Thursday, February 26, 2009

The Fountain of Living Waters

Over the years, people have searched for water that could heal our bodies or cause eternal life. One man even claimed to have found the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine.

Well, there is a fountain of living water that our Holy Bible tells about, and it's listed in several books of the Bible. This water does give healing and eternal life.

When we rightly divide the Holy Word, scripture upon scripture, scripture upon scripture, here a little and there a little, we can understand what that fountain is and what it means to us.

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:3

O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. Jeremiah 17:13-14

In these passages, we see that the Lord God referred to Himself as the fountain of living waters. He also said that Fountain provides salvation and healing.

The prophet Ezekiel spoke of a river of living water, coming out of God's temple. The vision of the Temple begins in Ezekiel Chapter 40. In Chapter 47:1-12, we see that this fountain comes from God Himself.

Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar ... And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. Ezekiel 47:1-12

Notice that this passage also speaks of the fountain providing life and healing, in the fruit that the trees bear and the leaves they grow.

It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there. Ezekiel 48:35

In this last passage, we learn the key to this vision. Ezekiel's vision is actually showing us a description of Heaven on Earth, either during Jesus' reign as king for 1000 years or after God our father brings heaven to earth at the end of that reign.

There are other prophecies in the Old Testament that speak of this Fountain, or river, coming from God's House.

Joel 3:18

Zechariah 14:8-9

There are references to living waters in the New Testament, as well. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well:

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:13-14.

Jesus made reference to Living Water flowing in our belly, or our inner being. He was speaking of the Holy Ghost.

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) John 7:37-39

What must we do to receive this Living Water?

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Revelation 21:6-7

We must overcome sin and the devil. To those who choose to serve Christ, the fountain is open and free.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17

We all can be voluntary partakers of those Living Waters!

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Revelation 7:9-17

May God help us all to have that river of living waters flowing in us, to bless others and our families. May He help us to overcome all the enemies of our soul and to be partakers of those waters that will flow in Eternity. God bless you and yours, In Jesus Name.