Where in scripture are waters of affliction mentioned?
Verse 20 in Isaiah chapter 30 speaks of
waters of affliction
as well as the
bread of adversity
and it tells us that they both come from the Lord!
Isaiah 30:20: “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers be hidden no more, but thine eyes shall see they teachers:”
Isaiah 30:20 HEB: צָ֖ר וּמַ֣יִם לָ֑חַץ וְלֹֽא־ יִכָּנֵ֥ף KJV: and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers
Also in 1 Kings 22:27 HEB: לַ֙חַץ֙ וּמַ֣יִם לַ֔חַץ עַ֖ד בֹּאִ֥י KJV: and with water of affliction, until I come
2 Chronicles 18:26 HEB: לַ֙חַץ֙ וּמַ֣יִם לַ֔חַץ עַ֖ד שׁוּבִ֥י KJV: and with water of affliction, until I return
Original Word:מַיִם Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Transliteration: mayim Phonetic Spelling: mah’-yim Definition: waters, water
Water has many symbolic meanings in Hebrew:
water of a spring or well (עַיִן, בְּאֵר) Genesis 16:7;
of a river, NileExodus 2:10
of sea Red Sea Exodus 15:8,
of floodGenesis 7:7,10;
subterraneanExodus 20:4
in clouds Jeremiah 10:13;
of rainJudges 5:4;
of dewJudges 6:38.
primÊval deepGenesis 1:2,6
Water with proper names, of a location and
special uses e.g.
מַיִם חַיִּים living (i.e. running) water Leviticus 14:5,
Figurative uses are:
of distressIsaiah 43:2;
deep waters Psalm 69:3;
water of gall Jeremiah 8:14;
מַיִם שְׁאן Isaiah 17:12,13 of rushing nations.
of what is impetuous, violent, overwhelming
Isaiah 28:2,17; Hosea 10:7;
(as running away) of heart in timidity Joshua 7:5,
of knees Ezekiel 7:17; Ezekiel 21:12.
of transitorinessJob 11:16; Job 24:18; Psalm 58:8.
of refreshmentIsaiah 32:2; Isaiah 49:10;
spiritual Isaiah 12:3.
י מְנֻחת Psalm 23:2 in figure of rest and peace,
of reckless bloodshed (poured out like water) Psalm 79:3;
בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים Songs 4:15 figurative of bride;
גְּנוּבִים Proverbs 9:17 stolen waters.
of abundant justiceAmos 5:24
of outpoured wrath of ׳י Hosea 5:10.
One meaning is that water can be so powerful that it can make holes through rocks and hard stone by a process of erosion which resembles a power drill boring through it.
Original Word:לַחַץ Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Transliteration: lachats Phonetic Spelling: lakh’-ats Definition: oppression, distress
Strongs # 3906 affliction, oppression
From lachats; distress — affliction, oppression. to press, i.e. (figuratively) to distress — afflict, crush, force, hold fast, oppress
The Hebrew teachers/rabbis write that our Heavenly Father will give us an affliction that will drill or pierce through the rocky protective covering of our hearts with one goal, and that is to penetrate our hearts with His unconditional and everlasting love. In their understanding of the water of affliction is that it is an affliction to drill down to the core of your heart.
We have an idiom that we use to express deep sincere emotion when we say ‘from the bottom of my heart’. The very center of our heart is where truth can be found, it’s where the unshakeable and very real part of our soul resides. ‘Words are cheap’, is another common phrase, and certainly without action to support those statements we make, it has little depth of meaning to the hearer.
The whole of Hebrew thinking towards the Creator of the Universe and towards our fellow humans is summed up in the word shema which means: hear and obey or, hear and do. Words are encouraging but without action are not as much help as when doing something follows those words in order to assist an individual. Our heart motivation is most important, many flippantly declare love for each other, yet never show it by their actions.
We sometimes do not understand the Love of our Heavenly Father because we compare it to our understanding of love in its selfish, self seeking human form. Many languages have different words for different types of love, but as there is only one word for love in english speaking countries; it covers everything from food, sports, hobbies, fashion, pets, etc. to God. This does not really show a special and respectful term to describe our deep affection for our Savior, Lord and King.
