Aqueduct!

July 12th, 2014| Topic: RaMbLeS | 3

Segovia is an ancient city, lying about 60 miles Northeast of Madrid. A great place to wander around and take in a fantastic 10th-century castle (the Alcazar of Segovia) and a grand 15th century Gothic cathedral.

But also fascinating is the Aqueduct of Segovia, a defining feature of the city, that shows up on Segovia’s coat of arms.

It is perhaps the most important Roman civil engineering work in the Iberian peninsula—in fact, one of the best-preserved monuments in Spain. It was likely built under Emperor Domitian (ruled 81–96 CE).

Some portions were destroyed by the Moors in the 11th century, but was rebuilt in the 15th century by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (Columbus’s contemporaries).

Fascinating edifice. 25,000 granite blocks held together with no mortar. 170 arches. To carry water from the Fuente Fría river some 10 miles to the city, via a couple of sedimentation tanks along the way. At its highest, it is about 94 feet tall, with 20 feet of foundation.

And it continued to carry water until the mid-19th century! Bringing water for 2,000 years!

It is now one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.

Water has always been an important symbol in Christianity.

It was there at creation.

The earth was formless and void,
and darkness was over the surface of the deep,
and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
Genesis 1:2

It was there in the Garden of Eden along with the tree of life.

Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden.
Genesis 2:10

And it will be there in the eternal city, the New Jerusalem, also with the tree of life.

Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal,
coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb ….
On either side of the river was the tree of life.
Revelation 22:1–2

Jesus called himself the living water that quenches every thirst and every need.

“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst;
but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
John 4:14

All of You is more than enough for all of me;
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love;
And all I have in You is more than enough.
Chris Tomlin/Louie Giglio (2002)

Jesus seems to have been equating himself with God here. In the Old Testament, God had likewise designated himself as …

… the fountain of living water, even Yahweh.
Jeremiah 17:13

And here is Jesus again:

Jesus stood and cried out, saying,
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.”
John 7:37

Again, he is echoing an Old Testament concept—God as the the source of cleansing and quenching waters.

“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters.”
Isaiah 55:1

And so we cry with the psalmist:

As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
Psalm 42:1

In a dry and weary world, filled with false waters that promise much and deliver nothing, only God will suffice. He is enough!

O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1

More than all I want,
More than all I need,
You are more than enough for me;
More than all I know,
More than all I can say,
You are more than enough for me!