Jehoshaphat – Part 9
The Valley of Blood Part ii
And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. (2 Kings 3:18)
And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones. (2 Kings 3:19)
And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.(2 Kings 3:20)
And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border.(2 Kings 3:21)
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: (2 Kings 3:22)
And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. (2 Kings 3:23)
And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. (2 Kings 3:24)
Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. (John 13:31)
If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. (John 13:32)
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. (John 19:34)
The Blood and The Water — The Water and The Blood
In the Gospel of John we have the blood and the water. There is no mention of the breaking of bread, or the bread and the wine at the supper with His disciples, but the blood and the water are mentioned at His death in John 19:34 through 37, and in 1 John 5:6 through 13.
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. (John 19:34)
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. (John 19:35)
For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. (John 19:36)
And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. (John 19:37)
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. (1 John 5:6)
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (1 John 5:7)
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (1 John 5:8)
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. (1 John 5:9)
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. (1 John 5:10)
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1 John 5:11)
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:12)
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)
The Spirit of God upholds New Testament truths deep in the Old Testament. The progressive revelation of God is a wonder to behold in His word. We have come in the days of Jehoshaphat to the Holy Spirit’s message of deliverance. And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. (2 Kings 3:18) In this verse we see that deliverance from the opposition from the world and the circumstances of our own failures and the weight of our sin is a light thing in the sight of the LORD. Although man is at odds with the Creator as well as with the creation, he is but a lonely sinner deep down in his spiritual chaos. He fights against his spiritual depravity in many ways. God said that man would glean from the earth by the sweat of his face, but man rebelled against this very basic command. The earth also witnesses against man by bringing forth thorns and thistles. This was a witness to man of his total depravity in sin that had darkened his work and his walk. It was man in Adam that brought death to himself, and death to the creation; to this day the creation groans and travails because of Adam’s sin. The creation has many voices, and they are all a witness to man. The creation has ten thousand times ten thousand voices crying out to man about his condition, about his redemption, about God’s righteousness, about God’s glory, and about God’s eternal Godhead. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:. (Romans 1:20) The God of heaven presents a complete witness in His creation. It is a complete witness of His Majesty, His Glory, and His Power, and His Godhead. The creation although in bondage because of man’s sin is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19)
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, (Romans 8:20)
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8:22)
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (Romans 8:24)
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:25) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:27)
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
In all of the trespasses that man has committed against the Almighty; of all the sin that man through Adam has heaped upon himself, his sin has created such a cloud that his eyes are blinded to the beauty of God’s creation. Even though the creation suffers because of us (that is man) it is still a beauty to behold. I remember the first time I saw a picture of this majestic jewel from out in space. It was so full of jewel-like qualities, and looked pristine compared to what we see on its surface; man tearing at its crust to build a kingdom of concrete and stone, wood, hay, and stubble. All this will burn and be dissolved because of the sin of man. Through man’s record we can all declare that man is a hater of God; consequently, man in proportion to his sin ruins himself and God’s creation. Earthly pollution is only a mirror of the polluted soul of man. The dregs and the slime of his sin not only pollutes man’s soul, but pollutes everything around him.
Looking past the sin of man, God still uses His creation to not only witness to us, but to save us in our time of peril. Jehoshaphat and Jehoram, and the king of Edom were about to learn a lesson in God’s eternal power and Godhead. God was going to move His creation to deliver the Israelites and Edom from thirst, dehydration, and death. Of course, water is one of the essential elements for life as well as air; and both water and air witness of the Spirit of God.
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. (John 7:37)
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38)
(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.) (John 7:39)
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)
Deliverance by Water by Faith
Now concerning the prophecy of Elisha: the prophecy was given as a full deliverance for Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and the king of Edom, all their armies would be delivered from death that would come from their lack of water. The first part of this prophecy had to begin by faith, but where did that faith originate? Remember, the minstrel began to play, God is the owner and the bestower of all faith. (Galatians2:20) As the minstrel played the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha; then Elisha spoke his prophecy by faith that he had received from the Almighty God. The word of prophecy was in his mouth, and he declared it to the kings. They, in turn, also received faith from God, and therefore, the ditches were dug throughout the whole valley. They took God at His word that on the morning, the trenches would be filled with water, full of the abundance of water.
