“When you pass through the WATERS, I will be with you; And through the RIVERS, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the FIRE, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” (‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:2)‬

There is a deliberate sequence, pattern and purpose to all things written in God’s word. For all scripture IS give by inspiration of God, and IS profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction (2 Timothy 3:16). For it is the life of John 3:16, that whoever believeth in it, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Passing through “the waters, the rivers, and fire” are the three transformation stages — being the pattern of “three stages” found in many facets of the word of God — being the three stages throughout the word that outline the discipleship journey, being the “from glory to glory” transformation belonging only to those who follow Jesus. So that in doing so, they may then enter the life “that few find”. Which is the life that follows as “the crown of glory” of the light of life reserved only for the few who finish the race. Being “the way everlasting” that leads to the abundant life of every manifest son. For the word of God counsels us for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction, that “difficult is the way that leads to life but few find it” (Matthew 7:14).

In order of sequence, “passing through the waters” represents the first step of the discipleship journey to the “light of life” of entering “the narrow gate” of salvation. Being the pattern of entering “the narrow gate” of the Red Sea waters crossing so that we may escape the slavery to Egypt that is our slavery to sin. In other terms, it is entering the narrow gate of “by repentance and baptism unto water only” that are the minimum “entrance gate” requirements for our salvation from sin. For was the Red Sea crossing not a “narrow gate”? And was it not by a “narrow margin” that they escaped? In likewise manner, is the mandatory requirement of “by repentance ONLY” not a narrow gate? Is salvation “by the blood of Jesus ONLY” not a narrow gate?

In the natural, “the seed of life” deposited by a man “through water” is only received through the event of entering “the narrow gate” before it can produce “the miracle of life” that is a “new creation”. In the same way, the gift of life of “the incorruptible seed” of the Man called Christ deposited in the spirit of man (the womb of life) through “baptism by water” is only received upon entering the narrow gate of salvation before it can produce the miracle of life that is a “new creation”. Being the “first-step event” of salvation (the narrow gate) represented by the two of “confession of faith (repentance) and water baptism”.

The big misunderstanding in the body of the church is that whilst conception (salvation) is a miracle in itself, the miracle of life is “the new creation” that comes as “a result” of that seed, being the baby that is finally released into the world (life). The error of the church is that it believes that receiving the seed is “the new creation”, when it’s just the gift and miracle of conception. In the same way that what matters in a pregnancy is not the pregancy or the conception as much as what comes from that conception, what matters to God is what the seed of Christ ultimately produces at the end of the race. Being the new creation that is only birthed at the end of the race. That is what “the miracle of life” is. The seed is the gift of life. The church’s error is it stops at salvation (conception) forgetting that there are still nine months of gestation (discipleship) to follow BEFORE the new creation is eventually released and revealed. For the church stays at preaching and leaves out teaching. For “preaching” is to “receiving” (salvation) what “teaching” is to “releasing” (discipleship). And what does discipleship release? Destiny. Being the destiny of the new creation that comes as a miracle of life “at the end” of the journey, not the beginning. The church is stuck at base one. Just like there are three bases to getting a home run, there are three bases to getting the home run of a new creation in God. Which is why Jesus began His ministry with calling disciples, and ended His ministry with sending disciples. Because the key is discipleship. That is what nurtures the seed from a seed into the fullness of life that is a new creation.

Which also tells us that God KNEW even before He created man that Adam would fall, because before He even created Adam, He created the natural body of man to represent the salvation experience long before Adam even fell. And just stop and think of the genius of God for a minute that He is able to produce a marvel of creation that is the natural man that has been purposefully sculptured to represent the salvation miracle, as well as the rest of the discipleship journey to the abundant life that follows after salvation.

For is the seed of life of man that produces a child not a miracle of life? And shall the seed of Christ not likewise produce a miracle of life? Which, just as when the seed in the womb carries to term, it produces a finished product or new creation that is then “revealed before all creation”, so too does the seed of Christ produce “a new creation” on the other side of the three trimester journey in the womb of life called discipleship, that is called a manifest son, that upon carrying to term (finishing the race) is then revealed or manifest before all of creation (Romans 8:19).

Therefore, (1) the term “passing through the waters” refers to the waters of the womb. For before a child is revealed before all creation, does it not first come to life (salvation) and then live in the bag of waters known as the amniotic sac? (2) The term “passing through the rivers” refers to the broken waters of the womb. And (3)“walking through the fires” refers to the fires of labour right at the end of child birth, which is just before entering the life of being born. Which is just before it is revealed before all of creation. Which is the difficult way that LEADS to life “that few find”. For is it not true that many a pregnancy does not carry to term? In the same way, in the spiritual, many may start the race, but along the way, many miscarry. Which is what God means by “many are called” (start the race), but “few are chosen” (finish the race). Those that finish the race of the prize of the upward call in Christ are not only few and far between, but they are also the few who “are chosen” to be revealed before all of creation as the manifest sons of God. For if it were not so, the word of God would not say that “all of creation waits eagerly for the revealing (or manifesting) of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19).

