En Gedi water represents the ?living waters? mentioned frequently in the Text. For Hebrew culture, the refreshing and pure waters of En Gedi created a picture of God?s encouragement.
As they faced their battles in the Promised Land, God?s people grew weary of their mission to be a holy people at the crossroads of the world. In the midst of their troubles, many Israelites longed for the refreshment and strength of God.
One psalmist described his soul as thirsting for God ?in a dry and weary land where there is no water? (Ps. 63:1). Another psalmist wrote, ?As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God? (Ps. 42:1).
The Jews carried the concept of ?living water? into their worship. Outside their temple and synagogues, they built mikvehs?ritual baths where they symbolically cleansed their hearts before worship. Recognizing their need for God?s cleansing, they used only ?living water??flowing from nearby springs or rain run-off?which was not touched by human hands.
Jesus, too, spoke of living water. One day, as he talked with a Samaritan woman, he offered her living waters that would be even better than the springs and rivers of the land: Jesus? water would become a spring inside of her, ending all of her thirst.
