb gives his daughter Achsah to Othniel as a bride, he naturally acquires a son in law. This brings to mind Psalm 2 where the Father says to the son, this day you are now my son. Then as Achsah moved him to ask of her father a field, we Psalm 2 mentions the Father telling the Son to ask him for an inheritance, nothing less than the world. And as we know, the field is the world.
Psalms 2:7-8
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Right after this, Achsah is saying to Caleb thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water.
So that suddenly the field given to Othniel now belongs to Achsah. What does this mean?
I believe it reflects the idea that after Jesus rose from the dead he gave the church what we call the great commission. In other words, after defeating the enemy, Satan, He gains power and authority over the earth. And he turns right around and conveys this power and authority to the church. Here are some verses that support this view.
Matthew 28:18-19
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Achsah then acting as a type of the church in the book of Joshua, prefigures the church interceding for revival to come so she will be empowered to bring in the promised harvest. As we quoted above: Zechariah 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain….
This is the inheritance of the church, and parallels the reference to an inheritance mentioned in Joshua 15:20 above. As Matthew 5 says:
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
The Story So Far
Now what is this allegory saying? Firstly, a bride, highly prized and chosen by the father is promised to who ever accomplishes a great feat; capturing a town. This speaks of Jesus who wins his bride by his victory at the cross, a great feat that earns him ownership of the entire world.
Achsah comes to Othniel and moves him to ask her father for a field. This speaks of Jesus asking his Father for the world and the nations that inhabit it. But notice that Caleb then asks Achsah what she wants. This speaks of the fact that Jesus, having won the world, immediately turns it over to the church. Achsah then intercedes before her father and asks for springs of water to go with the land. This shows that the church must intercede and wait for the former and latter rain before she can take and use that land promised to her. Or before the church can bring in the harvest of souls to be saved in the end of days.
What to do when you get a clue?
Next we do a little more research on the meaning of names. Here’s what we come up with.
Debir [De'bir] means a sanctuary.
Kirjath-sepher [Kir'jath-se'pher] means city of books.
Smith’s Bible Dictionary
A sanctuary is a holy place, church or temple. City of Books reminds one of the Christian Church and it’s Holy Book of Books, the Bible. So we have Othniel smiting this town and taking it; and the town stands for the Church!
Now an allegory or parable is defined as a symbolic work in which the characters and events are to be understood as representing other things and symbolically expressing a deeper, often spiritual, moral, or political meaning. That is according to the Encarta dictionary.
So an allegory makes an analogy. But now all of a sudden instead of talking about Jesus victory over Satan our allegory is talking about the church. What’s going on here? We are shifting focus, changing gears or mixing metaphors if you will.
What this part of the allegory is saying is that in order for Jesus to get his bride he has to capture, conquer, or take over the church. The church and the bride of Christ, or wife and the body are often interchangeable terms. Ephesians 5:23 links the three ideas together. [Another clue there.]
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.
But here the church and the bride are different. This reflects the idea that the church we have today is not the spotless bride that will eventually be united with the Lord. The one described in Ephesians 5:27.
Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
So the church of today has to be transformed into this spotless bride. This is done by judgment. Because Judgment brings righteousness.
Isaiah 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
And in the end times judgment begins with the church.
1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And once the church is in a place where it does obey the gospel of God, it will be holy and without blemish. Deuteronomy 11:11-14 also mentions that the rains will come to an obedient people.
This whole program can be seen in chapter 1 of Isaiah, where the Lord spells out his end time plan. Here the church is identified as Mount Zion.
Isaiah 1:24-28
24 Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
We also note that in Joshua 15:19 Achsah says Give me a blessing. The blessing is found in the end of Psalm 133 for when the church becomes the spotless bride, then the brethren dwell together in unity!
Psalms 133:1-3
1 <A Song of degrees of David.> Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
The Story So Far
Well so far here is how the allegory breaks out:
1.
We will see that Othniel is a type of Jesus, and
We will see that Othniel is a type of Jesus, and 2.Achsah is a type of the Bride of Christ.
Achsah is a type of the Bride of Christ. 3.Caleb is a type of the Father God.
Caleb is a type of the Father God. 4.Debir or Kirjathsepher is a type of the church,
Debir or Kirjathsepher is a type of the church, 5.Capturing Debir is the judgment on the church,
Capturing Debir is the judgment on the church, 6.the field is a type of the world and
the field is a type of the world and 7.the upper and nether springs of water are speaking of the former and latter rain.
the upper and nether springs of water are speaking of the former and latter rain. 8.The inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah is also a reference to the earth, the land of promise.
The inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah is also a reference to the earth, the land of promise. This is not saying that the Children of Israel are not promised the land of Canaan as the Lord spoke to Abraham in Genesis 12. We are simply generalizing and looking at a bigger picture. The promised land can also mean the Kingdom of God.
More To The Story – The South Land
The bible is not just some historical record. It tells us that all scripture is profitable. Every detail is placed there for a purpose. Looking back at Joshua 15:19, you can see where Achsah mentions that the need for springs of water is because she has been given a south land.
Joshua 15:19 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.
A little more research brings up this tidbit of information. A definition of south as translated from the Hebrew language.
South negeb [neh'-gheb] From an unused root meaning to be parched; the south (from its drought); specifically the negeb or southern district of Judah.
Strong’s Dictionary
So the land Achsah gets is a parched desert! Some wedding present! But she is a wise daughter and intercedes with her father who gives the needed waters. Think of the many references to watering the desert or dry land you can find in the bilble. For example:
Isaiah 41:18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Isaiah 35:4-7
4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
Isaiah 30:25 puts these streams of water into an end time context.
Isaiah 30:25 And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
Exodus 4:9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
Psalms 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
These scriptures make allusion to the end time harvest, which is what it’s all about anyway.
What to do when you get a clue?
Follow through!
Now could there be any special meaning to the fact that Ashsah was riding an ass?
Could Othniel, Kenaz and Caleb somehow represent the Trinity?
What else does the bible say about south lands?
