Pro 25:25 | KingComments | STEP | “Good news” that comes from afar and has been long awaited has the same effect as “cold water” has “on a weary soul” ( ). Good news refreshes and invigorates one who yearns for news of a loved one who has left for a distant land. When the means of communication we have today were not available, it took time for news to arrive for those left behind (cf. ; ). The time aspect does not play such a big role now, but a good message that reaches us through modern media within a second of being sent has the same effect for a loved one. A good message changes the life. We can also apply the good news from a distant land to the gospel. The word “gospel” literally means “good news”. The gospel has come to us from a far country, heaven. The shepherds experienced this when a messenger from heaven said to them: “I bring you good news [literally: evangelize] … for today … there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” ( ). In the gospel, the water of life is offered to everyone who is thirsty. Those who are thirsty may drink from it free of charge ( ). The Lord Jesus says to the weary soul: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” ( ). Those who are weary by life and weighed down by the burden of their sins can find rest and refreshment with Him. The gospel is the greatest thirst quencher and transformer of life. It is an exhortation to pass on the good news to every weary soul. Opposite the cold, refreshing water is “a trampled spring”, for example, because animals have run through it (cf. ), and “a polluted well”, for example, because something dead has fallen into it ( ). They are a disaster scenario for the easterner traveling through the hot wilderness. When he comes to such a spring or well tired and thirsty, he sees to his dismay that he cannot drink the water from that spring that he so needs. Not only does it taste foul, but it is often poisoned, making drinking from it harmful to the body and ultimately fatal. The wise Solomon uses this picture to describe a righteous person who, in the presence of a wicked one, loses his steadfastness in faith through fear or favor. This is as discouraging as finding a polluted well where you are eager to quench your thirst. Lot was such a righteous one ( ) who gave way before the eyes of a wicked one. He was in Sodom. That was a trampled spring and a polluted well from which he had drunk so much that he himself had become such a trampled spring and polluted well ( ). He could not be a refreshment to others. What was his way of life with Lot also occurred with Jacob as an incident, in an encounter with his wicked brother Esau ( ). The above applies today to Christians who merge into the world. They are supposed to be a source of life for others, but they live a worldly life. What they have to say comes from a trampled spring and a polluted well. They are unable to refresh others. When they get into trouble, they falter, while the wicked see it. They are an anti-witness. It can happen to people who go into politics, go into business or go to college. They come into contact with all kinds of wrong things or teachings, for example, the theory of evolution. If they are influenced by that, they become like “Good news” that comes from afar and has been long awaited has the same effect as “cold water” has “on a weary soul” ( ). Good news refreshes and invigorates one who yearns for news of a loved one who has left for a distant land. When the means of communication we have today were not available, it took time for news to arrive for those left behind (cf. ; ). The time aspect does not play such a big role now, but a good message that reaches us through modern media within a second of being sent has the same effect for a loved one. A good message changes the life. We can also apply the good news from a distant land to the gospel. The word ‘gospel’ literally means “good news”. The gospel has come to us from a far country, heaven. The shepherds experienced this when a messenger from heaven said to them: “I bring you good news [literally: evangelize] … For today there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” ( ). In the gospel, the water of life is offered to everyone who is thirsty. Those who are thirsty may drink from it free of charge ( ). The Lord Jesus says to the weary soul: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” ( ). Those who are weary by life and weighed down by the burden of their sins can find rest and refreshment with Him. The gospel is the greatest thirst quencher and transformer of life. It is an exhortation to pass on the good news to every weary soul. Opposite the cold, refreshing water is “a trampled spring”, for example, because animals have run through it (cf. ), and “a polluted well”, for example, because something dead has fallen into it ( ). They are a disaster scenario for the easterner traveling through the hot wilderness. When he comes to such a spring or well tired and thirsty, he sees to his dismay that he cannot drink the water from that spring that he so needs. Not only does it taste foul, but it is often poisoned, making drinking from it harmful to the body and ultimately fatal. The wise Solomon uses this picture to describe a righteous person who, in the presence of a wicked one, loses his steadfastness in faith through fear or favor. This is as discouraging as finding a polluted well where you are eager to quench your thirst. Lot was such a righteous one ( ) who gave way before the eyes of a wicked one. He was in Sodom. That was a trampled spring and a polluted well from which he had drunk so much that he himself had become such a trampled spring and polluted well ( ). He could not be a refreshment to others. What was his way of life with Lot also occurred with Jacob as an incident, in an encounter with his wicked brother Esau ( ). The above applies today to Christians who merge into the world. They are supposed to be a source of life for others, but they live a worldly life. What they have to say comes from a trampled spring and a polluted well. They are unable to refresh others. When they get into trouble, they falter, while the wicked see it. They are an anti-witness. It can happen to people who go into politics, go into business or go to college. They come into contact with all kinds of wrong things or teachings, for example, the theory of evolution. If they are influenced by that, they become like a trampled spring and a polluted well.

