Numbers 24:5-6 NKJV
“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob!
Your dwellings, O Israel!
Like valleys that stretch out,
Like gardens by the riverside,
Like aloes planted by the Lord,
Like cedars beside the waters.
A prophet was speaking as an oracle of God about the nation of Israel. He talked about the tremendous blessing of God on that nation. One of the things he said was that they were like gardens by the riverside and cedars planted beside the waters. If a tree to is planted near a river or lake, it would never dry up. Its roots would always have access to water. If the tree is always well-watered, it would bring forth fruit continually.
Spiritual parallel: If we want to bring forth fruit continually, we must locate ourselves permanently near our water supply.
In Psalm 1:1-3 NKJV, the psalmist gives us clues as to what it means to be located near our water supply. He points out that the man who refuses to pattern his life after ungodly people, but chooses to delight himself in God’s Word, is one who is like a tree planted by the water. This man meditates God’s teachings day and night. In order to meditate the Word day and night, we cannot be far away from it. It has to be close. With consistent diligent effort, and by staying in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we can fill our hearts with the Word and thereby keep it close to us all the time. When the Word fills our hearts, even if we lost the written or digital Word, we will be able to constantly draw it out of our spiritual wells and water our soul and spirit. Our spiritual address will become obvious. Trees near water bring forth fruit at the right time. Their leaves do not wither. In like manner, the man close to the water of the Word and the Spirit will experience prosperity in all he does. In other words, our productivity will reveal our location.