August 2004 Newsletter and Article

Commentary for August 1, 2004 — God as the Fountain of All Life and Knowledge

As you read the “August 2004 Newsletter” and the article “The House of David” for this month, keep the following biblical passages in mind. Speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well,

“Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked of him, and he would have given you living water.’ The woman said unto him, ‘Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from where then have you that living water?’ ... Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: But whoever drinks 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 [Greek, pege, meaning fountain or spring] of water springing up [leaping, gushing] into everlasting life.’”
• John 4:10–11, 13–14

Water is a symbol of the Spirit of God. That water and that Spirit are so powerful that they purify everything they touch. This is quite the opposite situation in the physical realm where something unclean makes a clean object unusable and unclean (cf. James 3:11–12).

The apostle John wrote about his vision of the great multitude that will occur in the future (throughout the passage future tenses are used). John wrote,

“They shall hunger no more, neither [shall] thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor [shall] any heat.
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne
shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains [Greek, pege] of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

• Revelation 7:16–17

Later, the fountain of living waters is referred to again in Revelation chapter 21. It is within the New Jerusalem that comes down from heaven (verse 1):

“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.
And he that sat upon the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And he said unto me, ‘Write: for these words are true and faithful.’ 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 [Greek, pege,] of the water of life freely.’”

• Revelation 21:4–6

The context of this second passage is the replacement of the old heavens and earth with a new heavens and a new earth (Revelation 21:1–9). After the millennium this is the next major step of God’s plan for the salvation of all mankind. It takes place at the literal fulfillment of John 7:37–39. The physical recovery and healing waters again come from a fountain. This occurs on the 8th day. Note what Jesus said to His disciples

“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 believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’ [John’s commentary on what Jesus said:] But this spoke 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

The last mention in the Minor Prophets of purifying fountains of water is in relation to “The House of David” found in a prophecy from the Book of Zechariah. The fountains in the New Testament verses above have a direct relationship to the fountain mentioned there. I have no doubt that after reading the Newsletter and Article you will have a greater understanding of the nature, function, and location of that fountain.

David Sielaff
david@askelm.com

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