As our Father God does love us so deeply, He doesn’t allow us to go through random afflictions, He orchestrates conditions and situations because He desires to break through into our hearts so they will be open to Him.
This is not something new, it has been His purpose all along.
Ezekiel 36:26 New International Version 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
This powerful metaphor speaks to the change He can bring to our lives.
This change can be more easily achieved when we consistently allow His Spirit of Holiness to will and to work in us after His good pleasure. For it is God that worketh in you, both to will [both to desire], and to perform, for good will. YLT Phil. 2:13.
It happened in the old Testament 1 Samuel 10:6 KJV: And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
as well as in the new, Colossians 3:10-14. 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him
2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit];
Our new man is raised to new life in Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:11; Romans 6:4–6; Galatians 2:20.
From this point forward the process of sanctification, or internal transformation, continues.
1John 3:20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
We not only experience waters of affliction when our Heavenly Father is drilling through our hearts of stone, but we also may face the bread of adversity.
Original Word:צַר Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: tsar Phonetic Spelling: tsar Definition:narrow, tight adversary, affliction, anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe,
Or tsar {tsawr}; from tsarar; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. Trouble); also a pebble (as in tsor); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding) — adversary, afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe, narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.
צַר noun [masculine]straits, distress;
צַר noun [masculine]straits, distress;
צַר noun [masculine]hard pebble, flint;
Many people recently celebrated Rosh Hashanah. During this Moed, this Appointed time of the Lord on His Calendar, it is customary to bake bread for Rosh Hashanah and to invite people who have hurt you during the previous year to assist you in its preparation. As you roll out the bread you forgive them.
Here we see a meaning of the bread of adversity. In Jewish literature it is taught that the adversity brought on by our sinful acts are pounded, rolled, shaped and baked to bring us to repentance/teshuvah and receive the forgiveness of our Heavenly Father.
The grains of wheat or barley are pounded, crushed, rolled and baked at high temperature and when fully cooked it comes out as something new.
It has been changed by the process.
Its form has changed from soft dough and it is now a loaf of bread and looks completely different; furthermore it will now provide nourishment to many others.
Here is a great spiritual lesson.
It is true that so many of us have to go through the waters of affliction for our Heavenly Father to penetrate and gain entrance into our hearts. He takes us through the pounding, rolling, shaping and baking by testings and trials, in order to bring us to the place where we see our sin and shortcomings.
Once we see and admit them, then we turn in repentance and receive His forgiveness through the blood of Yeshua haMashiach Jesus Christ. It is then that He can make us into something new, something of value and able to bring nourishment to others.
Your teachers shall be hidden no more.
Teachers in this passage is moreka. מוֹרֶ֔יךָ
mō·w·re·ḵā — 2 Occurrences
Isaiah 30:20 HEB: יִכָּנֵ֥ף עוֹד֙ מוֹרֶ֔יךָ וְהָי֥וּ עֵינֶ֖יךָ KJV: of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner
The picture is of a teacher who is throwing out knowledge or shooting out knowledge which is aimed at a specific target.
This Master Teacher will not be hidden.
The word hidden is kanaph.
yik·kā·nêp̄ — 1 Occurrence
Isaiah 30:20 HEB: לָ֑חַץ וְלֹֽא־ יִכָּנֵ֥ף עוֹד֙ מוֹרֶ֔יךָ NAS: longer hide Himself, but your eyes KJV: yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes INT: of oppression will no hide longer teachers
3670 kanaph: to be cornered or thrust into a corner
Original Word: כָּנַף Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: kanaph Phonetic Spelling: kaw-naf’ Definition: to be cornered or thrust into a corner
This is the word for wings, or a loose flowing skirt.
of garment = skirt, corner, or loose flowing end,
1 Samuel 15:27;
Strongs # 3671 kanaph: wing, extremity
Original Word:כָּנָף Part of Speech: Noun Feminine Transliteration: kanaph Phonetic Spelling: kaw-nawf’ Definition: wing, extremity
bird* (1), corner (1), corners (4), covering (1), each other (1), edge (5), edges (1), ends (3), fold (2), garment (1), kind (3), skirt (3), skirts (1), sorts (1), wing (14), winged (5), wings (58), wings were each other (1), wingspan (1).