The Morning Sacrifice and The Promised Water
When the morning came God sent forth this blessing of water at the exact time of the morning sacrifice. Remember, the prophet declared in 2 Kings 3:14, And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah, all the blessings of God had to come through the seed of David, and the tribe of Judah. He was king in Jerusalem, the site of Solomon’s temple where God had established His name and His presence for the people of Israel. Although Israel was divided, the Almighty still watched over them in His mercy. As the morning sacrifice in Jerusalem ascended up to God, the waters flowed into the ditches that the armies had dug. The sacrifice was a sweet-savor unto Jehovah.
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (Ephesians 5:2)
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (Ephesians 2:14)
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:16)
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (Ephesians 2:17)
The Morning Sacrifice and the Evening Sacrifice
Each day in Jerusalem we had two main sacrifices — better know as the morning sacrifice, and the evening sacrifice. The morning sacrifice was also known as the meat offering that was given to the children of Israel from mount Sinai by God through His servant Moses.
Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. (Exodus 29:38)
The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: (Exodus 29:39)
And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.(Exodus 29:40)
And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD. (Exodus 29:41)
We see in these two offerings God presenting to us a preview of a greater sacrifice that would come in the fullness of time as a sweet-savor unto Him, and that sacrifice would bring life giving water in the Spirit of God. That sacrifice would be culminated in both blood and water from the side of God’s dear Son.
In Jehoshaphat’s situation it was the meat offering in Jerusalem. God had declared that at that time of the offering the water would flow freely, and they would be delivered from death. Jehoshaphat could not see the offering for it was in Jerusalem far away; yet God saw Jehoshaphat and the host in that offering. We look back to the cross of Christ where He gave Himself for the sin of the world. A one time sacrifice, a one time suffering, and we (by faith) receive the refreshing life from the Spirit of God in both the water and the blood. We would think that God would not work on the part of Jehoram, or the king of Edom, but because of the presence of Jehoshaphat both Israel and the Gentiles were embraced in this deliverance. The ten tribes had given up God’s offerings in the days of Jeroboam (who cause Israel to sin). There was no morning or evening sacrifice for Jehovah in Samaria, the capital of Israel. Certainly, there was no morning or evening sacrifice to Jehovah in Edom, who worshiped the gods of the Gentiles. Jehoshaphat and his military were not prepared to offer to God, for in the land of Edom this sacrifice would not have been accepted by God as it was accepted by Him in Jerusalem. The all seeing eye of Jehovah, through His Spirit, could look upon Jerusalem in the morning and see the sweet-savor ascending up to Him from the brazen altar in the courtyard of Solomon’s temple. At the same time He could see the assembly in the valley of blood and released the water for the redemption of this mighty host. The water of life is for this host of souls. God, here in this window of spiritual thought, gathered all of Israel around the morning sacrifice. But wait . . . it is Jehoram representing the ten tribes, and it is Jehoshaphat representing the two tribes.
God Sees Israel United and He Sees the Gentile World
God sees Israel united in the sons of Jacob, this is concerning deliverance and redemption. But Jehovah shows us something new; He brings in Edom, a symbol of the Gentile world. Even though Edom is Esau, Jacob’s brother, God always looks at Esau as the uncircumcised, and they are shown as gathered with the Gentiles; in the presence of God Edom will also experience deliverance in the valley of blood. Concerning the Gentiles: there will be a day when the nation of Israel and the Gentiles will be at peace with each other in the millennial kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. In our day we have had about 2000+ years of Church history; during this period of time both Jew and Gentile may drink of the water of life freely which flows from the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Both Jew and Gentile are brought under the same sacrifice, the same blood, and the same water. What grace the holy eye of Jehovah sees! The fullness of His love in the Son of His love in the morning sacrifice.
The Twelve Stones (Israel), the Water, and the Evening Sacrifice
And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. (1 Kings 18:30)
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: (1 Kings 18:31)
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. (1 Kings 18:32)
And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. (1 Kings 18:33)
And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. (1 Kings 18:34)
And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. (1 Kings 18:35)
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. (1 Kings 18:36)
Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. (1 Kings 18:37)
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.(1 Kings 18:38)
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. (1 Kings 18:39)
The Two Orders – the Natural and the Spiritual
With the prophet Elijah we behold the great I AM gathering the twelve sons of Jacob in the twelve stones of the altar; we see the water poured out, and the blood of the bullock or burnt offering. Jehovah was giving the people a call to return unto Him. After all of the show of Satan and his false prophets and priests, a Tishbite by the name of Elijah came forth. He repaired what man had torn down. He placed each stone (twelve stones) of the altar in the proper order; for God would see all the sons of Israel in their proper order. There are two orders of these children: one is Jacob’s sons, this is the natural order; the second order is the sons of Israel, this is God’s redeemed and it is Israel’s sons in the divine order of the Spirit. Christ will see them in the spiritual order or divine order in His millennial kingdom.