‏ Proverbs 25:25

What Does and What Does Not Quench Thirst

“Good news” that comes from afar and has been long awaited has the same effect as “cold water” has “on a weary soul” (Pro 25:25). Good news refreshes and invigorates one who yearns for news of a loved one who has left for a distant land. When the means of communication we have today were not available, it took time for news to arrive for those left behind (cf. Gen 45:27; 1Thes 3:5-8). The time aspect does not play such a big role now, but a good message that reaches us through modern media within a second of being sent has the same effect for a loved one. A good message changes the life.

We can also apply the good news from a distant land to the gospel. The word “gospel” literally means “good news”. The gospel has come to us from a far country, heaven. The shepherds experienced this when a messenger from heaven said to them: “I bring you good news [literally: evangelize] … for today … there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:10-11). In the gospel, the water of life is offered to everyone who is thirsty. Those who are thirsty may drink from it free of charge (Rev 22:17).

The Lord Jesus says to the weary soul: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). Those who are weary by life and weighed down by the burden of their sins can find rest and refreshment with Him. The gospel is the greatest thirst quencher and transformer of life. It is an exhortation to pass on the good news to every weary soul.

Opposite the cold, refreshing water is “a trampled spring”, for example, because animals have run through it (cf. Eze 34:18b), and “a polluted well”, for example, because something dead has fallen into it (Pro 25:26). They are a disaster scenario for the easterner traveling through the hot wilderness. When he comes to such a spring or well tired and thirsty, he sees to his dismay that he cannot drink the water from that spring that he so needs. Not only does it taste foul, but it is often poisoned, making drinking from it harmful to the body and ultimately fatal.

The wise Solomon uses this picture to describe a righteous person who, in the presence of a wicked one, loses his steadfastness in faith through fear or favor. This is as discouraging as finding a polluted well where you are eager to quench your thirst. Lot was such a righteous one (2Pet 2:7) who gave way before the eyes of a wicked one. He was in Sodom. That was a trampled spring and a polluted well from which he had drunk so much that he himself had become such a trampled spring and polluted well (Gen 19:4-23 ; 30-38). He could not be a refreshment to others. What was his way of life with Lot also occurred with Jacob as an incident, in an encounter with his wicked brother Esau (Gen 33:3).

The above applies today to Christians who merge into the world. They are supposed to be a source of life for others, but they live a worldly life. What they have to say comes from a trampled spring and a polluted well. They are unable to refresh others. When they get into trouble, they falter, while the wicked see it. They are an anti-witness. It can happen to people who go into politics, go into business or go to college. They come into contact with all kinds of wrong things or teachings, for example, the theory of evolution. If they are influenced by that, they become like “Good news” that comes from afar and has been long awaited has the same effect as “cold water” has “on a weary soul” (Pro 25:25). Good news refreshes and invigorates one who yearns for news of a loved one who has left for a distant land. When the means of communication we have today were not available, it took time for news to arrive for those left behind (cf. Gen 45:27; 1Thes 3:5-8). The time aspect does not play such a big role now, but a good message that reaches us through modern media within a second of being sent has the same effect for a loved one. A good message changes the life.

We can also apply the good news from a distant land to the gospel. The word ‘gospel’ literally means “good news”. The gospel has come to us from a far country, heaven. The shepherds experienced this when a messenger from heaven said to them: “I bring you good news [literally: evangelize] … For today there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:10-11). In the gospel, the water of life is offered to everyone who is thirsty. Those who are thirsty may drink from it free of charge (Rev 22:17).