The River of God’s Providence
As these people refused the waters of Shiloh that flow softly and rejoiced in Rezin and in Remaliah’s son, therefore behold, the Lord brings up over them the waters of the River, strong and mighty—the king of Assyria and all his glory. He will go up over all his channels and go over all his banks. He will pass through Judah; he will overflow and pass over; he will reach up to the neck. The stretching out of his wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
(Isaiah 8:6–8)
Scripture uses many analogies to describe the providence of God. In these verses, we see the analogy of a river used to show how God oversees and orders his creation. My dad was an avid fisherman, so he taught me a great deal about the art and science of fishing. One time he said that the constant change involved in river fishing was equivalent to fishing in a new pond every thirty minutes. The continual flow of water transports new fish into your vicinity, so you do not need to move around and chase fish as you would on a lake. Similarly, God’s providences are new each morning, like the water in a river. Calm water sustains plant and animal life, while raging water can destroy structures and take life.
God’s providences for the unbeliever are double-edged, like a sword. Those who do not know God receive his general mercies every day, but not his special love. Without special grace, God’s judgment can destroy a lifetime of work in a moment. A house that took many months to build can be destroyed in ten minutes by rising floodwaters. If you do not appreciate the calm waters of God’s providence, you will suffer under the raging floods of his judgment. In our verses, the Israelites spurned the calm waters of Shiloah and in turn reaped the angry Assyrian rapids. Romans 8:28 promises that all things work together for those who love God and are called according to his purposes. Losing earthly possessions, friends, or even one’s life always results in spiritual gain for the believer. Discipline is like cleansing water for Christians, as it washes away the filth and corruption of this world.
The foundations of the wicked are their idols. God’s judgment washes these idols away—and their hopes with them. Purified by raging water, the foundations of the righteous are cleaner after the flood than before it. Affliction cannot remove the Christian’s reward, but it does dim the luster of the Devil’s temptations. How can one pursue pleasures when the body is wracked with physical pain? Finally, worldly achievements and honors are among the first things washed away in the storm of God’s wrath. Only the fruit of righteousness is impervious to rust and safe from the moth. Growing fruitfully beside still waters, the righteous are like trees whose roots are anchored firmly in Jesus Christ.
