Jeremiah the prophet wrote the following statement, “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13). A cistern was a device for storing water. By the end of summer most pools and wells, if not totally dried up diminish greatly, and cisterns are turned to as the source of water.
Cisterns were rarely cleansed, and the inevitable scum which collects is dispersed by plunging the pitcher several times before drawing water. When the water is considered to be bad, a somewhat primitive cure was applied by dropping earth into the cistern, so as to sink all impurities with it, to the bottom. This helps us to understand what is being said by Jeremiah. The people had left the sweet life-giving water (God’s love and care) and had turned to broken cisterns (trusting in other gods which were no gods cf. v11, 12).
Today there are those who make the same choice to forsake the living water to drink of the putrid, pungent, poison of sin. Satan makes the things of this life look so great and refreshing. Christians are tempted to drink long and full of Satan’s dipper, yet their thirst is never satisfied.
So, God has given us spiritual blessings through Christ that our souls can know peace and heavenly reward. He has given us the physical blessing so that we can have companionship as we strive to live for Him each day.
All men need to drink of the “living water”, following Christ and being obedient to the gospel of Christ. This same gospel has changed the lives of countless millions. Listen to God’s word, have faith in Jesus as God’s Son, turn from sin, be willing to confess Jesus as God’s Son, be baptized for the remission of your sins and live for God every day. The water from this “living stream” will last a lifetime.
Yet still some would forsake the flowing fountain to partake of the murky water of the cistern. Countless millions refuse to believe in God at all. They chose to trust in man’s explanations of creation and existence rather than to trust in God.
The battle rages in our nation at this time between teaching the theory of evolution over creationism.
Others fail to see the importance of the Church that Jesus built (Matt. 16:18). They drink of the cistern of vain teaching, choosing to follow men rather than to study God’s word for themselves and to become children of God according to God’s plan. “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9).
The blessing of the home has been destroyed many times by those who would drink long and deep from the “broken cistern” filled with fornication and adultery. The children conceived in love many times are hurt the most by the “filthy water from a broken cistern.”
God’s intent from the beginning was one man and one woman for life (Matt. 19:1-9).
God wants man to never have to “drink” from a cistern, broken or otherwise. He has provided the life-giving stream, the water of life, Christ Jesus. If man will follow Christ, walking in His steps, this life can be great. Our homes can be the place of love, safety and protection that God has intended.
Our walk taking us from this life to the next can be made easier, by trusting in God and being helped by fellow Christians. Seek to become God’s child by studying the Bible and obeying the gospel.