Revelation 21:6, commentary and pictures

When all things are made new and God dwells with His people with death and sorrow and pain gone forever, His completed purpose stands true and accomplished. The announcement that it is finished also marks the final close of probation when every character and destiny is fixed forever according to works. The One who speaks is Christ Himself, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end who brings His saving work to completion. To thirst is to hunger for righteousness and heavenly things above all else like a weary traveler longing for water, and the fountain freely offered to all such thirsting ones is Christ Himself. Only those who so thirst and overcome sin will inherit all things as children of God in the everlasting kingdom, and drinking now satisfies the soul, transforms pride into humility and love, and fits believers to share the invitation with others.

Setting and Wording

The promise belongs to the new heaven and new earth where God dwells with His people and makes all things new, when death and sorrow and crying and pain are gone and the former things have passed away. In that purified new earth where there is no more curse, the thirsty are freely given the fountain of the water of life. Those who overcome inherit all things and belong to God as His children, made members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King, and heirs of the pure and holy everlasting kingdom, for which they wait and watch for the appearing of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven.

The words It is done declare that God's work of making all things new is complete and true and His purpose is accomplished. That declaration marks the fulfillment of the hope of the renewed world and the holy city, where those who thirst receive the water of life freely as part of the eternal blessings provided for every soul, and where the redeemed will know and enjoy His personal presence throughout eternity. He who speaks is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

That It is done will soon be spoken in heaven to mark the end of all things and of the world's history. The world is living in an important period of its history with the sands of time fast running out, and that heavenly declaration is at hand. It will declare the warfare ended after believers have unitedly striven for victory and become true to God, bringing eternal salvation with entrance into the city of God when its gates open to receive harps and crowns, seeing the King in His beauty with their children praising Him, going no more out forever with no tempting devil to draw them away.

At that time It is done marks the final, irreversible close of probation when every case is decided and human opportunity ends. Every person is then fixed as holy still or filthy still, with character and destiny fixed and reward given to each according to works at Christ's coming. Until Christ declares the work finished in heaven, people are responsible for using their influence and talents to help others seek salvation, and its nearness calls for greater nearness to God, with much less of self and much more of Jesus Christ and His grace brought into everyday life.

The verse was made known by Christ Himself to John on the Isle of Patmos about the last events of this earth's history, given from God in solemn warning. It belongs to the last chapters of Revelation that must be read carefully and understood in these last days, to call minds to the things which will be, so that Satan cannot keep minds confused amid the perils of the last days, when such confusion may be of death unto death. It describes events after the thousand years, when the holy city comes down from heaven and settles on the renewed earth. There the city of God is presented as a goal worth striving for and preparing for, because that preparation is for eternity.

Thirst and Free Gift

To be athirst is to long for heavenly things rather than earthly things, to hunger and thirst after righteousness as the body needs temporal food to supply waste and preserve strength. It is to feel need of the water of life and to seek it at the loss of all things else and above all else. The thirsting one seeks Christ as the weary traveler in the desert eagerly seeks the spring and quenches burning thirst with cool sparkling water.

The fountain is given freely but only to him that is athirst, and none but those who so thirst will be supplied. The ungodly and unrepentant will not be placed in heaven as holy, happy angels, since to inherit all things and to be made God's children requires resisting and overcoming sin. Yet the water of life is freely given to everyone who thirsts as part of the eternal blessings provided for every soul, a promise of life in the coming new earth and holy city. It is offered to rich and poor alike as God's spiritual provision and instruction leading to salvation.

The fountain of the water of life is Christ Himself, pure, to whom those who thirst spiritually can come and receive what satisfies the soul with lasting relief. He is the unshaken Rock of Ages and hiding-place who still offers the water to the thirsting soul amid all tumults and conflicts, giving peace and strength and security and rest to the weary. Drinking there constantly gives heavenly food that increases moral strength, satisfies the cravings of mind and heart, allays the fever born of worldly strife, and refreshes the spirit forever. It satisfies spiritual thirst and removes desire for frivolous, sensual, and exciting pleasures, since religion's ennobling principles strengthen the mind and turn it from those unsatisfying pursuits.

Drinking from the fountain brings new life, for Christ's love animates the believer, and faith in Him leads to a right spirit and motive, goodness, and heavenly-mindedness. Looking to Jesus changes a person, turning pride, vanity, self-righteousness, and unbelief toward humility, trust, and the practice of love, patience, gentleness, goodness, and mercy. When the Holy Spirit controls minds, church members are refreshed by this water, and the refreshment is seen in greater spirituality, unity, and love.

Christ the Alpha and Omega

The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, is Christ's own name for Himself as Saviour, repeated over and over in the message brought to John on the Isle of Patmos. He came from heaven to meet John to reveal heavenly things and show what would take place in the last days, talking with him of what was coming upon the churches and what messages were to be given them to prepare for the trying times before them. The Revelation is therefore not too mystical to be understood, and its teachings about Christ can and must be studied and imparted to students. In that message He identifies Himself as the One who brings saving work to completion and declares that His purpose is accomplished. As part of the eternal blessings provided for every soul, He promises that those who thirst may freely receive the water of life, belonging to the blessed future when death, pain, and sorrow are gone. Those who receive and believe in Christ may enter Paradise, for He gives them power to become God's children.

