Jesus Welcoming with Open Arms Before a WaterfallBible World
7:38John 7:38
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
On the last great day of the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus stood before the temple crowd and presented Himself as the living Rock to be smitten in death, that streams of salvation might flow to the thirsty world. His invitation is to every thirsty soul without distinction to come to Him and drink, which means believing on Him, trusting Him, depending on Him and resting in His love. The living water He gives is the Holy Spirit, to be received by believers after He was glorified, breathed by Christ into every hungry heart that humbly seeks Him. Received by faith the Spirit becomes within the believer a well springing up to everlasting life, a continual source of purification, refreshment, strength, peace and joy. Whoever thus drinks becomes a channel through whom rivers of living water flow outward in good works, words of righteousness, love and compassion to refresh and bless others.
Feast Setting and Words
The words were spoken on the last day, the great day of the Feast of Tabernacles, when Jesus stood before the whole temple crowd at a Jewish convocation. The feast itself had been ordained by God to remind the people of His goodness and mercy and to give thanks for His provision through the year and for the harvest.
The temple ceremony recalled water flowing from the rock in the wilderness, and that rock represented Christ. At that moment Jesus presented Himself as the living Rock to be smitten in death, so that through His death streams of salvation would flow to the thirsty world. The water that flowed from His pierced side represents this life-giving water, and Christ as the living Rock smitten once is the one to whom all must come to receive it.
The offer was made to Jews who were not atheists or unbelievers but who misapprehended vital truths, wrested the Scriptures to justify their own course, and refused Him as Messiah, Son of God and Saviour though He came as foretold with darkened understanding. It was given after John the Baptist had called them to prepare the way by seeking first God's kingdom and righteousness and setting affections on heavenly things above earthly things, so that all might be converted and honor the Son as they professed to honor the Father. The living water was offered through close communion with Christ and His lessons, but Judas refused to benefit from what was offered. The chapter warns against imperiling God's cause and one's influence through perverted ideas, for the Lord works with a person while that person follows Him and heeds His counsel.
Christ the Living Fountain
Christ Himself is the fountain of living waters, the wellspring of salvation and the source of all life and power, with rich fullness and an ever-flowing supply for each person and for all. His heart is a never-failing fountain of love and compassion, the source of the water of life from which living streams flow forth for every soul to receive by connection with Him. Coming to Him, opening the heart to Him, and trusting in Him brings refreshment, peace and rest in His love, and those who receive this light stand as lights rather than shadows of darkness. Trusting Him as a personal Saviour who pardons sin gives rest, and drawing daily from this living fountain supplies the fresh spiritual nourishment and power needed to preach to hungry hearers and to be doers of the Word and safe teachers of the last message of mercy.
The invitation is to every thirsty soul to come and drink freely of the gift of eternal life, and no one need remain thirsty and complain. It is without distinction of nationality, rank, status, friendship or enmity, for His life established a religion in which all are equal before God in common brotherhood. From the ever-flowing fountain all who believe may receive life and healing, blessing and joy in His love.
Coming and drinking means believing on Him, beholding Him by faith as an ever-present help in time of need and bringing troubles to Him to carry instead of cherishing perplexing thoughts, even when trusting faith is not easy. It means trusting Him, depending on Him, submitting the will to God, coming close to God and being hid with Christ, humbling the soul before God and laying hold of His strength by earnest faith. It means coming with all burdens and griefs, believing His pardon when He offers it, and resting in His love for refreshment, comfort, hope, soothing balm, and peace and rest. Ministers especially must thus drink in order to stand in the forefront, for those who stay away from prayer fail to improve precious opportunity, go without power, and risk being passed by.
The thirst is thirst of soul for peace, comfort, consolation, truth, restful hope, and deliverance from sinful propensities and desires. Earthly fountains have failed to quench it, as have outward splendor and festivity, worldly things, human praise, and religious ceremonies, which leave restless longing unsatisfied. What is needed and offered is spiritual food and drink that satisfies longing for what does not perish and springs up into everlasting life.
Spirit Received Within
The living water is the Holy Spirit, whom those who believe receive after Jesus was glorified and ascended to the Father. The promise belongs to believers and points to the Spirit poured out in abundance when people are willing to receive and trust what is true and living. Christ breathes it into every hungry heart that humbly and earnestly seeks Him. Received by faith, the Spirit becomes within the believer a well springing up to everlasting life, a flowing source of spiritual life. This indwelling is the beginning of eternal life, and everyone in whom God's Spirit dwells will live forever with Christ in His kingdom.
That inward life satisfies the soul's thirst for what does not perish and springs up into everlasting life. Believers receive it from Him and it flows from within them outward to others. The water is also His life-giving words received, His love in the heart, His grace, the truth and Word of God received into the heart, and His religion in the heart as the wellspring of life. Drinking is feeding on His words and receiving the Bread of life. The Word taken into the heart transforms character and life, and the Word itself is a fountain and land of living streams that gives food in every passage.
That divine grace purifies, refreshes, and strengthens the soul. When Christ abides in a person His love springs up in good works leading to eternal life and flows outward through words and deeds of righteousness to refresh the spiritually thirsty. The living water brings moral and spiritual power and enables believers to bless others, while worldliness and unbelief hinder its work. Faith draws this life from God's grace and mercy like water from a living spring, refreshing believers and enabling them to bring help and encouragement to others. This work is seen in spiritual fruit, unity, and love, which testify to the world that God sent His Son for redemption and enable members to serve under Christ showing His character in word and work.
The gift is offered in abundance, connected with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and its reception is limited only by capacity to receive. It is a continuing supply of grace that satisfies the thirsty soul and brings ever greater blessing. Refusing this abundant influence and turning instead to human wisdom leaves hearts spiritually parched. Without the Spirit, people desire to dishonor the spiritual fountain to which they are connected. The Spirit's influence satisfies spiritual hunger and thirst, brings conviction of guilt, enables discernment and application of truth, and works a continuing conversion that preserves from temptation and sin.