bird, border, corner, end, feathered, flying, one another, overspreading,
Fromkanaph; an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bed-clothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle — + bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), X flying, + (one an-)other, overspreading, X quarters, skirt, X sort, uttermost part, wing((-ed))
The words used here give a picture of an archer shooting at a creature with wings however because the creature is illusive, when the Master Teacher shoots the arrow it doesn’t find its target. This could be telling us that our Heavenly Father is always speaking to us, but we just keep missing hearing His voice. This is explained in the last part of the verse.
And your eyes will see your teachers.
The word see is ra’ah which is a reference to:
spiritual seeing, spiritual insight.
רֹא֥וֹת
Strongs # 7200 raah: to see
Original Word: רָאָה Part of Speech:Verb Transliteration:raah Phonetic Spelling:raw-aw’ Definition: to see
Our spiritual eyes will be opened and we will see the redemption offered to us by our Master Teacher. Here the prophet seems to be saying that our Heavenly Father is always speaking to us, He is wanting to give us direction, to set us on the right path or WAY, because in the following verse 21, this is supported;
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
We must agree that sometimes what He is saying to us never quite makes the target in our brains, or gets through into our thick rocky heart. This is when our loving Father may have to bring
the bread of adversity,
that specific adversity that will bring us into repentance and receive His forgiveness. Or He may release
the waters of affliction
to penetrate the hard rock like shell over our heart in order to pierce it with His love. He is both patient and persistent in His process with us, just like the water dripping constantly onto the rock.
One of the most inspirational stories in Hebrew literature is that of Rabbi Akiva was a shepherd, a laborer, an am ha’aretz – religious in observance, but ignorant of Torah knowledge. At age 40, he didn’t even know how to read the aleph-beis/alphabet. One day, while sitting by a brook, Akiva noticed a steady trickle of water hitting a rock. It was only a drip, but it was constant – drop after drop after drop.
Akiva observed something incredible: A hole had been carved out by that steady drip of water. He wondered how that could be. He inquired who shaped the rock, and was told it was caused by the slow but constant dripping of water on top of it. Akiva then reasoned: If a substance soft as water can penetrate a rock with slow, persistent motion, how much more so can the words of Torah, which is hard as iron, can slowly but surely penetrate and make an indelible impression on my heart.
This was a turning point in his life. He promptly committed himself to study the Word of God – for an uninterrupted 24 years and went on to become the greatest sage of his generation, with 24,000 students learning under him at one time. What is the message of Rabbi Akiva and those life-transforming drops of water?
On one level, this story shows how everyone, if given the opportunity, can achieve great heights. It’s never too late to start.
On a deeper level, the story of Rabbi Akiva teaches that every drop of Gods word, even if undetectable, makes an impact.
All scripture, as the Word of the Almighty, has unparalleled power to effect change. Sometimes we do not perceive it, and the results are not apparent until years later. However if one keeps going and does not give up, the power of His word will eventually penetrate. Drop after drop after drop, it will carve into our neshama, our soul and spirit and transform us.
The Hebraic/Jewish view of spirituality is one which stresses that dramatic bursts of insight and inspiration are not so much how an individual will achieves great heights; and that is because experiences are fleeting and momentary, once they pass, the connection quickly fades.
The truth is that it is the consistent pursuance and faithful decision to live within the scriptural values and Biblical guidelines given to us for our protection and maturing in the faith. When we walk along the WAY, we gain the small triumphs in life and they add up, drop after drop, creating true spiritual transformation.
Eph. 5:26 God sanctifies and cleanses the ecclesia by the washing of water and the word.
Let’s allow the Father, by His Spirit, to penetrate our hearts and let’s not harden them in rebellion; then the bread of adversity and waters of affliction will be far from our lives…
while it is said, “TODAY [while there is still opportunity] IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME [in the rebellion in the desert …Hebrews 3:7-15
Shalom mishpachah/family
and cheverim/friends!
It’s all about Life and Relationship,
NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
NOT SURE?
YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
What does water have to do with affliction? 
