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Living Water

Illustration of Living Water

Water flows as a symbol of God's life-giving provision from the rock struck in the wilderness to sustain his people on their journey. Isaiah issues a gracious invitation to come to the waters and drink freely, a promise realized when Jesus offers the Samaritan woman living water that becomes a well springing up into everlasting life. This same life-giving stream is promised to flow as rivers from the hearts of believers and reaches its consummation in the pure river of life proceeding from the throne of God in the eternal city.

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Key Passages

Water from the Rock

Exodus 17:1-7

God provides water from a rock in the desert - meeting physical need through miraculous provision and establishing water as a symbol of divine sustenance.

God provides water from a rock for thirsty Israel in the wilderness, a type of Christ the spiritual rock.

A1nd all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.

2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? 3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?

Come to the Waters

Isaiah 55:1-3

Isaiah invites the thirsty to come freely to God's provision - no money required, only willingness, foreshadowing the free gift of the gospel.

Isaiah invites the thirsty to come freely to the waters, foreshadowing the free gift of salvation.

H1o, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Living Water at the Well

John 4:10-14

Jesus offers a Samaritan woman water that permanently satisfies - transforming the physical metaphor into spiritual reality and breaking social barriers.

Jesus offers the Samaritan woman living water that becomes a spring welling up to eternal life.

J10esus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 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.

Rivers of Living Water

John 7:37-39

Jesus promises that believers will become sources of living water for others - the Spirit flowing through them to refresh a thirsty world.

Jesus cries out that whoever believes in Him will have rivers of living water flowing from within, speaking of the Spirit.

I37n 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.

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (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.)

The River of Life

Revelation 22:1-2

Revelation's final vision includes a crystal river flowing from God's throne - the ultimate fulfillment of every water promise, bringing healing to the nations.

In the new creation, the river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and the Lamb.

A1nd he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Did You Know?

1

Jesus offered living water to a Samaritan woman at noon, the least likely person at the least likely time. The offer was not earned. It was simply given to the thirsty.

2

The rock in the wilderness, the river in Ezekiel 47, and the river of life in Revelation 22 all point to the same reality. God's presence is the only water that truly satisfies.

3

Jesus told the woman at the well that whoever drinks the water He gives will never thirst again. This is not a promise of easy circumstances. It is the promise of His own indwelling life.