The water of life is not a one-time supply but a continual, inexhaustible source from which the believer may drink again and again, supplying strength and grace for every need. Believing means drinking deep draughts continually, every day deeper and deeper, not only occasionally, for continuing strength and new power to meet opposition. Those counted as good workers must still draw nigh to God and drink more deeply and continuously at the fountain to gain the divine touch needed to discern God's work at every point. This is especially needed when God completes His work of righteousness in the last days in ways out of the common order and contrary to human planning, using simple means that surprise the workers and perfecting His work under angelic direction rather than human control and dictation. A minister of the gospel must be filled continually with the Spirit of Jesus Christ in devotion and faith, disconnecting from everything of evil influence on mind and character.
Each soul may form a connection with Christ as the Source and wellspring of the water of salvation from which living streams flow forth, and those who know the truth must make that connection in order to be doers of the Word and safe teachers able to give the last message of mercy so others turn from sin to the living God and taste that the Lord is good. The channel between earth and heaven must be kept clear of obstruction so the soul can receive this supply and grow in grace. Cleansing from selfishness and active spiritual exercise support that growth. Both understanding and heart must maintain closest connection with the pure, sacred springs, drinking deeper from the Fountainhead and living hourly in contact and earnest communion with God to receive light, inspiration, and illumination from above. Ministers need time to receive consolation from this unfailing source along with nourishment from God's Word, so they can serve with spiritual strength. The fountain is opened to the thirsty soul, and those who earnestly seek light and gladly accept divine illumination from God's Word receive it, and through them God reveals light and power that will lighten the whole earth with His glory.
Satisfying Spiritual Thirst
The living water meets the soul's thirst for what does not perish and springs up into everlasting life, unlike outward splendor and festivity which cannot meet the spirit's needs. Restless longing that worldly things, human praise, and religious ceremonies cannot satisfy is quenched by the spiritual food and drink Christ offers, for those pursuits leave the soul thirsty. Faith brings living, life-giving water from within, for Christ is the wellspring of life in whom those burdened by sin and unsatisfied desires find relief, and knowing Him is eternal life. This life-giving gift stands in place of empty, misleading ideas. As the Fountain of Life He satisfies thirst for righteousness and gives true religious life, while those who do not hunger and thirst for it turn instead to empty pleasures with a religion founded on changing feelings.
Drinking gives happiness drawn from Christ that never fails. It brings relief from maladies of the soul far greater than diseases of the body, so that complaints of weariness, loneliness, and dissatisfaction cease, and gives satisfying joys that impart vigor to the mind and health and vital energy to the body. The water becomes within the believer a well springing up to everlasting life, revealing Christ constantly working by mercies given and withheld to lead men and women from the earthly to the heavenly and eternal, looking with infinite compassion on the human family and desiring intensely to relieve human woe and heal wounds. Believing makes praying easy and gives peace like a river with heavenly dew distilling morning, noon, and night, making the soul triumph in God. The satisfaction of His love brings joy and renewed vigor. He is the Fountain to whom spiritually hungry and thirsty souls may come for joy, peace, and happiness.
The Spirit brings God's love into the heart, satisfies its longings, and turns it from the riches, honors, and pleasures of the world, with joy that overflows in blessing to others and with the beginning of eternal life in everyone in whom God's Spirit dwells to live forever with Christ in His kingdom. Those who drink find spiritual thirst satisfied and lose taste for frivolous, sensual, and exciting amusements, because the ennobling principles of religion strengthen the mind and displace those unsatisfying pleasures. Receiving the gift does not end desire for Christ but deepens it, while the world's riches, honors, and pleasures lose their appeal, and the water remains not a one-time supply but a continual source from which the believer may drink again and again. The hungry, thirsty soul keeps hungering and thirsting while it partakes of exciting amusements, and no round of amusements should be put in the place the living Fountain should occupy.
The thirsty are those weighed down with burdens, griefs, guilt for past sin, and loss of self-respect, and the living water is His forgiveness, pardon, peace, promises, and pure robe of righteousness. Coming to Him with burdens and griefs means believing His words of pardon when He offers it and resting in His love. Believing makes praying easy and gives triumph in God morning, noon, and night. Christ offers this living water to thirsty souls so they may be refreshed.
Continual drinking in living connection with Him, by deep draughts not only occasionally, brings power attending labor, enabling clear communication of the reasons of faith that interests and instructs minds, and giving power and fervency to present the fulfillment of prophecy. It brings increased light upon all the grand truths of prophecy, so they are seen in freshness and brilliancy because the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness illuminate the whole. Both understanding and heart must maintain closest connection with the pure, sacred springs, drinking deeper from the Fountainhead and living hourly in contact and earnest communion with God to receive light, inspiration, and illumination from above. This deep drinking is needed in the last days to give depth of piety, discernment, and enlightenment from God to decide righteously in the great questions of humanity, morals, and religion, since habits, opinions, or authority are not enough to qualify one to judge character or work in ministry, and when truth, righteousness, and mercy abide in the heart with tastes, appetites, habits, and passions under the Spirit's control, faith, meekness, temperance, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, love, joy, and peace appear as fruit. Even those counted as good workers must draw nigh to God for the divine touch, drinking more deeply and continuously to discern God's work at every point when He takes the reins in His own hands and perfects His work of righteousness by simple, surprising ways and means. Drinking deeply at the fountain of life prepares one to understand the message God gives, without which spiritual readiness people do not understand the words they hear or read.
When the believer's heart is emptied of self and receives the life of Christ, the waters of life flow from within and the glory of the Lord is revealed through the believer. When a person opens the door and empties the soul of self-love, selfish desires, ambitions, and craving for selfish gratification, Christ comes in to sup, abide, and reign in the emptied heart, making him a partaker of the divine nature and a coworker with unfailing perseverance, from whose divine presence within flow forth living streams to revive souls ready to perish. He who believes thirsts and pants for living waters and longs after God, with peace like a river and triumph in God with unspeakable gratitude for tokens of His love, leading to dedicating self anew and devoting self to His work as a living sacrifice shedding holy influence. Even loving believers still pant for this water, and drinking refreshes, invigorates, and makes the soul flourish in God by leaving clinging to earth for a heavenly frame of mind and dwelling on Jesus' lovely, spotless character, by beholding which believers become changed to the same image with good courage and faith.
