AS A TROUBLED FOUNTAIN, AND A CORRUPT SPRING

In Bible times, and in the Middle East where rainfall was limited, fountains and springs were an invaluable asset as illustrated in the request of Achsah to her father Caleb, ‘Give me a blessing … give me also springs of water’, Judg. 1. 15. If, however, the foun­tain has been fouled, i.e. trampled upon and muddied by feet, Ezek. 32. 2; 34. 18, 19, or the spring is impure, its value and bene­fit has gone and instead of refreshment it will only give disappointment to a thirsty soul. Today’s proverb infers a righ­teous man should be as a fountain or spring, a continual source of refreshment and life to all around him, but it illustrates two situations where that purpose will not be realised.

A righteous man is not beyond falling, to the detriment of his testimony, before the wicked. It might be through a compromise arising from the fear of men, as with Abraham before Pharaoh, Gen. 12. 11-20, or before Abimelech, Gen. 20. 2-11, two occasions when this righteous man exposed himself to rebuke. In the first instance, he was told ‘go thy way’; in the second, it was only through the direct intervention of God that his reputation was preserved. Equally, a fall might result from a combination of things, such as discouragement and weariness, as was almost so with the psalmist perplexed at the prosperity of the wicked, Ps. 73. 2, or, from distress and fear, as with David in his conduct before Achish, 1 Sam. 21. 12-15. In respect of their testimony, the likeness of these righteous men to a ‘troubled fountain’, mud­died by the feet of men, is surely not difficult to see. Sometimes believers fall through wilful sin, think of David with Bathsheba and of Nathan’s rebuke, ‘by this deed thou hast given great occa­sion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme’, 2 Sam. 12. 14. Though David was a man after God’s own heart, he had become like a ‘corrupt spring’, issuing forth unclean water, guilty of con­duct distasteful to men.

What of our testimony? Has there been a fall, leaving us distressed and discouraged, our testimony virtually gone? Thank God there is a way back, for ‘If we confess … he is faith­ful and just to forgive’, 1 John 1. 9. Recovery begins there.