"The Pool of Siloam Will Be Filled"

If you haven't already read "The Man in the Water" post you might want to familiarize yourself with that one first. The rest of this post is going to read assuming you've read the one mentioned above. I don't want to lose anyone. I feel this is too important for that.

I will start off by saying I have personally seen the historic Spring of Siloam in the downtown park of Siloam Springs be filled with water 5 times in less than a year. When I say filled I mean that there is water completely covering the bottom of the pool from the steps on one side clear across to the steps on the other side. The 5 different times represent varying depths, anywhere from mid-shin to knee to upper thigh (and I'm 5' 11").

There are a number of things that make this unusual. The first thing I'll mention is that it's rarely seen (witnessed) and even less rarely documented. Personally, I didn't even know about the spring a year ago much less that it can occasionally fill with water. You should know or keep in mind this thing sits day after day usually bone dry. There are two old small troughs in the corner that usually contain about an inch of water year round but not enough to get the stone paved floor even damp.

A couple of other things. This cistern like structure was never built with the intent to hold water. In fact it drains quite well. On the rare occasion when it is full you can watch the water flowing out of it. Also, the pool does not fill with rain water directly (like a discarded plastic pool). The pool fills from the bottom up. It's groundwater coming from the spring, naturally, as a result of a large amount of rain in a short period of time. It's quite clean, clear and beautiful... and then it returns to the ground and it's gone again and soon bone dry again.

Now, let me establish. I have always seen the pool fill as a direct result of rain. Again, I will say it the other way. I have never seen the pool full if it hasn't rained for 1-3 days first. So I don't think there's anything unusual about the correlation of rain and a full pool. But you may soon see that there could be an interesting correlation of a different kind.

Let me first share with you the 5 dates I have seen the pool filled.

Sunday 8/10/2008
Wednesday 9/3/2008 - Friday 9/5/2008
Sunday 9/14/2008
Resurrection (Easter) Sunday 4/12/2009
Late Saturday 4/18/2009 - Early Sunday 4/19/2009

Let's look at each of these dates and let me tell you a little bit more about each one.

Sunday 8/10/2008
Derek Loux, associated with the International House of Prayer - Kansas City, brings a ministry team to Siloam Springs and they lead 3 days of worship & teaching at a local church that draws believers from about 5 different fellowships in the area. On the 3rd and final day of their visit the pool is full of water.

Wednesday 9/3/2008 - Friday 9/5/2008
Two months in advance the Lord revealed to me the pool would be filled. About 20 people from about 7 different local congregations gather to witness this unusual baptism in "The Pool of Siloam".

Sunday 9/14/2008
Approximately 7 churches combine for one large church service on the John Brown University campus, one of the largest cross-congregational expressions in Siloam's history. Upon leaving that service it was discovered that the pool was about as full as it's ever been.

Resurrection (Easter) Sunday 4/12/2009
5 churches work together to provide a week of Community Holy Week Noon Services, Monday through Friday. The pool was full from steps to steps the very day these services were leading up to.

Late Saturday 4/18/2009 - Early Sunday 4/19/2009
5 people representing at least 3 different local churches combine resources and deliver more than 174 cases of bottled water and 2 dozen sheets of plywood among other requested supplies and services to tornado-ravished Mena, AR. The pool fills that very same night and goes back down the very next day.

Have you figured it out yet? I have to be honest and tell you I didn't quite "get it" to this level until this morning on my short drive to work. In case you missed it, here's my best shot at it:

Each one of these examples has a strong association with a unique cross-congregational and/or cross-denominational expression of biblical unity from the community of believers in Siloam Springs. These could also be refered to as moments of spiritual breakthrough. Remember: This is in a town with less than 15,000 people that has 52 churches and who has, naturally and understandably, demonstrated a long history of struggling with denominationalism.

I'm going to let you pause on that and consider your own conclusions. Need more documentation or evidence? Just email me. If that's not what it is then what is it? You don't know me? I can appreciate that. I can also provide references. Still have doubt? That's natural. I'd like you to consider, however, that our God is beyond the natural. He is super-natural. I urge you not to too quickly dismiss what I am presenting. If you truly want to see if there is anything of truth to this, truly seek it out. I believe it deserves a fair consideration. The implications could be significant.

We'll continue to discuss this.

- Wade Baker