Revelation Topic
People have been looking for a fountain of youth since the time of the greeks with Herodotus down to the Spanish with Ponce de Leon looking for it in Florida. Today celebrities are still searching for it but, like De Leon, they won’t find it this side of heaven. In Revelation 22:1-2 we are told of the river of the water of life. How is this water and the river it makes up unique? How will God bless us with it?
Revelation 22:1-5
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
Roots of Revelation
Genesis 2:8-15
Psalms 23:1-3, 36:7-9, 46:4
Isaiah 41:17-20, 41:17-20, 43:18-21, 44:3-4, 66:12
Ezekiel 36:24-27, 47: 1-5
Joel 3:18
Zechariah 14:8
Matthew 11:28
John 4:10-13, 7:37-39
I Corinthians 10:1-4
Revelation 7:17, 21:6, 22:17
Key Takeaways
- De Leon’s Fountain of Youth never existed but God’s does! He has the fountain of life mentioned in Psalms 36!
- We can make great memories in the outdoors but they will pale in comparison to what is to come!
- Beginning with the river in the Garden of Eden in Genesis and through Revelation we are told that the water of life blesses God’s people with cleansing, peace, righteousness, and restoration of our souls.
- The Lord gives the water of life to provide for our needs and give us an abundant life for which we should praise Him.
- We’re told in Matthew 11 that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist and told Him that it was to fulfill all righteousness. Directly after doing so, God spoke from heaven and said that Jesus was his beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. As this happened the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove.
- When we accept Christ in baptism we are cleansed and made right with God. We are also filled with the Holy Spirit and like Jesus we become beloved children of God in whom he is well pleased!
- Jesus says that he will give those who ask him living water which we are told in the gospel of John is the Holy Spirit. When we drink this living water, this spiritual drink, mentioned in I Corinthians 10 we will never again be thirsty.
- In a single, unique, and eternal day that doesn’t have a night God will do a new thing. He will make a new heaven and and a new earth, and will extend peace like a river in the holy city, the new Jerusalem.
- The Holy City will have a crystal clear River of Life that will flow from the Throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street through the city bringing life, joy, and refreshment to everyone and everything it touches in all of God’s eternal creation.
- In Eden there was only one tree of life. In the Holy City there will be trees of life on each side of the river.
- With not only the indwelling of the Spirit but also immersion IN the Holy Spirit / River of Life we will experience His gladness and joy. We will have no sorrow or sadness. In fact, we are told God will wipe away every tear from our eyes for all eternity.
- The water is free to us but it wasn’t cheap. Jesus died and rose again to get us to the River. He is the ONLY way we can get to the Holy City. He is the beginning and the end of everything. The very purpose of our lives is praising Him. If you have been thinking about allowing Jesus into your life and haven’t done it yet, do it now. Take the plunge in baptism into the water of life. It is to good to miss!
