Assuming they represent something, thus are not meaning in the literal sense, do you even know what they represent? Kind of hard to tell when you are asking questions like that of others, expecting others to know what they represent, while at the same you don't even bother telling us what they are supposed to represent and why they are supposed to represent what you think they are supposed to represent. Actually though, you might be doing some of us a favor by not telling us what they are supposed to represent, since it would likely be making obvious nonsense out of the text rather than good sense out of it instead.
For example, you indicated the living water in Zechariah 14 is the HOLY SPIRIT. Let's see if that makes sense of the text, or if it makes nonsense of the text.
Zechariah 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that the Holy Spirit shall go out from Jerusalem; half of the Holy Spirit toward the former sea, and half of Holy Spirit toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
And that makes sense of the text exactly how??? Since when does the Holy Spirit involve 2 halves? Don't even bother trying to answer any of this. I don't even want to know. Engaging in obvious nonsense like this is a complete waste of time IMO. Nothing that you are going to say will ever convince me that you are understanding Zechariah 14:8 correctly, when you are already proposing what you are above.
Your doctrine will not allow you to see the spiritual truth being conveyed to this OT audience in symbolic form.
What is the sea or waters symbolic of in Scripture?
In biblical symbology, the sea is used to represent peoples, nations and tongues that cover the whole earth as the sea covers the earth.
Isaiah 17:12-13 explains:
“Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off.”
Similarly, in Isaiah 60:5 we learn:
“the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.”
These two statements in Isaiah 60:5 are simply repeating the same truth, one enlarging upon the other. This is called synonymous parallelism. It is telling the exact same thing, only in different terms.
The text is looking forward to the new covenant period when salvation would go out to all nations. In this text, the nations of the world are likened unto
“the abundance of the sea” and is said that they
“shall be converted unto thee.”
Isaiah 57:20 tells us that
“the wicked are like the troubled sea.” Jude describes the “ungodly” as “raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame.”
James 1:6 says of the unregenerate:
“he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
Jude verse 4 likens
“ungodly men” to
“the raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame.”
Revelation 17:1 & 15:
“Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters … And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”
In the light of these plain references, it seems reasonable to identify “the sea,” which the beast rises out of in this symbolic passage in Revelation 13:1, with the wicked from throughout the nations of the earth.
Isaiah 27:1 also interestingly predicts,
“For, behold, LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.”
The whole context of this reading revolves around the Lord coming to punish the wicked inhabitants of the earth. This event also sees the slaying of Satan – who is located “in the sea.” Contextually, and in keeping with other similar passages, this could be interpreted to be among the wicked.
There seems to be a picture developing!!! The wicked nations / peoples / kingdoms are where Satan holds his tight control. They are rough iniquitous waters.
Like Satan, the beast was placed under definite restraint at the cross and chained within the spiritual domain of the abyss. Notwithstanding, John saw him “ascend
out of the bottomless pit” in Revelation 17:8.
The greatest support is found in Revelation itself. The sea or waters are actually identified as symbolic in Revelation 17:1 & 15. It confirms the figurative import of the same, saying,
“Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters … And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”
This is clear, concise and unambiguous. We are within our rights to consider this imagery throughout this highly symbolic book.
This religious prostitute that holds sway over the deluded is described as sitting on waters, which in turn is interpreted for us as “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”
The place where these four great kingdoms emanate from could then similarly be viewed as among the wicked. In Revelation 13:1 John sees the beast “rise up out of the sea,” later in the chapter, in Revelation 13:11 16, he sees another beast – the false prophet – “coming up out of the earth.”
Zechariah 14
Zechariah 14:6-9 states, in keeping with the theme of the previous chapters, saying,
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one”
Luke 23:44-46 records,
“it was about the sixth hour (midday),
and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour (3pm).
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
Whilst there was natural and spiritual darkness over Jerusalem when Christ was crucified, this all changed in the evening. With the renting of the veil the light broke through. Natural and spiritual light did indeed shine forth and has been graciously ever since. Christ is the “light of the world” (John 8:12, 9:5). Through His death He became an everlasting light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6, 60:20).
The living water that flowed out from Christ at the cross secured the redemption of the saints of all time, whether in the Old Testament (the former sea) or in the New Testament (the hinder sea). The Bible says, in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21,
“all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation ... For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Zechariah 14:8 is referring to the time when redemption was finally and eternally secured for the redeemed. It is speaking of the eternal salvation that sprang forth from the cross. We must remember, the elect in the Old Testament were always looking forward to the cross, whereas, we today in the New Testament are looking back to the finished work.
Colossians 1:20-22 confirms:
"having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight."
This is talking about the Lord's first advent and the peace He brought to Jerusalem. The inhabitants that entered the New Jerusalem by faith experienced the peace of God. In the kingdom of God there are no wars, destruction and death - just eternal life. Thus the statement: “
And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.”
The Hebrew word "former" illustrating the Jews being the old or first of the sea, and the word "hinder" being those who come after or behind. In other words, the last. The living waters go out to all the world, Jew and Gentile, and this seems also to be illustrated in the context of verse following.