I will open rivers in high places
and fountains in th midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry lands springs of water"Issaiah c41v18
I was noticing that there are in our text four words relating to water. Everything had been dry before and there was no water for the thirsty to drink. Now here you have rivers, fountains, a pool and springs of water. There is a difference in the four words. The first is "rivers." God says "I will open rivers in high places." There shall come directly from God a rush of mighty grace, like the streams of flowing rivers. Your poor, dead, dry heart will suddenly feel that the waters of life have come directly from the throne of God to you. There shall be waters to swim in. You shall have an abundance where before you had nothing.
Next you have "fountains" which may be rendered "wells." Now wells are places that people regularly go to for water. They represent the means of grace. "With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." Well now, perhaps you have been to the means of grace, and yet obtained no comfort. You have not blamed the preacher, but you have blamed yourself very much. But on a sudden, God appears, and opens wells in he midst of the valley. Now the service is full of refreshment. Now you are glad, and you no more go home saying "I thirsted, but I went to the house of The Lord in vain, for I recieved no comfort." See what God can do, He can make rivers of grace flow direct from His throne, and He can open wells in the customary use of the means of grace.
But then there is a third word, "I will make the wilderness a pool of water." Here you have the idea of overflowing abundance. God can give you so much joy that you will not know how to hold it all, you will have to let it be like a pool that overflows it's banks. God can give you so much earnestness that you can hardly employ it all in the work that you have to do. He can give you so much nearness to Himself that your heart shall scarcely be able to contain your delight. God promises to make the wilderness "a pool of water." He does not give us just a drop of grace now and then, but He fills up the dry places till they become standing pools.
The fourth word is "springs." It seems to indicate a perpetual freshness. Where there was a long-continued drought, there shall come perpetual freshness, always something new-new thoughts of Christ, new delights in holy service, new prospects of the world to come, new fellowship with God. He can make the dry land "springs of water." He has promised to do so, trust His gracious word, and it shall be fulfilled in your experience even now.
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