EN HAKKORE – THE CALLER'S SPRING

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Hi all,

The Old Testament is full of incidents depicting the work of Jesus Christ. We frequently refer to them as “types and shadows” of Christ in the Bible. They are not all instantly visible. It’s necessary to dig into God’s Word and ask Him to show them to us. Today’s meditation takes an incident from the book of Judges and unpacks it as a type and shadow of the ministry of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 18 September 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	EN HAKKORE – THE CALLER'S SPRING
How good are you at languages? My English is fairly good. My Afrikaans is tolerable. That’s where it ends. A couple of French words, a word or two of Arabic. No African language other than Afrikaans. On the other hand we find that our black brothers and sisters speak many languages. Rev Joe Mpanza, the Methodist Church Circuit Superintendent in Worcester, was fairly fluent in seven languages. He spoke English very well and could get by in Afrikaans. The other five languages were all African languages. He was an amazing man and both of us loved him. Many of our illiterate black people in South Africa can converse in more than one language. In some regards, we envy them. I’m ashamed to say that although I’ve lived in RSA for some 63 years, I’ve never learned anything other than English and Afrikaans. Phyllida is likewise challenged in African indigenous languages. As a man who loves the Bible, I deeply regret not having learned Hebrew and Greek. This means I’m dependent on Bible translations for understanding the content. Fortunately, I’ve got “Strong’s numbers” on my computer. It’s a big help, but can never be as good as being able to read the word in Hebrew and Greek. I understand that in the past, people would insist on reading the Greek New Testament and the Hebrew Old Testament. That doesn’t seem to be the case today. It may well have something to do with the fact that up until the mid-1960’s, we only had the KJV in UK. The American Standard version and the American Revised Version were not found all that often in UK. So I cut my teeth on the KJV. Do we lose anything by this limitation? I suppose we must. The difficulty is knowing what it is! In the Old Testament, we are often given the name of the place, the meaning of the name and the reason why that name was given. Strong tells us the name En-Hakkore should be pronounced, “ane hak-ko-ray” meaning “The Fountain Of One Calling”; Poetic license allows me to pronounce it “en ha-core” for rhyming purposes. It is the story of a desperate Samson, crying out and asking God for water in his battle with the Philistines. God gave him a spring from a split rock. A spring that to this day still flows. In today’s meditation, I’ve used this as a type and shadow of Jesus promising the Holy Spirit to all who ask. In particular I used the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. In it I’ve tried to compare the one event with the other. There are remarkable similarities. Samson cried out to the living God for water for his thirst. God “split the rock” and gave him an “everlasting supply of natural water”. Today Jesus splits our hardened hearts of rock. He gives us a heart of flesh and causes the Spirit to flow from us in an everlasting stream. It’s a fascinating comparison. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			19 So God split open the rock basin in Lehi; water gushed out and Samson drank. His spirit revived--he was alive again! That's why it's called En Hakkore (Caller's Spring). It's still there at Lehi today. Judges 15:19 MSG 10 Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask Me, and I would give you living water." John 4:10 NLT 37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to Me! 38 Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" 39 (When He said "living water," He was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in Him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into His glory.) John 7:37-39 NLT 10 Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams. Malachi 3:10 MSG 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:13 TNIV 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; those who seek find; and to those who knock, the door will be opened. Luke 11:9-10 TNIV 6 You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, "Papa! Father!" Galatians 4:6 MSG 15 You haven't received the spirit of slaves that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the spirit of God's adopted children by which we call out, "Abba! Father!" Romans 8:15 GW	“En Hakkore” – the Caller's spring – The rock the Lord God split. The basin there In “Lehi” was changed a little bit. Water started gushing out; and Samson drank his fill. He’d called to God; God answered, spring water is there still! God answers those who call on Him when they are parched and dry. But He gives living water, from Jesus Christ Most High. It isn’t just a little bit; it’s far more than we need. The Holy Spirit comes on us and we are “filled” indeed. This miracle for Samson, He’ll do for me and you. The Holy Spirit comes on us and fills us through and through. He is the “living water” Who flows from deep inside. He “splits” our hardened hearts of rock so that they “open wide”! A softened, lovely “heart of flesh” is put into its place; And people may now walk with Him, through Jesus and His grace. The woman from Samaria just couldn’t comprehend, That “water” was available which only He could send. Not just a little trickle, to only whet her taste. But Living Water Rivers, the Holy Spirit placed; And caused to live within her. She would be “dry” no more. She’d have the very “Life of God’; an everlasting store, Flowing from the spirit to all who would believe. She’d only have to ask the Lord and surely, she’d receive. She’d be a bit like Samson; the well at “En Hakkore”, Gave the needed water that he was desperate for. That water was still flowing; that rock was split in twain. And those who come to “En Hakkore” need never thirst again. But here we have a difference. What if your spirit’s dry? You only have to call on Him. His Spirit would supply, Enough to last a lifetime; a never ending store, Of “water” from His Spirit and you will “thirst” no more! None of this could happen before the Spirit came. But still this precious lady has earned eternal fame. In spite of limitations, the town was won for Christ. Her meeting with the Saviour, we understand sufficed. The people went to meet Him. That’s all we need to do. Tell them of His Spirit, Who lives inside of you. They can be adopted into God’s family. Cry out “Father, “Papa God”, Lord come and rescue me. Like Samson I am dying. I call upon your name. Father, please forgive my sin. I’ll never be the same. Come and be my En Hakkore, A well that’s never dry. Filled with Your Holy Spirit, until the day I die. Jim Strickland –Written 18th September 2012.