Flowing Outward to Others
Whoever believes becomes a channel through whom rivers of living water flow from within to refresh and bless others, becoming a source of spiritual life to the world. This life received from Christ is daily renewing, springing up in the beauty of holiness and the character of Christ reflected in the life, and proving by holy and beneficent action and likeness to Christ that its possessors are God's children. It always shows itself in action, like a living heart sending out life-blood through the system, and God is glorified as those who thus receive pray and speak.
The outflow appears through good works, right example, and Christian counsel, and through words and deeds of righteousness that refresh those who are spiritually thirsty. It is a river of influence carrying heavenly peace and joy to bless, heal, and comfort, with springs within the soul making believers both recipients and channels of blessing. In character it is love, harmony, meekness, and hiding of self in Jesus, with tender pity and compassion for the weak, acts of mercy and generosity, and speech shaped by the Spirit to carry life, healing, comfort, and gladness wherever it goes.
He who drinks becomes a fountain of life and the receiver becomes a giver, for the grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert welling up to refresh all and making those ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom as a missionary, and the saving and sanctifying truth cannot remain shut up in the heart but moves the knower to make the Saviour known, as the Samaritan woman at once carried the light to her countrymen and brought a whole city to hear Christ. Sharing salvation in earnest, heartfelt service with gratitude and praise rather than mechanical work brings the worker nearer to the Saviour and brings greater blessing than working only for personal benefit, with praise to God flowing forth and light, cheer, encouragement, and blessing carried to souls in a message as far reaching as eternity.
Workers can lead others to the Fountain only after they have themselves drunk from it, for hearing religious truth without having the heart sanctified by it is not enough. Ministers must first receive this heavenly supply for themselves and have the Spirit of God in their own lives, and only then can they share truth that imparts spiritual life and nourish other souls. So young workers need faith and earnest hunger for the Spirit, teachers must drink fresh draughts themselves to lead the flock to the higher streams by precept and example in prayer, humbling of soul, true godliness, heart holiness, and freedom from selfishness, envy, and jealousy rather than dwelling on theories and hobbies, and all workers need to drink deeply and continually to discern God's work in every part.
Giving out the light, truth, and heavenly gifts received by pen and voice in the work given to every member makes room for fresh grace and truth and increases capacity and power to receive greater light and knowledge, and as the soul empties itself to others a fresh current flows in so that the church grows through this giving and receiving. Receiving without giving leads to loss of blessing and of capacity to receive, and those who fail to impart become like shallow streams. God gives fresh light to those who thus work for Christ and keeps open their channel for nourishment from His word.
Putting self aside, enduring necessary discipline, removing obstructions, yielding wholly to God, and living a life wholly consecrated to God makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon the heart, and God then pours forth the waters of salvation in abundant streams through the human channel with no limit to usefulness and power to do good. The Spirit so received quickens all the faculties, and under His guidance the mind devoted unreservedly to God develops harmoniously, is strengthened to comprehend and fulfill God's requirements, is taught hour by hour and day by day, is changed from weak vacillation to strength and steadfastness, becomes like Christ in mind and character with clearer views, more penetrative discernment, and better balanced judgment, and bears much fruit to multiply workers a hundredfold. Putting self forward or making self prominent instead absorbs the sympathies and affections of those around rather than uplifting Jesus, obstructs the flow so that without the Spirit of Christ and sincere prayer preaching becomes spiritless, and calls for watchfulness and prayer to keep self in the background.
All God's children refreshed by the same living stream are drawn into unity in a common brotherhood without distinction of nationality, rank, status, friendship, or enmity, and blessings flow through them to the world like a current of life. The stream of living water deepens and widens as the gospel is proclaimed with power under the Spirit's guidance until the whole earth has been warned and lightened with His glory. The same image applies to the home opened to divine principles where healing streams bring life, beauty, and fruitfulness where there was barrenness, and to sanitariums meant to lead thirsty souls to Christ for body and soul. It applies to canvassers who drink deeply of God's truths until heart-filled wisdom and blessing flow out to refresh souls ready to perish, to teachers and parents whose souls become mighty rivers of influence and who drink more deeply to lead children to the Water of life, to believers taught and refreshed who must become channels of truth rather than depend continually on others, and to deep drinking that enables recognition of the needs of distant missionary fields. Yet these rivers flowing in gospel proclamation are not emotional excitement or preaching that merely stimulates feelings, for religion is not made pure by intense emotional experiences.
Drinking and Sharing Daily
Drinking means coming close to God and being hidden with Christ in God, emptying the soul temple of all selfishness that would take the glory God should have, clinging to Jesus with living faith, and spending much time on the knees in earnest prayer believing that God hears. It is drinking deep of the water of salvation by beholding Jesus by faith as an ever-present help in time of need and bringing troubles to Him for Him to carry instead of cherishing perplexing thoughts, even when trusting faith is not easy, so that the believer is spiritually refreshed and has the light and love of Jesus, His presence as comfort, hope, and soothing balm. All who know the truth and give themselves to the Lord are filled with spiritual life received from the source of all life, and the water of life is given to believers in order that they may impart it to others. Receiving it is connected with the Holy Spirit working in the heart with saving power, and divine enlightenment empties people of self so the Spirit can fill them, bringing a change of heart. This drawing must be continual from the spiritual life that comes from Him, pictured as streams flowing from the eternal Rock, and ministers need this living source rather than depending on the excitement of debate or opposition.
It means coming to Jesus, humbling the soul before God, and laying hold of His strength by earnest faith to receive the power God is willing to bestow, and then God does the work He is ready to do for and through the believer in diligent, persevering effort to come close to souls who need help and urge them to care for their own souls, so the believer sees His salvation. This life always shows itself in action, like a living heart sending life-blood to every part of the body, and those whose hearts are filled with spiritual life do not need to be urged to reveal it, but cannot help the divine life flowing forth in rich currents of grace, while God is glorified as they pray and as they speak. Believing means inviting the heavenly Guest to occupy the throne of the soul, to control every impulse of the mind and to bring even the thoughts into subjection to Him, and the unconverted professor of religion who keeps his Lord and Saviour outside sustains great loss. It is daily converting power of God upon heart and character through real faith in Jesus Christ, not keeping religion in practice far from the soul temple in the outer court, for the living water Christ gives is the religion of Christ in the heart as the wellspring of life, given to every thirsting soul that asks Him.
