By the Fountain

Spurgeon, Charles Haddon

Deuteronomy 33:13-17

And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew…

(with Genesis 49:22): —

I. THIS FIGURE DESCRIBES JOSEPH'S CHARACTER.

1. He was in clear and constant fellowship with God, and therefore God blessed him greatly. How can we fail to be fruitful if we draw our life and all its vigour from the Lord Jesus?

2. Because Joseph lived near to God, he received and retained gracious principles. We need an instructed people if we are to have a fruitful people.

3. Joseph showed his character throughout the whole of his life. Always the Lord his God is the star of Joseph.

4. This abiding near to God made Joseph independent of externals. If you are not living in God on your own account, your religion may as well fail you at once; for it will ultimately do so.

5. Joseph was very conscious of his entire dependence upon God. Take the well away, and where was the fruitful bough?

II. THIS IS OF ITSELF A GREAT BLESSING. It is a high favour to know the deep things of God, and to enjoy the far-down securities, enjoyments, and privileges of the children of heaven.

1. In deep union with God are to be found the very truth and life of godliness. A man may possess the catalogue of a library, and yet be without a book; and so may you know a list of doctrines, and yet be a stranger to truth.

2. When a man like Joseph can be compared to a fruitful tree by a well, because he is rooted in fellowship with God, he has the blessedness of drawing his supplies from secret, but real, sources. His life is hid, and the support of his life is hidden too. The world knoweth him not; but the secret of the Lord is with him. There is the tree, and there is the fruit, these can be seen by all; but none can see the roots which are the cause of the clusters, nor the deep that lieth under, from which those roots derive their supply.

3. The supplies of such a man are inexhaustible. Infinite mercy is a storehouse for a starving world.

4. The man who dwells near to God has supplies which can never be cut off. We have heard of cities which have been surrounded by armies, and were never captured by assault, but were compelled to surrender because the besiegers cut off the water courses, broke down the aqueducts, and so subdued them by thirst. Jerusalem was never thus captured, for there were deep wells within the city itself which never ceased to flow. Ah, he that hath a well of living water within him is beyond the enemy's power.

5. Supplies gained by nearness to God Himself are constant. Grace is not a landspring, but a well. I do not say that your root can always take in the same measure of water from the well of life; but I do say that it will always be there for you to take; and I think, also, that to a large extent you will be able to partake of it with constancy.

6. The supplies of the believer who dwells deep are pure as well as full. Draw your supplies at first hand.

III. THIS BRINGS WITH IT OTHER BLESSINGS.

1. If you are by the well, sending your roots into waters, you will obtain fruitfulness.

2. Unselfishness.

3. Fixedness.

4. Safety.

5. Enrichment.Notice how Moses puts it: he mentions quite a treasury of jewels. The best pearls come out of deep seas. He mentions the precious things of heaven, the precious fruit brought forth by the sun, the precious things put forth by the moon, the chief things of the ancient mountains, the precious things of the earth, and the fulness thereof, and the goodwill of Him that dwelt in the bush. All these blessings came upon the top of the head of him who was a fruitful bough by a well. The best wines in God's house are in the cellar. Those who never go downstairs have no idea of the secret sweetness. A deep experience is a precious experience. The Lord fills certain of His people with pain and grief, that they may know His choicer consolations. We are too apt to let our roots run along just under the surface, and so we get no firm rootage; but trouble comes, and then we grow downward, rooted in humility; then we pierce the treasures of darkness, and know the deep things of God.

worlddic.com