The Evening Sacrifice
Now when all is prepared and the false prophets and priests of Baal have failed, Elijah began his prayer and beseeched God that fire would come down and devour this sacrifice. This took place at the time of the evening sacrifice in Jerusalem. Like Jehoshaphat, Elijah and those who were present at Carmel, could not see Jerusalem. They could not see the evening sacrifice on the brazen altar in the courtyard in Solomon’s temple. Elijah was in the north, far from Jerusalem; yet the Spirit of God and the all seeing eye of Jehovah gives us the time and the meaning of Elijah’s sacrifice. The Spirit of God, once again, declared by the twelve stones and Jerusalem that this sacrifice is for all Israel, for all the sons of Israel.
The Two Prophets and the Two Sacrifices
In the two prophets: Elijah and Elisha we have two sacrifices. With Elijah we have the evening sacrifice, then later in the days of Jehoshaphat we have the morning sacrifice. To the natural man this would seem to be in the wrong order; however, in God’s plan from before the creation of the world, God created a plan that He would exercise all the way through the time and history of man till time would be no longer.
In the Book of Genesis it is the evening that comes first, then the dawn of a new day. The Sabbath day begins in the evening, and waits for the breaking of a new day. Paul tells us in the Book of Romans (concerning Church history) that the night is far spent, and the day is at hand. The Lord of glory was offered on the cross of Calvary by the Father on the evening of the day as the evening sacrifice. Man’s day had come to an end. It was the darkness of sin, and at the time of His death darkness covered the whole earth, and that was the evening sacrifice, and it was well pleasing to God. At the point of death (and at the ninth hour) the Lord Jesus declared, It is finished. At that time His finished work ascended to God the Father as a sweet-savor of sacrifice in His beloved Son. In His sacrifice Adam was put to death, the devil was defeated, and the gates of heaven were opened to all those who would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and all those who would be born of the Spirit would have eternal life in the blessed Son of God.
The Morning Sacrifice
But what about the morning sacrifice? The Lord Jesus slept in the bonds of death, and on the morning of the third day an angel of God rolled away the stone. Man could not have a part of His glorious resurrection. We follow His path from the Garden of Gethsemane, through the trial of the Sanhedrin, before the judgment seat of Pilate to the long walk to the hill of Golgotha, to the wickedness of man nailing Him to the cross, hanging Him there, humiliating Him before the world, and we see Him dying there. After Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea wrapped Him in spices and laid Him in the tomb; a great stone, sealed with the signet of Caesar, was rolled upon the entrance by guards. Roman rule, strength, power and authority now secured His tomb, and man’s wicked work was finished.
In the morning of the third day, man could have no part in this miracle of grace. For the angel of God came down, and despite the seal of Caesar rolled the stone and life filled the tomb. No one except the angels of God saw the Lord Jesus leave the tomb. When Mary and the disciples returned to the tomb, at first it appeared empty, and then two angels became visible, and as Mary wept the Master of all creation spoke her name. When he spoke her name she then recognized Him as the Lord her Savior. The Lord Jesus stressed that she could not touch Him; for you see, He was now the morning sacrifice. Before He could be seen and be touched of His brethren He must ascend to His Father and His God to present Himself as the morning sacrifice, a sweet-savor unto God. It is the total power of resurrection coming out of the tomb alive, ascending up to God the Father, alive, the man Christ Jesus, the anointed of God entering into heaven as a sweet-savor of sacrifice for us. He brought to us life in the beginning of a new day, He will come again at the time of the morning star for His Church. Then, in a new day, He will come as the fulfillment of the morning sacrifice for the nation of Israel. He will come as the rising of the Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings, and that will be at the exact time of Israel’s morning sacrifice. He will come to bless Israel with the water and the blood of the morning sacrifice.
Water and Blood – 1 John 5:6-13 and John 19:34
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. (1 John 5:6)
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (1 John 5:7)
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (1 John 5:8)
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. (1 John 5:9)
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. (1 John 5:10)
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1 John 5:11)
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:12)
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)
Blood and Water
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. (John 19:34)
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.(John 19:35)
For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. (John 19:36)
And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. (John 19:37)
Blood and Water
In John’s Gospel the Spirit of God draws both the blood and water together in the sacrifice of God’s dear Son. It is in John’s gospel we see the witness of Rome in the centurion, he witnessed Christ’s death; therefore, we see the spear of Cain piercing the side of the Lord of glory, and out flowed blood and water.
