We are working our way through a series on baptism. In our first installment, we considered the signs, symbols, and significance of baptism. Next, we consider how water is used throughout the Bible. This week, we consider how water divides.
Water serves a second redemptive symbol, the marking of boundaries, as early as the second day of creation. God divides the waters above from the waters below in Genesis 1:6–7, and the waters “return the favor” by creating divisions in Genesis 2:10–14, where four rivers from Eden divide the earth.
These river divisions help to shape the scope of God’s covenant with Abraham, defining the initial boundaries of his inheritance (Genesis 15:18–21).
Waters define the reign of a good king (Psalm 72:8, “May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!”), and mark the border of the Lord’s harvesting work (Isaiah 27:12).
Similarly in the New Testament, water boundaries mark important territories and realms for Jesus and his disciples (Mark 5:1–2).
Crossing to a New Place
Because water often marks important boundaries in the ancient world, many biblical stories involve people crossing boundary waters.[1]
For example, the story of Abraham describes a water crossing from idolatry to true worship. Joshua later recounts that God “took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan” (Joshua 24:2–3, 14).
The story of Jacob has a water crossing when Jacob transforms from having a deceiving identity to a new identity as one who wrestles with God (Genesis 32:22), marked by his crossing at the Jabbok.
The story of Moses shows a water crossing from slavery to freedom over the Red Sea.
The story of Joshua tells of a water crossing from the wilderness to the promised land over the boundary of the Jordan River.
Crossing to a New Time
The crossing of these boundary waters symbolizes new time as much as new space. We see that often when these watery divisions are crossed, it signifies a new period in God’s redemptive plan.
The same Jordan River that Israel crossed with Joshua would serve as an important location to symbolize ministry transitions.
The Jordan served as the setting when Moses passed his ministry to Joshua’s leadership.
Similarly, when Elijah passed his ministry to Elisha’s leadership, it involved two crossings of the Jordan (2 Kings 2:6–14).
And once again, the Jordan serves as a transition setting when John the Baptist passed his ministry to the leadership of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 3:13–17).
We see, then, that waters serve another important sign in redemptive significance. Waters signal boundaries and divisions between place and time in God’s redemptive plan. As we have paused to consider the signs, symbols, and significance of the use of water in baptism, the natural and redemptive imagery points us to how water can wash, unite, and give life, and how it marks God’s work of creation out of chaos and creating divisions in place and time.
In our next issue, before we apply this to our practice of the ordinance of baptism, we turn to the baptism(s) of Christ.
[1] “When you read the story of scripture,” Alistair Roberts notes, “one thing that you never really encounter are bridges, strangely enough.”