The Foundational Importance of Fluid Elemental Substance

This fluid elemental substance figures so early and so prominently, it makes one suspect that the Creator is setting the stage for it to be a foundational and pervasive thematic metaphor throughout the story of Himself and His people. the Great Flood There are several stories throughout the Old Testament in which water plays a prominent role. After creation, the next story is that of Noah and the flood. Here, water becomes a means for God to destroy the inhabitants of the earth.

Scripture says that "... all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.

"2 The power and vastness of water felt at creation resurfaces here. Water is a mighty elemental force, subjugated to God's purposes, moved around simply at His direction. All the waters of the heavens and the earth were used by God for His intentions here - not just vast amounts of rain falling from the sky, but water from the "great deep," too.

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Finally, once the destroying powers of the water had been in effect for forty days and nights), Scripture says that the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens were closed and that God sent a wind to recede the water.

Even then, it took 150 days for the water to go down. God's power over water is much in evidence in this story of Noah and the Great Flood, and this powerful water image becomes "synonymous with eschatological judgment,"3 as is seen in Isaiah: ".

.. the Lord is about to bring against them/the mighty floodwaters of the River... "4 crossing stories Another key water story is found in the exodus of the Hebrew slaves from the land of Egypt. The first, most important, and archetype for all other crossing stories, the crossing of the Red Sea is one of the most significant stories in all of the history of Israel and the story of God.

Moses had already followed God's directions and visited several plagues upon the land of Egypt, not the least of which was when God demonstrated yet again his power over water and directed Aaron to stretch out his hand over the waters of the Nile to turn it into blood. In an echoing of that same action, and in response to the first of many pleas from the Israelites to return to Egypt, Moses stretched out his hand over the waters of the Red Sea. All night the wind blew to recede the waters - just like the wind blew to recede the waters of the Great Flood - and the Israelites crossed over to the other side on dry land.

Moses was directed again to stretch out his hand, and the waters returned to their normal place, killing the Egyptian army in the process. The Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea and leaving the slavery of Egypt are echoed throughout Scripture in many other crossing stories, deliverance stories, retellings, and Psalmic remembrances of the power of God and his miraculous care for his people. One of the most significant echoes of the crossing of the Red Sea happened about forty years later.

After years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites were about to enter into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, and there was another body of water in the way. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant entered into the waters of the Jordan, and as they did the water stopped flowing and "piled up in a heap a great distance away... while the water flowing down... was completely cut off. "5 As the priests stood in the middle of the riverbed, the Israelites once again crossed over water on dry ground, entering a new phase of their story with God, and remembering through their actions His sovereignty and care for them.