Those who believe the truth, love and fear God always, and abide in Christ will keep thoughts pure and set on heavenly things so the Holy Spirit can impress truth on the mind, soften and subdue the heart, and inspire ardent love of truth, justice, mercy and purity. He who believes on Jesus and is baptized with the Spirit of Jesus has Jesus abiding in the heart as a constant, living wellspring, and from that living Fountain flow pure, sweet, heavenly streams of love, harmony, meekness, hiding of self in Jesus, and the wisdom of Christ toward others. This outflow comes only when the plan of redemption and elevated conceptions of God are interwoven with life and character and not held apart in unrighteousness with unclean hands and defiled hearts, and it enlightens the understanding, enlarges and sanctifies the faculties, leads those being fitted for translation to loftier heights of knowledge and broader views of truth, and gives the humble in heart a foretaste of heaven. When a person hears Christ knocking, opens the door, and empties the soul of self-love, selfish desires, ambitions and craving for selfish gratification, Christ comes in to sup with him, abide in the soul and reign in the emptied heart, making him a partaker of the divine nature and a coworker with Jesus Christ with ardor, earnestness and unfailing perseverance, and from Christ's divine presence within flow forth living streams to revive and refresh souls that are ready to perish. Both understanding and heart must maintain the closest connection with the pure, sacred springs, drinking deeper from the Fountainhead, the living Fountain, living hourly in contact and earnest communion with God in order to receive light, inspiration, and illumination from above.
This deep drinking is needed in the last days to give depth of piety, discernment, and enlightenment from God to decide righteously in the great questions of humanity, morals, and religion, since habits, opinions, or authority are not enough to qualify one to judge another's character or to work in the ministry. When the principles of truth and righteousness and mercy abide in the heart and tastes, appetites, habits, and passions are brought under the control of the Spirit of God, loving God with all the heart, soul, and mind and neighbor as self, faith, meekness, temperance, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, love, joy, and peace appear as fruit, with the flesh crucified with its affections and lusts and heavenly endowments of whatever is honest and lovely and of good report. Christ's love is to fill the heart and be shown in love for one another, and that love ends backbiting and criticism and keeps believers from weakening one another. Christ's glory — His character — appears in the life, and His joy becomes theirs. Those who believe in Christ become a source of spiritual refreshment to others: Christ's salvation refreshes them daily, and rivers of living water flow from them to those around them, seen in the beauty of holiness and the character of Christ reflected in their lives.
Coming to Christ and drinking the water of life means receiving the life of salvation from God, and those who have received it show its effect in a changed heart and mind: they become kind and courteous instead of scolding, fretting, or mistreating others. Those who receive Christ's abundant gifts of grace drink freely of the waters of life, and this experience produces Christian sentiments in harmony with Christ's character and leaves a good impression on the people around them. When Jesus abides in the heart by faith He is within as a well of water springing up into everlasting life, and His life and love flow out from the believer to others in tender, thoughtful, sympathetic words and acts of commendation and confidence that build unity and peace. The streams flowing from the fountain of life show the spirit cherished inside; a heart at peace with God and men gives kind, forgiving, unifying streams, while a selfish heart without the peace of Christ becomes a bitter fountain that sends forth envy, evil surmising, hatred, jealousy, faultfinding and division to poison others. Those who abide in Christ and receive the Holy Spirit become channels through whom spiritual life flows to others.
The Spirit brings truth to mind, warms the heart with love for Jesus, and inspires believers to share what comforts and strengthens them. The Spirit brings precious truths to remembrance, warms the whole heart with contemplation of Jesus and His love, makes His teachings cherished, and gives love for speaking to others the comforting things opened by the Spirit, which is the privilege of every son and daughter of God. The grace of God becomes an inward living source giving moral and intellectual power and precious experience, flowing outward to others as living streams, and when persecution comes its influence is manifest in delight to magnify the truth. The gift is offered in abundance and received by faith, with its reception limited only by a person's capacity to receive it, and the Spirit's influence satisfies spiritual hunger and thirst, brings conviction of guilt, enables people to discern and apply truth, and works a continuing conversion that preserves believers from temptation and sin. Those who believe in Christ receive the Holy Spirit in abundant, life-giving power, and the Spirit revives, teaches, and sanctifies the thirsty soul.
As believers receive this work, they become a blessing to others. The living water flowing from the believer is the Holy Spirit, who speaks through human agents, and in the latter rain the Spirit's message flows through God's chosen channels with convincing power, not dependent on polished sentences or human skill. The fountain is opened to the thirsty soul, and those who earnestly seek light and gladly accept divine illumination from God's Word receive it; through them God reveals light and power that will lighten the whole earth with His glory. Refreshment comes by breaking through unbelief, coldness, and formality in living faith to receive Christ, and remaining formal and unbroken keeps a person from the blessing others are receiving. When the Lord passes by to bless His people with full salvation, living water flows freely to enrich and refresh them.
Ministers especially must drink so they can stand in the forefront of the ranks, and those who most need this influence yet stay away from prayer fail to improve precious opportunity, go without power, and risk being passed by, with the future telling the results. In a season of spiritual refreshing the Spirit of God rested on the people, bringing light, freedom, and blessing, and Christ's gracious words were heard as God speaking through His Son, but doubt and unbelief quenched the Spirit's influence in some hearts. Christ is presented as the fountain of living water: the thirsty are invited to come, drink, and keep drinking. Coming to Christ brings believers into the fullness of His love and provides an experiential knowledge of belonging to Him and of His belonging to them. Believers receive the water of life and long to experience it more fully, with desire for richer and deeper draughts expressing a longing for more of that spiritual life.
The water of life is freely available to all, so they should come and drink rather than remain thirsty and complain. Those who come to Christ and drink find fullness in Him. On the last day, that great day of the feast, at a Jewish convocation He stood before the whole temple crowd inviting the thirsty to come to Him and drink, as the fountain of living waters. In camp-meetings Jesus is present with the same gracious invitation, and on the last day of the feast He is specially near with mercies and blessings more forcibly brought home, so those who hasten home early on the very day they should be present fail to drink and their souls go away unrefreshed to great spiritual loss.