Water and Blood
In John’s epistle, Chapter 5 we have the same water and blood witnessing to us of eternal life in a living Savior, for it is the Lord Jesus who gained us the victory over death in the dark valley of blood. We see the water for deliverance in Jehoshaphat’s time, this is in the natural order of man’s thirst. In John’s gospel, the water is a symbol of spiritual life that a thirsty soul might drink from the well of water — which is Jesus Christ, and by drinking, the Lord Jesus will pour out the Spirit of God to quench the thirsty soul and give eternal life.
In the blood we see the deliverance from our natural enemy which is death, and our own enemy which is within us — being man. In Jehoshaphat’s day, it was a mere shadow of what would take place on the cross of Christ. We must consider our side, as Christians, we have been given water of life freely. Adam had given us death, Christ has given us life. It was Adam who brought Satan into the equation by obeying the devil, and disobeying God. Adam brought sin into the world. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)
Once again I will stress that all was finished on the cross for you. When the Spirit of God opened your heart, and gave you new life as a new creature, a new creation in Jesus Christ, you moved from this world into the fortress of grace. Grace became your city of refuge, nothing could harm you, nothing would harm you, and nothing can harm you; all was accomplished in and for your salvation. The Lord Jesus defeated all our foes on the cross, He vanquished death, and crushed our enemy the devil, He put to death Adam, and gave us a new man; therefore, there is nothing left, but to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our might. In His finished work on the cross the Lord Jesus bore in His own body on the tree, all that was against Adam. He suffered the totality of suffering, and He paid the complete price. He accomplished what only God could accomplish.
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:16)
In the book of Ephesians we have the man Jesus Christ going into death to overthrow death and sin on the cross. He not only delivers, but He redeems from death. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9) The Lord Jesus was manifested in the flesh; therefore, identifying Himself with Adam, yet apart from sin. He had to be the purist of sacrifice to enact the power of His new creation in us. For we, through His death, would have to be made the righteousness of God in Him. The flesh must be delivered to overthrow death and deliver us from Adam. Adam in the flesh must die on the cross so that the new man Christ Jesus, anointed of God, may give us life in His new man. This is the man of heaven. We did not have a presence of an eternal man for us in heaven. Here is a righteous man, and a deliverer in the Person of God’s Son. Only the Creator could purge our sins, and then sit down on the right hand of the majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:3)
Blood and Water and Water and Blood continued . . .
We have a witness on earth in the water and the blood. In the four Gospels, the only gospel which does not mention the breaking of bread, and the taking of the cup is the Gospel of John. For the Spirit of God was showing the divine side of our divine need.
In John’s gospel it is blood and water (John 19:34) But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. In John’s 1st epistle it is water and blood. (1 John 5:6) This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
I asked the Holy Spirit, Why did He make such a distinction between blood and water, and then as water and blood? This is the answer, John’s gospel is not like the other three gospels. The other three preceding gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) see the earthly need of man, and God provides a Savior. The Gospel of John takes on a completely different character; it is God looking down upon man and fulfilling God’s side of redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ; fulfilling His needs. This is the heavenly view of His Son, and the redemption of man, so the blood must come first. He must see the blood before He can pour out grace to man. Even though it was in Exodus it was a statement of eternity, when I see the blood, I will pass over you (Exodus 12:13). In John’s 1st epistle 5:6-13 we see the water before we see the blood, this is our view in the natural order as we look up to God’s dear Son, we must be born of water and then blood. Even in our natural birth, water comes first; then our life is quickened by God through our blood. So in the new birth, as we become a new creation in Christ Jesus we come by water then blood. When the Lord Jesus took upon Him the flesh of a man and was manifested before us, He, like us came by water then blood. In our new birth we are introduced to the water of life first; which is, and is, contained in the Person of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. We receive the blood of the covenant, the price that was paid for our sins. Baptism is only a similitude of what God has accomplished in our new birth. It is our declaration to the world that we have been born again, and that we are a new creature in Jesus Christ; we have come by water and by blood. In our new birth we are bathed in water, and cleansed by blood. God sees these two elements simultaneously in His Son. The Holy Spirit brooded or hovered over the face of the deep before there was light or life. God works by His Spirit today brooding or hovering over precious souls, that He might bring man to Himself by water and by blood. When God the Father sees the atonement of His Son, He sees the blood of redemption first then the waters of sanctification. When God presented the tabernacle to Moses, there were two views, man going in from the brazen altar to the mercy seat; and God coming out from the mercy seat to the brazen altar, or to man. This is the work of your glorious Savior that He came from heaven’s glory that He might receive you unto Himself. In His birth, He brought forth water and blood, in His death He brought forth blood and water. Oh, how merciful is our God of creation.
