THE BIBLE AND HOLY WATER

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

THE BIBLE AND HOLY WATER

Presented by: Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Devotional Text: Nunbers 5:11-28

INTRODUCTION:

 “Holy Water”, which is also referred to as the “Bitter Water of Jealousy” is only used in the Bible for detective purposes, and never as instrument of blessing or protection, which is the order in some religious quarters of this era of the Christian faith. According to the scriptural text of this lesson, the “sacred Water” was used when a man had some reason to suspect his wife to have committed adultery, {vs. 12-14}. In the words of Matthew Henry, ‘the sin of adultery is justly represented as an exceedingly great sin, as it is going aside from GOD and virtue, and the good way, {Prov. 2:17}. It is committing a trespass against the husband, robbing him of his honour, as well as alienating his right, and introducing a spurious {false} breed into his family, to share his estate with his children, and violating her covenant with him. In the same order, John Wycliffe observes that, biblical laws express condemnation of adultery, in contrast to the lax attitude of Israel’s neighbours and their immoral practices, and so, when a wife was suspected by her husband of adultery, and she maintained her innocence, she was to be brought to the priest and made to stand before the LORD, who alone could determine her innocence or guilt. The priest was to make her take an oath of innocence and to subject her to an ordeal the drinking of bitter curse-bringing water made with dust from the floor of the Tabernacle, which would determine her guilt by certain effects manifested in her body. But, if there were no telltale effects, she was innocent, and was returned to her husband to bear children. And so, with the foregoing in mind, this lesson brings to the fore that, apart from the cited use of “Holy Water” in the Old Testament, there was no other application of it in that era, as the New Testament has no mention of it, but talks of “Living Water” {John 7:38}, indicating that, the use of “Holy Water” in today’s Christianity is not only biblically wrong but dispensationally out of place.

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)       Holy water is mentioned only once in the Old Testament Scripture, and shows it was for detective purpose

 {Num. 5:11-28}, while the prophets in the same era talked of “Living Water”, which refers to the LORD, {Jer. 2:13; 17:13}

(2)       Those who forsake the LORD will be put to shame, because they have forsaken the LIVING WATER, {Jer. 17:13}

(3)       Living Water in the Old Testament carries the idea of the outpouring of the HOLY SPIRIT {Zec.14:8}

 which JESUS confirms in the New Testament, {John 7:38}

(4)       Both the Old Testament {Jer. 2:13; 17:13} and the New Testament Scriptures  {John 4:10-11; 7:38} have  prominent place

 for Living Water, but have no place for the domestic use of “Holy Water,” {Num. 5:12-28}

HOLY WATER AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE

The use of “Holy Water” is only found one place in the entire Scripture, and this is in the Old Testament {Num. 5:11-28}, as it is, equally, only applied for the purpose of finding out, if a woman accused of adultery was guilty or innocent, {vs. 11-28}. During the period in retrospect, a man who suspected his wife of adultery would take her to the priest, with an “offering of jealousy” as required in the law {vs. 15}. Once the requirement was satisfied, the priest dispensed the oath on the woman before the LORD, and if she had done nothing wrong, she walked away free, but if she went astray, the effect became devastating {vs. 16-28}. There was no other use of “Holy Water” in the Old Testament Scripture, apart from the detection of hidden adultery, as people enquired directly from the LORD for the detection of other sins, which individuals, like Achan, intended to cover-up, {Joshua 7}. Based on the foregoing, therefore, this lesson asserts that:

i)                     Holy Water is exclusively an Old Testament matter, {Num. 5:11-28}

ii)                    It is pointedly for the detection of suspected adultery, {vs. 11-28}

iii)                  There is no place in the New Testament, where the use of Holy Water is cited,

Instead, JESUS CHRIST our LORD and BLESSED SAVIOUR talked of the need for Living Water, {John 7:38}

HOLY WATER AND LIVING WATER IN OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES

While, it is true that the use of  Holy water was in place, in the Old Testament, for the detection of adulterous behaviour {Num. 5:11-28}, it is also true that the Old Testament Prophets did not mix-up the  practice with the concept of Living Water,” {Jer. 2:13}. To them, the LORD, our GREAT GOD and SAVIOUR remains the LIVING SPRING that gives life, as the Holy Water was but, an instrument for the check of indecent behaviour. And so, the use of Holy Water, in whatever guise, in today’s church, which has no complementary text in the New Testament Scripture, must have come from the pit of hell, as a means by agents of darkness to subvert the truth of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST our BLESSED LORD and SAVIOUR. In further, notice, also that in the Old Testament the Holy Water was not consecrated and handed-out to people for domestic uses, but was located in the temple and used for its purpose, when required {Num. 5:11-28}. And, point blank, there was no transference of the practice to the New Testament Apostolic Believers, as the LORD JESUS CHRIST only cited the need for Living Water, {John 4:10-11} and never quoted the Old Testament Scripture for the use of Holy Water {Num. 5:11-28}, to support His Message. To this end, this lesson, also, asserts that:

(i)                    Since Holy Water was not consecrated for domestic uses in the Old Testament {Num. 5:11-28}

it becomes smacks of falsehood on the path of  those who try to do so, in today’s church.

(ii)                  Since Holy water was just for the detection of suspected adultery, as seen ionly in the Old Testament Scripture, {Num. 5:11-28}, it becomes obvious that those who dispense it, in whatever guise, in the present day Christianity are not true in their interpretation and application of GOD’S WORD, and;

(iii)                 Since the Old Testament prophets and priests did not mix-up the use of Holy Water {Num. 5:11-28} with the concept of Living Water {Jer. 7:13}, and, since the New Testament  Scripture has no record of the use of it, it becomes a point to shun the use of Holy Water, in whatever fashion, in Christendom today.

In conclusion, let it be re-called that, the use of “Holy Water” is mentioned only once in the entire Scripture, and that, it is for the detection of suspected sin of adultery {Num. 5:11-28}. And that, both the Old Testament prophets and JESUS CHRIST our LORD and BLESSED SAVIOUR agree that the Living Water should be the focus of all those who desire to drink from the fountain of life; and in agreement say,... “The LORD is the hope of Israel, and all who forsake HIM shall be ashamed... because they have forsaken the LORD, the FOUNTAIN of Living Water,” {Jer. 17:13}. And, “on the last day, that great day of the feast, JESUS stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to ME and drink. He who believes in ME, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of Living Water,” {john 7:37-38}. DON’T BE DECEIVED!