The Bible doesn’t record insignificant matters and stories; rather, everything that the Bible says is true, significant, full of meaning, and has a place in God’s economy.
In Gen. 21 we see that Abraham fought for the well he dug and was taken by force, and he obtained it back by redeeming it and making a covenant with an oath with Abimelech. This points to a very significant matter in our Christian life: in our spirit there’s a fountain of life that has been redeemed by Christ and covenanted to us, and we can drink of this water to live a life for the fulfillment of God’s purpose.
In Gen. 21:33 we see further that Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-Sheba (where the well was), and he called on the name of Jehovah, the Eternal God (El-Olam).
This is also very significant, showing us that the result of drinking the living water is that there will be a rich and flourishing expression of life (the tamarisk tree) and we will call on the name of the Lord in a fresh and new way according to our experience of Him (a new name, El-Olam).
Today in our Christian life and church life we need to drink of the fountain of life and eat the tree of life, and there will be an issue: we will be like a tamarisk tree, an expression of the rich flowing life.
The Lord Jesus came that we may have life and may have it abundantly (John 10:10), and if we come to Him we can drink of Him as the living water and there will be rivers of water of life gushing up from our inner being (John 7:37-39).
As believers in Christ and descendants of Abraham, we need to be like a tamarisk tree planted by the well and NOT be those who kill life and join themselves to the world (as Ishmael did). May the Lord shine on us and grant us to see the spiritual significance of the well and the tamarisk tree at Beer-sheba.
Enjoying and Experiencing the Tree of Life to become like a Tamarisk Tree
In Gen. 21:33 we see that Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-Sheba, most likely by the well of water which he obtained back with a covenant.
A tamarisk tree is an evergreen tree that can grow in saline soils (in the desert), having slender branches and green foliage, often growing close to water sources. It is similar to a willow tree, giving you the impression of the flourishing riches of life, since it is full of branches and leaves.
If we drink of the water of life by the well at Beer-Sheba, we will become like a tamarisk tree, having the rich expression of the divine life in our daily living. The church life today should be such a place as Beer-Sheba where there’s a well of redeemed and covenanted water and there are many tamarisk trees, many rich expressions of the flowing and flourishing divine life.
In his life-study of Genesis brother Witness Lee points out that the tamarisk tree, in its spiritual application, is the result of our experiencing the tree of life. The tree of life is revealed in Gen. 2, and if we eat the tree of life and drink the water of life, we will be like a tamarisk tree, expressing the rich flow of life in us.
When we meet with others, because we are constantly enjoying the tree of life and the water of life, we richly express life and minister life to them.
This is the opposite of the issue of drinking from the well of Ishmael, which is to kill life and be joined to the world. As believers in Christ, children of God, and descendants of Abraham, we have a choice every day: eat the tree of life and drink the water of life in our spirit, OR drink the natural water in the wilderness of our soul.
These are two sources with two issues, one issuing in a rich expression of the flowing divine life, and the other issuing in the killing of life for pleasure and being joined to the world.
Do we enjoy Christ as the tree of life? Do we come to the Lord to receive life and enjoy the divine life abundantly? Do we come to the Lord to drink of Him as the living water? Are we like a tamarisk tree or do we kill life?
May the Lord make us enjoyers of life: eaters of the tree of life and drinkers of the water of life, so that we may be those who richly express the bountiful supply of the water of life and the tree of life enjoyed and experienced by us.
Drinking the Water of Life Daily to be “a Tamarisk Tree” in the Church Life
photo credit: Well of water, Wikipedia – Drink the Water of Life to be a Tamarisk Tree in the Church Life Today
When we read the record in Gen. 21 concerning Abraham planting a tamarisk tree in Beer-Sheba we may naturally be inclined to think that he liked tamarisk trees or that this tree was an ancient type of landscaping. But the spiritual reality of this fact is much more profound than that.
The tamarisk tree Abraham planted in Beer-Sheba drew its supply from the water in the well and it expressed richly the flowing life. This should be us in the church life: we need to be planted by the water of life and be like a tamarisk tree, drinking the water of life and expressing the riches of life.
We are not “encamped” by the water of life; we are planted there, abiding in the Lord, never to leave! We need to be planted by the side of the crucified and resurrected Christ so that we would always be drinking from this divine source.
The Lord still calls us to come to Him and drink, and as we drink of Him as the living water, rivers of water will flow out of our innermost being (John 7:37-39). As we drink from the unique source of life, Christ, many rivers of water of life flow out through the mind, emotion, will, conscience, and heart.
We cooperate with the flow of life by digging, and the water of life has an unrestricted and unhindered way to flow. As we drink of the Lord as the fountain of life, this life flows in many rivers and streams through the many parts of our being, causing us to richly express the divine life.
This is how the church life today should be: many tamarisk trees by the well in Beer-Sheba, many brothers and sisters who drink the water of life and live by it, expressing the riches of the divine life in their living and speaking.
The church today should be at the well of an oath with a covenant and should be full of tamarisk trees – full of the rich experience, enjoyment, and expression of the tree of life and water of life (John 1:4; 10:10). If we eat the Lord and drink of Him, we will live because of Him, expressing the riches of His life (John 6:57).
Also, here at the well of water of life, we call on the name of the Lord in a new way: He is the El-Olam! When we enjoy the riches of the divine life, we call on the name of the Lord and have a new realization of what He is to us.
How we need to drink of the water of life daily so that we may be like a tamarisk tree in the church life, drinking of the water of life, expressing the riches of life, and calling on the name of the Lord in a fresh way!
Lord Jesus, we come to drink of You as the well of water of life. Flow in us and gush out from our innermost being as many rivers of water of life through our mind, emotion, will, conscience, and heart. Lord, we love being here at Beer-Sheba, being planted as a tamarisk tree by the fountain of life, drinking the water of life and experiencing the tree of life to express the riches of the flowing divine life. May the church life be filled with the eating of the tree of life, drinking the water of life, and richly expressing the flowing divine life!
References and Hymns on this Topic
- Inspiration: the Word of God, my Christian experience, bro. Minoru Chan’s sharing in the message for this week, and portions from, Life-study of Genesis (msgs. 56-57), as quoted in, the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Crystallization-Study of Genesis (2), week 10 / msg 10, Two Wells — Two Sources of Living.
- Hymns on this topic:
# Lord grant me today, a new start in this way. / A person of life I would be— / Just expressing You in all that I do. / Oh may this life flow out of me! (new song on, A Person of Life)
# Oh, come to the Fountain of Life, / The fountain that never runs dry; / Oh, drink of the boundless supply, / For Christ is the Fountain of Life. (Hymns #523)
# Splendid church life! His green garden! / He has brought us, praise the Lord, / To experience the Christ Who’s growing here! / He is full of rich enjoyment / To His saints in one accord; / He is new and fresh, available and dear. I’m so happy in this lovely place, / In the garden growing in His grace! / There is no finer pleasure / Than to eat the living tree / And to get the living water into me. (Hymns #1237)
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