Broken Cisterns

Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. “Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant? Why then has he become a prey? The lions have roared against him; they have roared loudly. They have made his land a waste; his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant. Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God, when he led you in the way? And now what do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates? Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord God of hosts. (Jeremiah 2:11-19 ESV).

In ancient Israel the summer months were extremely dry, and during this time people dug and carved out for themselves cisterns out of the solid rock. These cisterns were like man-made reservoirs that would contain large amounts of water from the rain falls. Many times these cisterns would be covered in some way to keep debris away, and also to prevent accidents from happening. Since much of Jerusalem had a soft layer of limestone at the surface, it was convenient for the Israelites living in Jerusalem to carve many cisterns, especially since water was scarce in Jerusalem. In fact Jerusalem had plenty of water even during their long sieges because of the abundance of water. The hill country had a much harder deposits of limestone which made their water sources more reliable without waterproofing. The act of “digging cisterns” destined to leak and break instead of relying on the “living water” God has provided is not reserved for the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. In the chaos leading up to the French Revolution (1789-99 AD), many churches in France were converted into “Temples of Reason.” People lifted up the “goddess of reason” to celebrate the new Age of Reason in place of the fading Age of Faith. Not long afterward the Age of Romanticism came along to replace the tyranny of reason by lifting up passions and feelings. Like a pendulum swinging back and forth, each age has its own ideology. Sometimes there is a good reason for the change, but usually only one side of truth is exalted. And when that becomes idolized, it prompts a reaction. There is a place for reason, a place for emotions, a place for art, a place for science, and much more. But when people highlight ideals over the sovereignty of God, they become idols (false gods) and are eventually found to be inadequate. Idols are ultimately unsatisfying. That is what happened in the days of Jeremiah. Like idols, broken cisterns leave us thirsty and longing for living water, a gushing spring that never runs dry. So, let me make a few contemporary observations that are in no particular order:  If we have learned anything at all, it is that the virus is indiscriminate. I am well aware of the data that shows the higher rate of disease within certain cultures, but those higher rates only serve to make my point. Particular racial groups and age groups are not more vulnerable because of their race or group, but because our culture denies the equality of all people. Covid-19 is reminding us that we are all equal, regardless of our culture, religion, occupation, financial situation or how famous we are (cf. Genesis 1:27; Romans 3:23). This disease treats us all equally. Perhaps we should learn that lesson when this crisis subsides.  I also believe we should learn the lesson of community. We are all connected and something that affects one person has an effect on another. We must learn how important we are to one another (cf. John 15:12; 1 John 3:11). From this truth we ought to be reminded the shortness of life and of what is most important for us to do, which is to help each other.  Certainly we have seen the stark contrast of what we need and what we want. Covid-19 has served as a reminder of how materialistic our world has become. When in times of difficulty, we must remember that it’s the essentials that we need (food, water, medicine) as opposed to the luxuries that we sometimes unnecessarily give value to (cf. Matthew 6:24).  It is reminding us of how important our family and home life is and how much we have neglected this. It is forcing us back into our houses so we can rebuild them into our home and to strengthen our family unit. This produces the truth that our true work is not our job. Our jobs are a means to an end. Of course we all have been gifted to fulfill our calling in life, but ultimately every calling must accomplish two things: love God and love others as we love ourselves (cf. Matthew 5:21-48).  We should note that the virus calls us to recognize our egos will be our undoing. No matter how great we think we are or how great others think we are, a virus can bring our world to a standstill. We can choose to cooperate and help each other, to share, to give, to help and to support each other or we can choose to be self-centered, seeking to benefit in some way from the catastrophe (cf. 1 Peter 5:5).  We must understand the absolute truth that God has not lost control. It has not caught God by surprise. He has a plan and it is being accomplished according to His will (cf. Philippians 2:13). Now, back to our reading… regardless of what people may say from age to age in history, Jesus is always the living water who fills us with the gift of eternal life (cf. John 4:14). Let’s all drink deeply of that well!