In the biblical narrative, fountains and springs hold significant theological and symbolic meaning, often representing life, sustenance, and divine provision. The concept of waters emerging from the "great deep" is rooted in the creation account and the flood narrative, illustrating God's sovereign control over the natural world.

Creation and the Great Deep

The Bible begins with the depiction of the earth as formless and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovering over the waters (Genesis 1:2). This "great deep" is a primordial source from which God brings forth order and life. On the second day of creation, God separates the waters, establishing the expanse and setting the stage for the emergence of dry land and the subsequent appearance of springs and fountains (Genesis 1:6-10).

The Flood and the Fountains of the Deep

The narrative of Noah's flood further emphasizes the concept of the great deep. In Genesis 7:11 , it is recorded that "all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened." This cataclysmic event underscores the power and judgment of God, as the waters from the deep, combined with the rain from above, cover the earth to cleanse it of wickedness. The fountains of the deep are thus portrayed as instruments of divine judgment, yet they also serve as a means of renewal and new beginnings for Noah and his family.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

Throughout Scripture, fountains and springs are often used metaphorically to convey spiritual truths. In Proverbs 13:14 , the teaching of the wise is described as "a fountain of life, turning one from the snares of death." This imagery suggests that just as physical springs provide water essential for life, divine wisdom and instruction offer spiritual nourishment and protection.

The prophet Isaiah speaks of the future restoration of Israel, using the imagery of fountains and springs to depict abundance and divine blessing: "I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs" (Isaiah 41:18). This promise highlights God's ability to transform desolation into fertility, reflecting His redemptive power.

Jesus and the Living Water

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ identifies Himself with the life-giving properties of water. In His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, He declares, "Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life" (John 4:14). Here, Jesus presents Himself as the ultimate source of spiritual sustenance, offering eternal life to those who believe in Him.

The imagery of fountains and springs is further developed in the book of Revelation, where the promise of eternal life is depicted as access to the "spring of the water of life" (Revelation 21:6). This eschatological vision assures believers of the fulfillment of God's promises and the eternal satisfaction found in His presence.

Conclusion

Fountains and springs, emerging from the great deep, serve as powerful symbols throughout the Bible. They represent God's creative power, His judgment and renewal, and His provision of spiritual life through Jesus Christ. These waters, both literal and metaphorical, remind believers of the sustaining and transformative power of God in their lives.Genesis 7:11
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 38:16
Have you entered into the springs of the sea? or have you walked in the search of the depth?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Dew and the Plants
... an east wind shall come, the wind of the Lord shall come up from ... tongue of flame,
licked streams and pools dry, and having shrunken fountains and springs. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the dew and the plants.htm

Songs of Deliverance
... Barak's victory, were no longer disturbed by the robbers who lurked at the fountains
for purposes ... All my fresh springs are in thee." Whenever we come to the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 13 1867/songs of deliverance.htm

At Jacob's Well
... of the great deep, who opened the springs and channels ... seeks to quench his thirst
at the fountains of this ... Nothing that had hitherto come in contact with her ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 19 at jacobs well.htm

The Great Reservoir
... If thou hast all thy springs in God thy heart ... You come and you take the sacramental
bread and wine ... old historians tell us that there were fountains in Cheapside ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the great reservoir.htm

The Great Reservoir
... If thou hast all thy springs in God, thy heart ... You come and you take the sacramental
bread and wine ... historians tell us that there were fountains in Cheapside ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the great reservoir.htm

The Second Theological Oration.
... XXVI. If this knowledge has come within your reach and you are familiar with these
branches of science, look at the ... What are the first fountains of springs? ...
/.../lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xxviii the second theological.htm

Gethsemane
... the question "Hast thou entered into the springs of the ... We have glanced at the fountains
of the great deep ... Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 9 1863/gethsemane.htm

Sorrowful, yet Always Rejoicing
... the turbid, the clear and the dark, the sorrow that springs from earthly fountains,
the joy ... If joy has come to them, they have been thankful for it, but ...
/.../sorrowful yet always rejoicing.htm

Come and Welcome
... divine nature"these are the mysterious springs from which ... Come just as you are; it
is "freely," "without ... and without price." The drinking fountains at the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/come and welcome.htm

Sin is Spiritual Slavery
... Whatever springs from will, we are responsible for ... In his sober moments, they come
thick and fast, and ... windows of heaven are opened" that "the fountains of the ...
/.../shedd/sermons to the natural man/sin is spiritual slavery.htm

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