Satisfied With God's Provision

“Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;” (Isa 8:6 AV)

Rezin is the King of Syria.  Remaliah’s son is the king of Samaria, or northern Israel.  The waters of Shiloah are the provision for spiritual prosperity found only in Jerusalem.  The proverb means the ten northern tribes preferred a godless king and his friend, a pagan king over the LORD Jehovah found in the Holy City.  The reason given is the nature of the provision versus that which they preferred.  The waters of Shiloah go softly.  There is not tumultuous moving of the water.  It is constant and quiet.  It is not glamourous.  It is not dramatic.  It is subterranean water that goes from the mountains of Zion and surfaces in the city of Jerusalem.  Hezekiah built a series of aqueducts that stand even today.  They were designed to bring water from the mountains, underground, and provide water to a besieged city.  In short, the backslidden people of Israel preferred the complex and verbose provision of the world versus the quiet and unassuming supply God provided.

The word ‘Shiloah’ means sent.  From the understanding of waters sent from the surrounding mountains.  But more directly, sent by God.  It is in our nature to be dissatisfied with that which God sends.  We want bigger and better.  We want what the world has for us.  We want the exciting.  We want the tantalizing.  We want what everyone else has.  We want our flesh to be excited.  We want to take control of things and provide something considered more appealing.  Note also that the waters go softly.  They were not a rushing stream or creek that would erode over time.  The waters of Shiloah were waters that came in measure.  It reminds me of a place in Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, NY.  It is a beautiful place to take a hike.  The Glen is a mini canyon carved out of solid rock.  One can ascend or descend, viewing remarkable sights.  About half way up the canyon, there is this little have inch pipe protruding from the face of the rock.  Just a pipe.  But out of that pipe flows a constant stream of fresh spring water.  The Park drilled sideways into the rock and taped a natural cistern within the mountain.  This water runs at a specific rate 24/7.  It never increases nor decreases.  Rain doesn’t make it go faster, neither drought slower.  It runs and runs.  The water is amazing.  Kept at roughly 50 degrees all year round, it refreshes all who stop by.

The visitor can enter gift shops and snack shops at the bottom of the Glen.  There you can take out a mortgage for a can of pop or spring water.  Many do.  But why?  Why spend a lot of money?  Why drink all that caffeine and sugar?  Why find a recycle bin to put the empty?  Many who come bring a large water bottle and fill it on the way up and back again on the way down.  Why spend for one can of soda what you could spend for entire case at the local grocer?  It makes no sense.  Why?  Because we are accustomed to the things of this world.  That which God supplies is never good enough.  The world always has a better option.  The thing is, when Assyria came, the ten norther tribes could not defend themselves and Syria fell right along with them.  Isaiah tells us that sixty-five years from the time of this chapter, Israel would fall.  Why?  Because they would not find contentment in what God supplied.  They went after a ‘better’ offer only to find it could not meet their needs.