THE WATER OF LIFE
THE WATER OF LIFE
“I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely”. — Revelation 21: 6 “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely”. — Revelation 22:17 Nothing could be more solemn and striking, or more exquisite in grace, than the way the “Water of Life” is presented in these closing chapters of the Holy Scriptures.
Two scenes are set before us — one of unmingled bliss, where God is all in all, and another of unutterable woe, far away from His presence. In Revelation 21:1 - 8 time has ceased to be; the long centuries of this world’s sad and tragic history have closed; God’s eternity has come, with all its happiness for the redeemed. For “the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”. Blessed eternity, where all things are of God, and God is all in all, and everything responds to God!
Then there is another scene. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore-mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death”. Woeful eternity of the lost! Far from peace, and light, and love; far, far from God. Solemn, awful eternity!
Between these two scenes we find the precious words, “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely”. How suggestive is this. You can only reach the scene where God is all in all by drinking of the [p. 99] fountain of the water of life. Only by drinking of that fountain can you escape having your part in the scene which is far from God.
The heart of an unconverted man or woman, or boy or girl, is very like that awful scene in a lost eternity. That is, God has no place in it. “There is no fear of God before their eyes”. “The fool hath said in his heart, No God”. If we could explore the heart of an unconverted person we should find business, pleasures, friends, hobbies, lusts, and folly, but no God. As the Scripture saith, “God is not in all his thoughts”. And remember everyone goes “to his own place”. If God has no place in your heart, your place must be in the scene that is far from God. God will get a place in your heart if you drink of the fountain of the water of life. Thank God, you are still within reach of that blessed fountain.
Surely you know what it is to be “athirst”. You try to make yourself happy, and to think that you are happy, but there is a void in your heart. Business, pleasures, and, it may be, religion have failed to quench the thirst of your soul; and an eternity lies before you which may he one of quenchless thirst. But at this moment God is saying in the tenderness of infinite love, “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely”. What you need is the knowledge of God. Divine love alone can quench the thirst of your soul. I knew a gentleman who went three times round the world in search of satisfaction, but never found it until he drank of “the fountain of the water of life”.
We have many examples in Scripture of those who thirsted and who drank of the fountain. Nicodemus was one. He “came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (John 3:2). He was thirsting for the knowledge of God.
[p. 100] Many were coming in the daytime with a merely external interest in the miracles; but Nicodemus came by night, that he might be alone with Jesus, and that he might hear of God. He was a rich man, a great religious dignitary, and no doubt well versed in Scripture, but he came as a little child to sit at the feet of Jesus. The “master of Israel” humbled himself to be taught by One who was of no account in the estimation of men in general. All his greatness and pride had completely broken down, and he was athirst for God. He came to drink of the fountain of the water of life.
In the millennium a “pure river of water of life” will flow out in blessing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. But today it is not a river, but a fountain. A fountain is the source of a river. You might drink of a river thousands of miles from its source; and so in the millennium there w ill be many who will taste of the blessing that flows out from God, but they will be a long way from the source, they will not really know God at all. But if you get any blessing today, you must get it from the very Source — you must drink of “the fountain of the water of life”. The heart of God is the source of blessing.
Nicodemus thirsted, and God gave to him of the fountain of the water of life. The Son of God told him of a love which would reach man and bless man through death. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. Here we are brought to the fountain of the water of life, to the eternal springs of love in the heart of God. The Son of God told the story of a love which could only reach man through death — of a love which would bring its subjects into eternal life. He told it in word to Nicodemus, and He told it in deed on the cross. There was an [p. 101] absolute necessity for death if the love of God was to reach us, for our lives were forfeited — death was upon us — the Son of man must be lifted up. God’s love has told itself out in death — death is the witness of that love; He sent His Son to die. And if you are “athirst” this blessed revelation of God is for you. You may drink into this love until all your soul is satisfied. As you drink of the fountain of the water of life your heart receives the knowledge of God. God in His known and trusted love gets a place in your heart, and it becomes your joy to anticipate an eternity in which He will be all in all.
The woman of Samaria was another thirsting soul, but of a very different type. Nicodemus had been seeking to quench his thirst in a religious way, but she, like many others, had been trying to do it by self-gratification. The blessed Lord had to bring her to the consciousness of what it was she really needed. Nothing but the knowledge of God could satisfy her thirsting heart. Jesus speaks to her of the giving God, and of the living water which should be in the one who drank of it as “a well of water springing up into everlasting life”. Then He reaches her conscience, and makes her realise that it is with God she has to do. And, finally, He makes Himself known to her as the One who tells “all things”, not only the “all things that ever I did”, but the “all things” comprised in the perfect revelation of God (compare verse 29 with verse 25). She found herself at the fountain of the water of life, and she drank and was satisfied. How delighted would God be to make good to you such a blessed revelation of Himself, that your fears would be all dismissed, and your thoughts of self-gratification would lose their power as that revelation became by the Holy Spirit the life of your soul.
The last note of the silver trumpet of grace is now sounding out: “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely”. It is free for all — free for you. It is God’s deep joy [p. 102] to find an empty, thirsting soul who is willing to “take the water of life”. The love that has told itself out in the death of Christ becomes the satisfaction of every heart that really knows it. In heaven that love will pervade everything with its ineffable sweetness and power. All things will be made new, that there may be nothing unsuited to divine love. And God will be “all in all”. Everyone there will have taken the water of life, everyone will know God in the blessedness of His nature, every heart will be eternally filled and satisfied with the love which has told itself out in the gift and death of the Son of God.
But the joy of heaven may be known now — the atmosphere of the Father’s house may be breathed even here, for “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4: 16). Then drink, anxious soul, at the fountain so free; and let those who have believed through grace drink deeper still. “The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God”.