On the last great day of the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus stood before the temple crowd and presented Himself as the living Rock to be smitten in death, that streams of salvation might flow to the thirsty world. His invitation is to every thirsty soul without distinction to come to Him and drink, which means believing on Him, trusting Him, depending on Him and resting in His love. The living water He gives is the Holy Spirit, to be received by believers after He was glorified, breathed by Christ into every hungry heart that humbly seeks Him. Received by faith the Spirit becomes within the believer a well springing up to everlasting life, a continual source of purification, refreshment, strength, peace and joy. Whoever thus drinks becomes a channel through whom rivers of living water flow outward in good works, words of righteousness, love and compassion to refresh and bless others.
Feast Setting and Words
The words were spoken on the last day, the great day of the Feast of Tabernacles, when Jesus stood before the whole temple crowd at a Jewish convocation. The feast itself had been ordained by God to remind the people of His goodness and mercy and to give thanks for His provision through the year and for the harvest.
The temple ceremony recalled water flowing from the rock in the wilderness, and that rock represented Christ. At that moment Jesus presented Himself as the living Rock to be smitten in death, so that through His death streams of salvation would flow to the thirsty world. The water that flowed from His pierced side represents this life-giving water, and Christ as the living Rock smitten once is the one to whom all must come to receive it.
The offer was made to Jews who were not atheists or unbelievers but who misapprehended vital truths, wrested the Scriptures to justify their own course, and refused Him as Messiah, Son of God and Saviour though He came as foretold with darkened understanding. It was given after John the Baptist had called them to prepare the way by seeking first God's kingdom and righteousness and setting affections on heavenly things above earthly things, so that all might be converted and honor the Son as they professed to honor the Father. The living water was offered through close communion with Christ and His lessons, but Judas refused to benefit from what was offered. The chapter warns against imperiling God's cause and one's influence through perverted ideas, for the Lord works with a person while that person follows Him and heeds His counsel.
Christ the Living Fountain
Christ Himself is the fountain of living waters, the wellspring of salvation and the source of all life and power, with rich fullness and an ever-flowing supply for each person and for all. His heart is a never-failing fountain of love and compassion, the source of the water of life from which living streams flow forth for every soul to receive by connection with Him. Coming to Him, opening the heart to Him, and trusting in Him brings refreshment, peace and rest in His love, and those who receive this light stand as lights rather than shadows of darkness. Trusting Him as a personal Saviour who pardons sin gives rest, and drawing daily from this living fountain supplies the fresh spiritual nourishment and power needed to preach to hungry hearers and to be doers of the Word and safe teachers of the last message of mercy.
The invitation is to every thirsty soul to come and drink freely of the gift of eternal life, and no one need remain thirsty and complain. It is without distinction of nationality, rank, status, friendship or enmity, for His life established a religion in which all are equal before God in common brotherhood. From the ever-flowing fountain all who believe may receive life and healing, blessing and joy in His love.
Coming and drinking means believing on Him, beholding Him by faith as an ever-present help in time of need and bringing troubles to Him to carry instead of cherishing perplexing thoughts, even when trusting faith is not easy. It means trusting Him, depending on Him, submitting the will to God, coming close to God and being hid with Christ, humbling the soul before God and laying hold of His strength by earnest faith. It means coming with all burdens and griefs, believing His pardon when He offers it, and resting in His love for refreshment, comfort, hope, soothing balm, and peace and rest. Ministers especially must thus drink in order to stand in the forefront, for those who stay away from prayer fail to improve precious opportunity, go without power, and risk being passed by.
The thirst is thirst of soul for peace, comfort, consolation, truth, restful hope, and deliverance from sinful propensities and desires. Earthly fountains have failed to quench it, as have outward splendor and festivity, worldly things, human praise, and religious ceremonies, which leave restless longing unsatisfied. What is needed and offered is spiritual food and drink that satisfies longing for what does not perish and springs up into everlasting life.
Spirit Received Within
The living water is the Holy Spirit, whom those who believe receive after Jesus was glorified and ascended to the Father. The promise belongs to believers and points to the Spirit poured out in abundance when people are willing to receive and trust what is true and living. Christ breathes it into every hungry heart that humbly and earnestly seeks Him. Received by faith, the Spirit becomes within the believer a well springing up to everlasting life, a flowing source of spiritual life. This indwelling is the beginning of eternal life, and everyone in whom God's Spirit dwells will live forever with Christ in His kingdom.
That inward life satisfies the soul's thirst for what does not perish and springs up into everlasting life. Believers receive it from Him and it flows from within them outward to others. The water is also His life-giving words received, His love in the heart, His grace, the truth and Word of God received into the heart, and His religion in the heart as the wellspring of life. Drinking is feeding on His words and receiving the Bread of life. The Word taken into the heart transforms character and life, and the Word itself is a fountain and land of living streams that gives food in every passage.
That divine grace purifies, refreshes, and strengthens the soul. When Christ abides in a person His love springs up in good works leading to eternal life and flows outward through words and deeds of righteousness to refresh the spiritually thirsty. The living water brings moral and spiritual power and enables believers to bless others, while worldliness and unbelief hinder its work. Faith draws this life from God's grace and mercy like water from a living spring, refreshing believers and enabling them to bring help and encouragement to others. This work is seen in spiritual fruit, unity, and love, which testify to the world that God sent His Son for redemption and enable members to serve under Christ showing His character in word and work.
The gift is offered in abundance, connected with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and its reception is limited only by capacity to receive. It is a continuing supply of grace that satisfies the thirsty soul and brings ever greater blessing. Refusing this abundant influence and turning instead to human wisdom leaves hearts spiritually parched. Without the Spirit, people desire to dishonor the spiritual fountain to which they are connected. The Spirit's influence satisfies spiritual hunger and thirst, brings conviction of guilt, enables discernment and application of truth, and works a continuing conversion that preserves from temptation and sin.