So if God designed the human body to showcase “the three stages” of the salvation story of humanity of:

(1) exiting Egypt through “the narrow gate” of the waters of the Red Sea —which is when the seed of man enters the “narrow gate” of a woman, and which represents “the new life” that births in the womb upon the occasion of that seed entering the waters of the woman;

(2) “the difficult way” of the wilderness crossing — which is the difficult way of the wilderness crossing of pregnancy. For is nine months of pregnancy not a difficult way? For is it not a wilderness experience of entering the “complete unknown” and of “trusting by faith”? Did the Israelites not need to trust God by faith every step of the way? Which in the spiritual journey is “the rivers crossed” all along the way, but also “the Jordan river of death” before they enter the promised land “of life”. For did Jesus not have to die to self before He entered the life of a manifest son of God?

And then lastly, (3) after the nine months of pregnancy, being the difficult way that “leads to life”, to then produce that life through “a son revealed before all creation”? Which is the “abundant life” part of John 10:10 that follows the initial “life” produced at conception? For compared to the life hidden in the womb, which is the miracle of life of receiving the seed of Christ at “the moment” of salvation, is the miracle of life that is a newborn child that proceeds thereafter as “a process” after salvation not the expression and accomplishment of all that is “abundant life”?

then by God purposely designing the body of man ahead of the fall that it may fully pattern and represent all three stages of the discipleship journey, does that not prove that God either knew or anticipated well in advance that man would fall?

And even more astonishing is that just as “the breath of life, and water of life, and bread of life” of Jesus can only be accessed through the blood of Jesus, so too does the child in the womb access “the three must have” ingredients “for life” of breath, water, and bread only through the blood.

After that, who can truthfully say there is no God?

And that we are just a random result from an equally random Big Bang?

Or the hubris of evolution?

And likewise, when that new born son (new creation) enters the abundant life that follows the life of the womb, being a son “revealed before all of creation”, having already passed through the waters, and rivers and fires of the three-stage journey that is the three trimesters of pregnancy, the only way that even a fully grown man can still access water, bread and breath remains for the entirety of his life only through “the blood”.

Which confirms what we know from the word of God which is that we have ALL been created by a deliberate design to showcase “the glory of Jesus”. Which IS the entire purpose of our earthly life.

But just as a child in the womb is “conceived in darkness”, representing that man is birthed in the darkness of sin, when a child enters life, it comes “into the light”. Which is the light of life that a son of God will enter into when he finishes the race of discipleship. Which is to enter the “light of life” that few find. And so it is that just as “the light” sustains “the life” of the child revealed before all of creation, so it is that the son of God revealed before all of creation who enters the life that few find, will be sustained by the “light of life” (John 8:12).

One further depiction of the forethought and purposeful of God in His creation is that of the two greatest commandments of all, God has likewise patterned them into the design of the human body. Because does the human heart not have two sides separated by “an inner wall” called the septum? And was the heart of God not separated from the heart of man by “the inner wall” in His temple of “the veil”? But just like the two parts of God and His sons work together like “the single pump house” of God’s love now that the veil has been torn, so too does “the two parts” of the human heart represent the working of “the two greatest commandments”. Because before the one side of the heart can pump the oxygen rich blood out to feed the body —representing feeding the body of the church — it first needs to receive into its chambers the oxygen rich blood. Which represents man first drinking his fill from the wellspring of “loving the LORD our God with all our heart, soul and strength” (Matthew 22:37), and then pouring out that Holy Spirit filled love in “loving our neighbour as ourselves” (Matthew 22:39) so that all the law and prophets may be fulfilled. Which again, is likewise only available through the blood. For did Jesus not say that it is “only through Him” (the blood) that we have access to the Father? (John 14:6).

For just as a miracle of life that is “a new creation” awaits on the other side of “the three trimester” journey in the womb, so too does a miracle of life that is “a new creation” await those on the other side of the three stage journey of discipleship.

Which are all those who will take on the “new garment of glory” that is the fullness if the incorruptible seed deposited at salvation. Which is the “new garment” of the “light of life” represented by “the coat” of the prodigal son which his father wraps around his shoulders. And also “the multi-coloured coat” (representing the seven colours of light - being a perfect light) of Joseph that his father gave him. For did Joseph not have many brothers? And was the coat only given to one? Confirming not only that few find that life, but also that while many are called, only few are chosen.

Which, as the “light of life”, is both the coat of the “everlasting” LIGHT of “the perishable” taking on the imperishable in a flash, and the “everlasting” LIFE of “the mortal” taking on the immortal in a flash. And what is a flash but a burst of light? So that in a burst of light, then just like Father like son, we may all be from “everlasting to everlasting”. Which is when all of creation will finally look fondly upon that which it waits for in eager anticipation.

Which is the revealing, or manifesting, of the glorified sons of God.

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.