When King Hezekiah prepared to defend Jerusalem against the invasion of the Assyrians, he set his workers to direct the waters of the Gihon spring into the city, so that Jerusalem and not its enemies might have access to its waters during the siege (2 Kings 18:17; 20:20; 2 Chron. 32:2–4, 30). To accomplish this, Hezekiah’s men cut a tunnel through the rock to carry water to the Pool of Siloam or Shiloach (Neh. 3:15). Its name means “sent” (John 9:7). It was be a major source of what the Hebrews called “living water,” that is, fresh running water as opposed to stagnant water—a picture of God’s life-giving grace (Jer. 2:13).
In the prophecy of Isaiah, the waters of Siloam became a symbol of trusting in God’s covenant with the son of David as the Lord’s appointed king (Isa. 8:6). Because the people of Samaria rejected the God’s chosen king, like the gentle waters of Siloam, and trusted in man and man’s alliances, God would sweep the northern kingdom away with the king of Assyria like a raging, flooded river, but would preserve King Hezekiah and Jerusalem (Isa. 8:4–8).
Dr. Ronning Reading John 9
Seven centuries later, the Lord Jesus Christ was in Jerusalem and saw a man who was blind from birth (John 9). Christ said, “I am the light of the world.” Then Jesus did something very strange. He spat on the ground, made mud, put it on the eyes of the blind man, and told him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.” When the blind man did so, he came back able to see! The healing of the blind fulfilled ancient prophecy, confirming that Jesus is the Christ (Isa. 35:5; 42:7; Luke 7:19–23). Ironically, when the news of the healing of the blind man reached the Pharisees, they were the ones who proved to be blind, for they absolutely refused to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ despite this miracle, for to do so would expose their sin (John 9:39–41). Once again, people chose to trust in man rather than in God’s appointed King.
The pool of Siloam reminds us that despite all the spiritual enemies that may besiege us, there is “a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God,” for “God is in the midst of her” (Ps. 46:4–5). His living waters heal our spiritual blindness, so that we see and trust the Lord Jesus Christ, though seeing Him also exposes our sins. By faith in God’s appointed King, we find victory and life. Like the blind man whom Jesus healed, let us fall down to worship Christ, and say, “Lord, I believe” (John 9:38).