The Heavenly Cleansing
When supper was ended, the Lord took a towel and washed the feet of His disciples. This was not an earthly cleansing, but a heavenly cleansing. He was identifying Himself with them, and they with Him. And if He did not do this work they would have no part with Him. If we go back to the Tabernacle we would see this as a fulfillment of first washing at the laver before entering into the holy place — the Lord Jesus is the laver — He has the water of life — He is the water of life.
The Betrayal and the Denial of John 13
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. (John 13:1)
And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; (John 13:2)
Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; (John 13:3)
Verse 2 and ends with betrayal, and verse 38 end with denial. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. (John 13:38) In the course of Chapter 13, the devil is mentioned twice, once as the enemy as the serpent, And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:9) And then as Satan the deceiver of men. He is seen as the serpent in verse 2, and as the deceiver in verse 27. I have given you enough to chew on.
Let’s get back to the valley of blood . . . . we have two actions of God: He takes and fills the trenches with water, but not in a natural way. The water comes by way of Edom, there is no thunder, no lightning, no visible rain or sound of rain, and the water seems to appear miraculously at the time of the morning sacrifice. This is when the water of life flows freely. The armies and the servants, and the beasts drink freely and are satisfied. God is not through, if we wait on God we will see the deliverance of Moab into the hands of the three kings. This entire scene is a work of faith, and faith must take hold of the moment. The darkness of death was staring at them, and now they were standing in a new day full of life. Every man put his armor on, and he was to be valiant in fight. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. (Hebrews 11:34) Your enemy, the Moabites (devil), is preparing while you are enjoying the waters of life springing up in you, refreshing you. The Moabites (devil) is planning his attack so be vigilant.
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.(Ecclesiastes 4:1)
Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. (Ecclesiastes 4:2)
Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 4:3)
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
The oppressor of the soul of man as well as physical enemies come well prepared. And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. (2 Kings 3:21) The enemy Moab (Satan) fits himself for the battle, for he is prepared to devour as a roaring lion the armies in his sight. He puts his own fears away in the anticipation of victory.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1 Peter 5:9)
The Moabites in the anticipation of victory did not see the water as merely water, they saw it as blood. They looked down into the valley, and from their location saw a valley full of blood. Little did they know that in a short period of time that it would be their blood flowing in the valley. The Holy Spirit wants us to have joy in the Lord when the Lord performs His work of might, and when He displays His magnificent power on our behalf; however, in our preparation for battle we have to recognize our foe. We have to be diligent for this world is called the present evil world. The Spirit of God has documented the evil heart of man in His word. The world, or Moab, saw blood and to their eyes and hearts it was the blood of the hosts of the three kings. God had taken the sunbeam and bent the color spectrum to only show red, and that red as blood. The natural man would expect a rainbow and not a solid red, by this God lured the unrepentant enemy into the host of the Israelites. By faith they were patiently waiting for the prey according to God’s word. There is nothing to confirm this statement that I am about to make, this is only a suggestion for the soul — Could have all the hosts of the three kings seen a rainbow while the Moabites were looking at blood? The Moabites were well prepared with their armor, their chariots, and their articles of war, but the three armies of the kings had been drinking the water of life from the water prepared by the Almighty God. They were acting according to the prophecy that God had given to them that they would, by His power, spoil Moab. They were prepared with armor and weapons in hand, but they also knew that they were going to be fighting in the power and might of the Lord. Their victory would be upheld by the word of His power.
To those who love the Lord Jesus His blood is a cleansing fountain, but what does the world think of the blood of Christ? Let’s listen to the Spirit of God. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:29) The world has trodden under foot, they have trampled upon the Son of God, they have cursed His blood, and counted it unworthy, but God the Father looks down upon their disbelief and their rejection, and divine judgment hangs over them. The world might see His blood unworthy, and the unworthiness of His children bought by His blood, but God will look at their disdain and He will recompense and judge their folly. Moab had high hopes that soon would be dashed in pieces. The Israelites faced an able bodied foe and so do we, but we have the encouragement of the Holy Spirit in the word of God. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:39)
We have been chosen of God and called out of eternity. Let us be ready for the spiritual battle against man and his leader, Satan. Walk in and according to the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. In order that Israel would be victorious they must first trust in the Lord, and in the power of His might, because Moab will surely come over the rise and down into the valley of blood. Amen.
Part 3 of the Valley of Blood to follow.
© Copyright 2016, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)