The water of life is not a one-time supply but a continual, inexhaustible source from which the believer may drink again and again, supplying strength and grace for every need. Believing means drinking deep draughts continually, every day deeper and deeper, not only occasionally, for continuing strength and new power to meet opposition. Those counted as good workers must still draw nigh to God and drink more deeply and continuously at the fountain to gain the divine touch needed to discern God's work at every point. This is especially needed when God completes His work of righteousness in the last days in ways out of the common order and contrary to human planning, using simple means that surprise the workers and perfecting His work under angelic direction rather than human control and dictation. A minister of the gospel must be filled continually with the Spirit of Jesus Christ in devotion and faith, disconnecting from everything of evil influence on mind and character.
Each soul may form a connection with Christ as the Source and wellspring of the water of salvation from which living streams flow forth, and those who know the truth must make that connection in order to be doers of the Word and safe teachers able to give the last message of mercy so others turn from sin to the living God and taste that the Lord is good. The channel between earth and heaven must be kept clear of obstruction so the soul can receive this supply and grow in grace. Cleansing from selfishness and active spiritual exercise support that growth. Both understanding and heart must maintain closest connection with the pure, sacred springs, drinking deeper from the Fountainhead and living hourly in contact and earnest communion with God to receive light, inspiration, and illumination from above. Ministers need time to receive consolation from this unfailing source along with nourishment from God's Word, so they can serve with spiritual strength. The fountain is opened to the thirsty soul, and those who earnestly seek light and gladly accept divine illumination from God's Word receive it, and through them God reveals light and power that will lighten the whole earth with His glory.
Satisfying Spiritual Thirst
The living water meets the soul's thirst for what does not perish and springs up into everlasting life, unlike outward splendor and festivity which cannot meet the spirit's needs. Restless longing that worldly things, human praise, and religious ceremonies cannot satisfy is quenched by the spiritual food and drink Christ offers, for those pursuits leave the soul thirsty. Faith brings living, life-giving water from within, for Christ is the wellspring of life in whom those burdened by sin and unsatisfied desires find relief, and knowing Him is eternal life. This life-giving gift stands in place of empty, misleading ideas. As the Fountain of Life He satisfies thirst for righteousness and gives true religious life, while those who do not hunger and thirst for it turn instead to empty pleasures with a religion founded on changing feelings.
Drinking gives happiness drawn from Christ that never fails. It brings relief from maladies of the soul far greater than diseases of the body, so that complaints of weariness, loneliness, and dissatisfaction cease, and gives satisfying joys that impart vigor to the mind and health and vital energy to the body. The water becomes within the believer a well springing up to everlasting life, revealing Christ constantly working by mercies given and withheld to lead men and women from the earthly to the heavenly and eternal, looking with infinite compassion on the human family and desiring intensely to relieve human woe and heal wounds. Believing makes praying easy and gives peace like a river with heavenly dew distilling morning, noon, and night, making the soul triumph in God. The satisfaction of His love brings joy and renewed vigor. He is the Fountain to whom spiritually hungry and thirsty souls may come for joy, peace, and happiness.
The Spirit brings God's love into the heart, satisfies its longings, and turns it from the riches, honors, and pleasures of the world, with joy that overflows in blessing to others and with the beginning of eternal life in everyone in whom God's Spirit dwells to live forever with Christ in His kingdom. Those who drink find spiritual thirst satisfied and lose taste for frivolous, sensual, and exciting amusements, because the ennobling principles of religion strengthen the mind and displace those unsatisfying pleasures. Receiving the gift does not end desire for Christ but deepens it, while the world's riches, honors, and pleasures lose their appeal, and the water remains not a one-time supply but a continual source from which the believer may drink again and again. The hungry, thirsty soul keeps hungering and thirsting while it partakes of exciting amusements, and no round of amusements should be put in the place the living Fountain should occupy.
The thirsty are those weighed down with burdens, griefs, guilt for past sin, and loss of self-respect, and the living water is His forgiveness, pardon, peace, promises, and pure robe of righteousness. Coming to Him with burdens and griefs means believing His words of pardon when He offers it and resting in His love. Believing makes praying easy and gives triumph in God morning, noon, and night. Christ offers this living water to thirsty souls so they may be refreshed.
Continual drinking in living connection with Him, by deep draughts not only occasionally, brings power attending labor, enabling clear communication of the reasons of faith that interests and instructs minds, and giving power and fervency to present the fulfillment of prophecy. It brings increased light upon all the grand truths of prophecy, so they are seen in freshness and brilliancy because the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness illuminate the whole. Both understanding and heart must maintain closest connection with the pure, sacred springs, drinking deeper from the Fountainhead and living hourly in contact and earnest communion with God to receive light, inspiration, and illumination from above. This deep drinking is needed in the last days to give depth of piety, discernment, and enlightenment from God to decide righteously in the great questions of humanity, morals, and religion, since habits, opinions, or authority are not enough to qualify one to judge character or work in ministry, and when truth, righteousness, and mercy abide in the heart with tastes, appetites, habits, and passions under the Spirit's control, faith, meekness, temperance, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, love, joy, and peace appear as fruit. Even those counted as good workers must draw nigh to God for the divine touch, drinking more deeply and continuously to discern God's work at every point when He takes the reins in His own hands and perfects His work of righteousness by simple, surprising ways and means. Drinking deeply at the fountain of life prepares one to understand the message God gives, without which spiritual readiness people do not understand the words they hear or read.
When the believer's heart is emptied of self and receives the life of Christ, the waters of life flow from within and the glory of the Lord is revealed through the believer. When a person opens the door and empties the soul of self-love, selfish desires, ambitions, and craving for selfish gratification, Christ comes in to sup, abide, and reign in the emptied heart, making him a partaker of the divine nature and a coworker with unfailing perseverance, from whose divine presence within flow forth living streams to revive souls ready to perish. He who believes thirsts and pants for living waters and longs after God, with peace like a river and triumph in God with unspeakable gratitude for tokens of His love, leading to dedicating self anew and devoting self to His work as a living sacrifice shedding holy influence. Even loving believers still pant for this water, and drinking refreshes, invigorates, and makes the soul flourish in God by leaving clinging to earth for a heavenly frame of mind and dwelling on Jesus' lovely, spotless character, by beholding which believers become changed to the same image with good courage and faith.