As the beginning and the end He is the only hope, ready to receive all who come to Him sincerely, while rejecting pretense and hypocrisy. His power alone can keep hearts daily in the love of God. He was with the workers at the beginning of the Washington work and will bring it to completion if they continue by faith in the way He leads, and the verse urges them not to stop before the work is finished.

He is the source of life and of true wisdom, truth, light, and knowledge, so that all true education centers in Him. Seeking wisdom, truth, light, or life apart from Him is futile, like turning from the fountain of living water to broken cisterns. His fountain of eternal life is the sole fountain left open to those seeking life, turning people from mere curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge to the life found through the way that leads to God. Those who drink from worldly, polluted sources are satisfied with worthless knowledge and do not thirst for the water of life. The sorrow and weariness seen in people show their soul's need, and worldly sources that cannot satisfy are like broken cisterns, while those who thirst for peace and life are invited to come to Him and receive freely, for Christ alone offers the life that answers this thirst. Coming to Him in faith brings life that springs up to eternal life.

His humiliation, sacrifice, suffering, and cruel torturous death hanging on the cross was meant to bring to pass the future the verse describes. It was commanded to be written and stands written for present readers as a representation of what is to be when education continues in the higher school, given to those who have done their best in the work of overcoming by living on the plan of addition. He carries forward His work of saving the lost until He arises and proclaims with a loud voice, It is finished. In doing so He has opened a fountain of living waters for a perishing world, and the free gift of the water of life is the gospel invitation that agencies from the heavenly courts and members of the church on earth are to unite in giving, each person however feeble repeating His words and doing his part in proclaiming Come.

Future Inheritance and Reward

Those who overcome inherit all things and are made God's own children in the new heaven and new earth where He dwells with His people and sorrow, death and pain have ended. In that renewed creation where all things are made new and the former things have passed away, Christ as the beginning and the end freely gives the water of life to everyone who thirsts. In the purified new earth where there is no more curse, this free gift makes the thirsty members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King, and heirs of the pure and holy everlasting kingdom. It is the blessed hope and glorious prospect of John's holy vision of a new heavens and a new earth, for which they wait and watch for the appearing of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven.

Those who receive and believe in Christ are given power to become God's children and may enter Paradise when His saving work is brought to completion and death, pain and sorrow are gone. Only the pure in heart can see God, for those who persist in selfishness and reject Christ's way of self-denial cannot endure heaven's purity and glory. The earth made new holds God's kingdom on earth, whose members are saints rather than sinners, so those who refuse to repent and forsake uncleanness will fall with the wicked when judgment is executed.

In the renewed world God's declaration that all is done marks the fulfillment of this hope, and the redeemed will know and enjoy His personal presence throughout eternity. That ending comes when the word from heaven declares the warfare is ended after believers have unitedly striven for victory and become true to God, bringing eternal salvation. Then they enter the city of God when its gates open, receiving harps and crowns and seeing the King in His beauty with their children praising Him. They shall go no more out forever, with no more tempting devil to draw them away from God.

Drinking from the fountain and eating from the tree of life is a future gift kept for the faithful after their return to the better land. The promise of the water of life is the reward for faithfully enduring to the end and for faithfully delivering the message God gives. Those who remain faithful will leave earthly life behind and share in the blessings of the better world with Jesus, drinking from the river and fountain of the water of life. Those who eat the fruit of that land will not return to earth, but until then they are to return to earth and share what has been revealed to them.

Present Call to Seek and Share

The thirst is for heavenly things rather than earthly things, for the inheritance to be possessed when those who have made Christ their friend and given their lives to follow Him enter upon it. The promise to give the water of life freely to the athirst is blessed and is to be taken personally now, accepted with confidence instead of remaining in hesitancy about whether one is the Lord's child. Believers are prepared and fitted up and sanctified through belief of the truth for that inheritance.

The representation of the glories awaiting the saved is meant to lead to seeking eternal life. That seeking is an urgent individual work long overdue, requiring deep and thorough cleansing and refining and transformation of heart. It calls for thorough humbling of the soul before God, earnest seeking of the Lord with heart and mind and soul, diligent cultivation of the soil of the soul, and bringing forth fruit in the life in proportion to the light given. The same chapter calls for solemn review of life, since only the pure in heart can see God, while those who persist in selfishness and reject self-denial cannot endure heaven's purity and glory.

Workers must themselves drink of the water of life and have Christ within as a well of water springing up to everlasting life. Without that spiritual life they cannot refresh or bless others through their work. Those who fail to repent face removal of their candlestick.

One who has personally received life from God, receiving the bread and water of life, can feed hungry souls and offer the water of life to those who thirst. Thirsty souls are to be led to the water of life through the earnest invitations of a living church. The free invitation is to be carried to the world by every member of the church, each inviting others to drink and joining a chain of living witnesses. In that sharing the message of grace matters more than defects in grammar, pronunciation, or eloquence.

The water of life is God's spiritual provision and nourishment, freely given to those who thirst and offered to rich and poor alike. It is given through the agencies God has established, including sanitariums, where people may receive instruction that leads to salvation. There people from every social class and church may encounter it and learn the truth.

The prospect of the beautiful new earth calls for working for one another and for bringing up youth in a right manner so they receive the crown of life and become overcomers. Angels assist in schools that educate boys and girls, and the Holy Spirit works with all human effort to save souls. Fathers and mothers are to take hold of that work.