Editorial: Out of the Waters, Deliverance!
Dustin Burlet’s feature article draws some interesting parallels between the Noah’s flood and the advent of Christ, asserting that both are acts of divine deliverance.
Throughout the Bible, we see God’s delivering hand from out of the waters of chaos. Even “in the beginning” of God’s good creation, we see God relegating the chaos waters to their rightful spheres (Genesis 1:2, 6–10).
The theme continues through Noah’s flood to the exodus, as the Israelites receive their deliverance by marching through the Red Sea on dry ground. Then, later, the Israelites “crossed over [the Jordan River] on dry ground” to enter the Promised Land (Joshua 3:17).
The psalms and the prophets highlight God’s rule and triumph over the chaos waters: “He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses” (Psalm 29:3) and “Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away” (Isaiah 17:13).
Is it any coincidence, then, that our Deliverer arrived through the waters of childbirth (an event that, itself, is called “delivery”)? And any wonder that the symbol of our rebirth has us arriving into new life by passing through the waters of baptism?
In the new creation, “the roar of rushing waters”—rather than being from those who seek to rise up against God—is from the people of God as they shout, “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns!” (Revelation 19:6).
In the midst of tumultuous times, it may feel like that final reality is far away, but—by faith—may you be able to echo that song and that of the angels, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).