Flowing Outward to Others
Whoever believes becomes a channel through whom rivers of living water flow from within to refresh and bless others, becoming a source of spiritual life to the world. This life received from Christ is daily renewing, springing up in the beauty of holiness and the character of Christ reflected in the life, and proving by holy and beneficent action and likeness to Christ that its possessors are God's children. It always shows itself in action, like a living heart sending out life-blood through the system, and God is glorified as those who thus receive pray and speak.
The outflow appears through good works, right example, and Christian counsel, and through words and deeds of righteousness that refresh those who are spiritually thirsty. It is a river of influence carrying heavenly peace and joy to bless, heal, and comfort, with springs within the soul making believers both recipients and channels of blessing. In character it is love, harmony, meekness, and hiding of self in Jesus, with tender pity and compassion for the weak, acts of mercy and generosity, and speech shaped by the Spirit to carry life, healing, comfort, and gladness wherever it goes.
He who drinks becomes a fountain of life and the receiver becomes a giver, for the grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert welling up to refresh all and making those ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom as a missionary, and the saving and sanctifying truth cannot remain shut up in the heart but moves the knower to make the Saviour known, as the Samaritan woman at once carried the light to her countrymen and brought a whole city to hear Christ. Sharing salvation in earnest, heartfelt service with gratitude and praise rather than mechanical work brings the worker nearer to the Saviour and brings greater blessing than working only for personal benefit, with praise to God flowing forth and light, cheer, encouragement, and blessing carried to souls in a message as far reaching as eternity.
Workers can lead others to the Fountain only after they have themselves drunk from it, for hearing religious truth without having the heart sanctified by it is not enough. Ministers must first receive this heavenly supply for themselves and have the Spirit of God in their own lives, and only then can they share truth that imparts spiritual life and nourish other souls. So young workers need faith and earnest hunger for the Spirit, teachers must drink fresh draughts themselves to lead the flock to the higher streams by precept and example in prayer, humbling of soul, true godliness, heart holiness, and freedom from selfishness, envy, and jealousy rather than dwelling on theories and hobbies, and all workers need to drink deeply and continually to discern God's work in every part.
Giving out the light, truth, and heavenly gifts received by pen and voice in the work given to every member makes room for fresh grace and truth and increases capacity and power to receive greater light and knowledge, and as the soul empties itself to others a fresh current flows in so that the church grows through this giving and receiving. Receiving without giving leads to loss of blessing and of capacity to receive, and those who fail to impart become like shallow streams. God gives fresh light to those who thus work for Christ and keeps open their channel for nourishment from His word.
Putting self aside, enduring necessary discipline, removing obstructions, yielding wholly to God, and living a life wholly consecrated to God makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon the heart, and God then pours forth the waters of salvation in abundant streams through the human channel with no limit to usefulness and power to do good. The Spirit so received quickens all the faculties, and under His guidance the mind devoted unreservedly to God develops harmoniously, is strengthened to comprehend and fulfill God's requirements, is taught hour by hour and day by day, is changed from weak vacillation to strength and steadfastness, becomes like Christ in mind and character with clearer views, more penetrative discernment, and better balanced judgment, and bears much fruit to multiply workers a hundredfold. Putting self forward or making self prominent instead absorbs the sympathies and affections of those around rather than uplifting Jesus, obstructs the flow so that without the Spirit of Christ and sincere prayer preaching becomes spiritless, and calls for watchfulness and prayer to keep self in the background.
All God's children refreshed by the same living stream are drawn into unity in a common brotherhood without distinction of nationality, rank, status, friendship, or enmity, and blessings flow through them to the world like a current of life. The stream of living water deepens and widens as the gospel is proclaimed with power under the Spirit's guidance until the whole earth has been warned and lightened with His glory. The same image applies to the home opened to divine principles where healing streams bring life, beauty, and fruitfulness where there was barrenness, and to sanitariums meant to lead thirsty souls to Christ for body and soul. It applies to canvassers who drink deeply of God's truths until heart-filled wisdom and blessing flow out to refresh souls ready to perish, to teachers and parents whose souls become mighty rivers of influence and who drink more deeply to lead children to the Water of life, to believers taught and refreshed who must become channels of truth rather than depend continually on others, and to deep drinking that enables recognition of the needs of distant missionary fields. Yet these rivers flowing in gospel proclamation are not emotional excitement or preaching that merely stimulates feelings, for religion is not made pure by intense emotional experiences.
Drinking and Sharing Daily
Drinking means coming close to God and being hidden with Christ in God, emptying the soul temple of all selfishness that would take the glory God should have, clinging to Jesus with living faith, and spending much time on the knees in earnest prayer believing that God hears. It is drinking deep of the water of salvation by beholding Jesus by faith as an ever-present help in time of need and bringing troubles to Him for Him to carry instead of cherishing perplexing thoughts, even when trusting faith is not easy, so that the believer is spiritually refreshed and has the light and love of Jesus, His presence as comfort, hope, and soothing balm. All who know the truth and give themselves to the Lord are filled with spiritual life received from the source of all life, and the water of life is given to believers in order that they may impart it to others. Receiving it is connected with the Holy Spirit working in the heart with saving power, and divine enlightenment empties people of self so the Spirit can fill them, bringing a change of heart. This drawing must be continual from the spiritual life that comes from Him, pictured as streams flowing from the eternal Rock, and ministers need this living source rather than depending on the excitement of debate or opposition.
It means coming to Jesus, humbling the soul before God, and laying hold of His strength by earnest faith to receive the power God is willing to bestow, and then God does the work He is ready to do for and through the believer in diligent, persevering effort to come close to souls who need help and urge them to care for their own souls, so the believer sees His salvation. This life always shows itself in action, like a living heart sending life-blood to every part of the body, and those whose hearts are filled with spiritual life do not need to be urged to reveal it, but cannot help the divine life flowing forth in rich currents of grace, while God is glorified as they pray and as they speak. Believing means inviting the heavenly Guest to occupy the throne of the soul, to control every impulse of the mind and to bring even the thoughts into subjection to Him, and the unconverted professor of religion who keeps his Lord and Saviour outside sustains great loss. It is daily converting power of God upon heart and character through real faith in Jesus Christ, not keeping religion in practice far from the soul temple in the outer court, for the living water Christ gives is the religion of Christ in the heart as the wellspring of life, given to every thirsting soul that asks Him.
