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Teaching Children About God's Love with the River Analogy

The concept of God's love can be effectively communicated to children through analogies, such as the imagery of a river, which helps to illustrate its life-giving, abundant, and ever-present nature. The Bible itself frequently employs analogies and parables to convey spiritual truths, as seen in Jesus' teaching about the Kingdom of God through fishing [12] or Moses' teaching being compared to refreshing rain and dew [13].

Children are considered a gift from God and are capable of glorifying Him [3]. They are encouraged to know the Scriptures, observe God's law, and obey their parents, which is pleasing to God [1]. The Lord is depicted as being with children, and they partake in His promises [1]. The analogy of God as a father to His children forms a foundational basis for understanding divine love [10]. Just as children are encouraged to imitate their parents, believers are called to imitate God, primarily by expressing love [16].

The "river of God" is a biblical phrase that suggests inexhaustible divine resources and the sum of all fertilizing streams that water the earth [8]. Psalm 65:9 states, "You visit the earth, and water it. You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide them grain, for so you have ordained it" [6]. This imagery portrays God's provision and life-sustaining care. Rivers are described as having a source, flowing through valleys, and being enclosed within banks [4]. Some are deep, broad, and rapid, parting into many streams and running into the sea [4]. God's power over rivers is unlimited [4].

This analogy can be used to explain several aspects of God's love:

Teaching children about God's love through the river analogy can help them grasp its multifaceted nature. They can understand that God's love is not just a feeling but an active, providing, and sustaining force in their lives. Just as fish cannot live without water [5], humanity cannot truly thrive without God's love. Children are encouraged to remember God and fear Him [3], and their obedience to parents is well-pleasing to God [1]. This obedience is rooted in love, as "we love the children of God, as soon as, God, we love, and, his commandments, we are doing" [2]. Communion with God is inseparable from love for God [7]. The river analogy provides a tangible and relatable image for these abstract spiritual truths, helping children to visualize and internalize the vastness and constancy of divine affection.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children, Good — The Lord is with -- 1Sa 3:19. Know the Scriptures -- 2Ti 3:15. Observe the law of God -- Pr 28:7. Their obedience to parents is well pleasing to God -- Col 3:20. Partake of the promises of God -- Ac 2:39. Shall be blessed -- Pr 3:1-4; Eph 6:2,3. Show love to parents -- Ge 46:29. Obey parents -- Ge 28:7; 47:30. Attend to parental teaching -- Pr 13:1. Take care of parents -- Ge 45:9,11; 47:12. Make their parents' hearts glad -- Pr 10:1; 29:17. Honour the aged -- Job 32:6,7. Adduced as a motive for submission to God -- Heb 12:9. Spirit of, a requisite f”
  2. I John “I John 5:2 (Rotherham) — Hereby, perceive we, that we love the children of God, as soon as, God, we love, and, his commandments, we are doing.”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children — Christ was an example to -- Lu 2:51; Joh 19:26,27. Are a gift from God -- Ge 33:5; Ps 127:3. Are capable of glorifying God -- Ps 8:2; 148:12,13; Mt 21:15,16. Should be Brought to Christ. -- Mr 10:13-16. Brought early to the house of God. -- 1Sa 1:24. Instructed in the ways of God. -- De 31:12,13; Pr 22:6. Judiciously trained. -- Pr 22:15; 29:17; Eph 6:4. Should Obey God. -- De 30:2. Fear God. -- Pr 24:21. Remember God. -- Ec 12:1. Attend to parental teaching. -- Pr 1:8,9. Honour parents. -- Ex 20:12; Heb 12:9. Fear parents. -- Le 19:3. Obey parents. -- Pr ”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Rivers — Source of -- Job 28:10; Ps 104:8,10. Enclosed within banks -- Da 12:5. Flow through valleys -- Ps 104:8,10. Some of Great and mighty. -- Ge 15:18; Ps 74:15. Deep. -- Eze 47:5; Zec 10:11. Broad. -- Isa 33:21. Rapid. -- Jdj 5:21. Parted into many streams. -- Ge 2:10; Isa 11:5. Run into the sea -- Ec 1:7; Eze 47:8. God's power over, unlimited -- Isa 50:2; Na 1:4. Useful for Supplying drink to the people. -- Jer 2:18. Commerce. -- Isa 23:3. Promoting vegetation. -- Ge 2:10. Bathing. -- Ex 2:5. Baptism often performed in -- Mt 3:6. Of Canaan abounded with fish --”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fishes — Created by God -- Ge 1:20,21; Ex 20:11. Made for God's glory -- Job 12:8,9; Ps 69:34. Inhabit Seas. -- Nu 11:22; Eze 47:10. Rivers. -- Ex 7:18; Eze 29:5. Ponds. -- Song 7:4; Isa 19:10. Number and variety of -- Ps 104:25. Different in flesh from beasts & c -- 1Co 15:39. Cannot live without water -- Isa 50:2. Man given dominion over -- Ge 1:26,28; Ps 8:8. Man permitted to eat -- Ge 9:2,3. Used as food By the Egyptians. -- Nu 11:5. By the Jews. -- Mt 7:10. Mode of cooking alluded to -- Lu 24:42; Joh 21:9. The people of Tyre traded in -- Ne 13:16. Sold near the ”
  6. Psalms “You visit the earth, and water it. You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide them grain, for so you have ordained it. -- Psalms 65:9”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion With God — Christ set an example of -- Lu 19:41,42. Exhortation to -- Ro 12:15; 1Pe 3:8. Exercise towards The afflicted. -- Job 6:14; Heb 13:3. The chastened. -- Isa 22:4; Jer 9:1. Enemies. -- Ps 35:13. The poor. -- Pr 19:17. The weak. -- 2Co 11:29; Ga 6:2. Saints. -- 1Co 12:25,26. Inseparable from love to God -- 1Jo 3:17; Joh 4:20. Motives to The compassion of God. -- Mt 13:27,33. The sense of our infirmities. -- Heb 5:2. The wicked made to feel, for saints -- Ps 106:46. Promise to those who show -- Pr 19:17; Mt 10:42. Illustrated -- Lu 10:33; 15:20. Exemp”
  8. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: River of God — (Ps. 65:9), as opposed to earthly streams, denoting that the divine resources are inexhaustible, or the sum of all fertilizing streams that water the earth (Gen. 2:10).”
  9. Psalms “There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad, the holy place of the tents of the Most High. -- Psalms 46:4”
  10. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 103:13: 103:13 The Lord is like a father to his children: This analogy forms the basis for Jesus’ teaching about God’s fatherhood (see Matt 5:43-48; 6:1; 10:19-20; 12:50; Luke 6:36; 12:29-32; John 8:31-59; 15:1-8; see also 2 Sam 7:14; Jer 3:19; 31:9; Mal 1:6; 2 Cor 6:16-18).”
  11. Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 41:18: I will open rivers in high places,.... Which is not usual; but God will change the course of nature, and work miracles, rather than his people shall want what is necessary for them; thus he opens to them his everlasting and unchangeable love, and makes it manifest, and shows it to them, and their interest in it, which is a broad river, that cannot be passed over; this is in high places, it flows from the throne of God, and of the Lamb; and of this river of pleasure he makes his people to drink, the streams whereof make glad the city of our God; likewise the fulness o”
  12. Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 5:10: 5:10 Jesus drew a spiritual analogy between fishing and seeking people for the Kingdom of God.”
  13. Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 32:2: 32:2 like rain . . . like dew: This simile shows the refreshing gentleness of Moses’ teaching. It should produce the fruit of obedience in the hearts of God’s people.”
  14. Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 15:2: And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mingled with fire,.... Not baptism, but rather the blood of Christ, which may be compared to a sea, for its abundant virtue and efficacy in cleansing from all sin; and to a sea "of glass", since in it are clearly seen free justification, full pardon, peace and reconciliation; and may be said to be "mingled with fire", being attended in the application of it with the Spirit of God, whose gifts and graces are sometimes signified by fire: and so, according to others, this sea may represent the pure church of God, as washed in the”
  15. Ezekiel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ezekiel 47:3: He measured a thousand cubits - the waters were to the Ankles; a thousand more, - the waters were to the Knees; a thousand more, - they became a River that could not be forded. The waters were risen, and they were waters to Swim in. I. This may be applied to the gradual discoveries of the plan of salvation, - 1. In the patriarchal ages. 2. In the giving of the law. 3. In the ministry of John the Baptist. And, 4. In the full manifestation of Christ by the communication of the Holy Ghost. II. This vision may be applied also to the growth of a believer in the grace a”
  16. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 5:1: 5:1 Imitate God . . . in everything you do: Primarily by expressing love (5:2; cp. Matt 5:44-45, 48). • because you are his dear children: Just as children follow their parents’ example, believers should follow God’s example (1 Cor 4:14-17).”
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