Those who believe the truth, love and fear God always, and abide in Christ will keep thoughts pure and set on heavenly things so the Holy Spirit can impress truth on the mind, soften and subdue the heart, and inspire ardent love of truth, justice, mercy and purity. He who believes on Jesus and is baptized with the Spirit of Jesus has Jesus abiding in the heart as a constant, living wellspring, and from that living Fountain flow pure, sweet, heavenly streams of love, harmony, meekness, hiding of self in Jesus, and the wisdom of Christ toward others. This outflow comes only when the plan of redemption and elevated conceptions of God are interwoven with life and character and not held apart in unrighteousness with unclean hands and defiled hearts, and it enlightens the understanding, enlarges and sanctifies the faculties, leads those being fitted for translation to loftier heights of knowledge and broader views of truth, and gives the humble in heart a foretaste of heaven. When a person hears Christ knocking, opens the door, and empties the soul of self-love, selfish desires, ambitions and craving for selfish gratification, Christ comes in to sup with him, abide in the soul and reign in the emptied heart, making him a partaker of the divine nature and a coworker with Jesus Christ with ardor, earnestness and unfailing perseverance, and from Christ's divine presence within flow forth living streams to revive and refresh souls that are ready to perish. Both understanding and heart must maintain the closest connection with the pure, sacred springs, drinking deeper from the Fountainhead, the living Fountain, living hourly in contact and earnest communion with God in order to receive light, inspiration, and illumination from above.
This deep drinking is needed in the last days to give depth of piety, discernment, and enlightenment from God to decide righteously in the great questions of humanity, morals, and religion, since habits, opinions, or authority are not enough to qualify one to judge another's character or to work in the ministry. When the principles of truth and righteousness and mercy abide in the heart and tastes, appetites, habits, and passions are brought under the control of the Spirit of God, loving God with all the heart, soul, and mind and neighbor as self, faith, meekness, temperance, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, love, joy, and peace appear as fruit, with the flesh crucified with its affections and lusts and heavenly endowments of whatever is honest and lovely and of good report. Christ's love is to fill the heart and be shown in love for one another, and that love ends backbiting and criticism and keeps believers from weakening one another. Christ's glory — His character — appears in the life, and His joy becomes theirs. Those who believe in Christ become a source of spiritual refreshment to others: Christ's salvation refreshes them daily, and rivers of living water flow from them to those around them, seen in the beauty of holiness and the character of Christ reflected in their lives.
Coming to Christ and drinking the water of life means receiving the life of salvation from God, and those who have received it show its effect in a changed heart and mind: they become kind and courteous instead of scolding, fretting, or mistreating others. Those who receive Christ's abundant gifts of grace drink freely of the waters of life, and this experience produces Christian sentiments in harmony with Christ's character and leaves a good impression on the people around them. When Jesus abides in the heart by faith He is within as a well of water springing up into everlasting life, and His life and love flow out from the believer to others in tender, thoughtful, sympathetic words and acts of commendation and confidence that build unity and peace. The streams flowing from the fountain of life show the spirit cherished inside; a heart at peace with God and men gives kind, forgiving, unifying streams, while a selfish heart without the peace of Christ becomes a bitter fountain that sends forth envy, evil surmising, hatred, jealousy, faultfinding and division to poison others. Those who abide in Christ and receive the Holy Spirit become channels through whom spiritual life flows to others.
The Spirit brings truth to mind, warms the heart with love for Jesus, and inspires believers to share what comforts and strengthens them. The Spirit brings precious truths to remembrance, warms the whole heart with contemplation of Jesus and His love, makes His teachings cherished, and gives love for speaking to others the comforting things opened by the Spirit, which is the privilege of every son and daughter of God. The grace of God becomes an inward living source giving moral and intellectual power and precious experience, flowing outward to others as living streams, and when persecution comes its influence is manifest in delight to magnify the truth. The gift is offered in abundance and received by faith, with its reception limited only by a person's capacity to receive it, and the Spirit's influence satisfies spiritual hunger and thirst, brings conviction of guilt, enables people to discern and apply truth, and works a continuing conversion that preserves believers from temptation and sin. Those who believe in Christ receive the Holy Spirit in abundant, life-giving power, and the Spirit revives, teaches, and sanctifies the thirsty soul.
As believers receive this work, they become a blessing to others. The living water flowing from the believer is the Holy Spirit, who speaks through human agents, and in the latter rain the Spirit's message flows through God's chosen channels with convincing power, not dependent on polished sentences or human skill. The fountain is opened to the thirsty soul, and those who earnestly seek light and gladly accept divine illumination from God's Word receive it; through them God reveals light and power that will lighten the whole earth with His glory. Refreshment comes by breaking through unbelief, coldness, and formality in living faith to receive Christ, and remaining formal and unbroken keeps a person from the blessing others are receiving. When the Lord passes by to bless His people with full salvation, living water flows freely to enrich and refresh them.
Ministers especially must drink so they can stand in the forefront of the ranks, and those who most need this influence yet stay away from prayer fail to improve precious opportunity, go without power, and risk being passed by, with the future telling the results. In a season of spiritual refreshing the Spirit of God rested on the people, bringing light, freedom, and blessing, and Christ's gracious words were heard as God speaking through His Son, but doubt and unbelief quenched the Spirit's influence in some hearts. Christ is presented as the fountain of living water: the thirsty are invited to come, drink, and keep drinking. Coming to Christ brings believers into the fullness of His love and provides an experiential knowledge of belonging to Him and of His belonging to them. Believers receive the water of life and long to experience it more fully, with desire for richer and deeper draughts expressing a longing for more of that spiritual life.
The water of life is freely available to all, so they should come and drink rather than remain thirsty and complain. Those who come to Christ and drink find fullness in Him. On the last day, that great day of the feast, at a Jewish convocation He stood before the whole temple crowd inviting the thirsty to come to Him and drink, as the fountain of living waters. In camp-meetings Jesus is present with the same gracious invitation, and on the last day of the feast He is specially near with mercies and blessings more forcibly brought home, so those who hasten home early on the very day they should be present fail to drink and their souls go away unrefreshed to great spiritual loss.