Fountain of Life

A few days ago I experienced a dream causing me to try to understand the deeper message I felt was being offered to me through it. As I began writing what I could remember of the dream, what began to distill out had something to do with rivers or fountains. So as usual I began researching everything I could find along this venue and the following is what emerged.

Yesterday I presented this in our small church and the recording and notes similar to these can be found on the church website. This really leads me to the same conclusion that the Spirit keeps bringing to my attention from many angles, that the secret power needed to live as an overcomer is released as we learn and exercise our heart, mind and spirit with the New Song. But that is another topic though very closely related.

Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17)

Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'" The woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" The serpent said to the woman, "You won't surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:1-5)

God knows that in the day you eat from only the Tree of Life, your eyes and heart will be opened, and you will be like God, gushing out life-giving words like a healing fountain spreading hope and courage and love as you were created to live. (Genesis 3:5 reversed curse)

Yahweh God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it was parted, and became four heads. (Genesis 2:8-10)

Note carefully how the geography at creation seems to be quite different in function from how rivers function today. A single river emerged from the Eden to water the garden, then morphs into 4 rivers which in turn spread out to apparently water the entire planet. This is generally backwards to how rivers flow in our day, from small tributaries that increasingly join together to form larger and larger streams until they turn into large rivers that end up in oceans. I believe this is has great spiritual significance as well because the physical is designed to reflect spiritual realities to make them plain.

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of your house. You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures. For with you is the spring of life. In your light shall we see light. (Psalms 36:8-9)

There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad, the holy place of the tents of the Most High. God is in her midst. She shall not be moved. God will help her at dawn. (Psalms 46:4-5)

Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing; for waters will break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. Grass with reeds and rushes will be in the habitation of jackals, where they lay. (Isaiah 35:6-7)

Oh that you had listened to my commandments! then had your peace been as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea: (Isaiah 48:18)

For thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and you shall suck of it; you shall be borne on the side, and shall be dandled on the knees. (Isaiah 66:12)

For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)

Yahweh, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be disappointed. Those who depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Yahweh, the spring of living waters. (Jeremiah 17:13)

It will happen in that day, that living waters will go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea; in summer and in winter will it be. Yahweh will be King over all the earth. In that day Yahweh will be one, and his name one. All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she will be lifted up, and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin's gate to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses. Men will dwell therein, and there will be no more curse; but Jerusalem will dwell safely. (Zechariah 14:8-11)

Jesus answered her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14)

Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water." But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn't yet glorified. (John 7:37-39)

They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:16-17)

Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. (Revelation 21:6-7 NRSV)

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" He who hears, let him say, "Come!" He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)

It is essential that we learn to satiate our imagination with heaven's perspective of God's disposition towards us if we want to dwell in that atmosphere of graciousness, kindness and compassion that defines God's disposition towards all His children. This is how we ingest the water of life, for it is in our spirit that we receive, absorb and are transformed by the atmosphere of heaven's love and truth. Our imagination is equivalent to our faith, so that is the entry point where the difference is made between sinking deeper into darkness or growing up into the light and liberty of the children of God.

Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4)

I have been learning of our need to keep ourselves immersed in the New Song. That involves focusing on the light and turning away from negativity and darkness. We must let go of all desire for payback, punishment or revenge, for those desires produce roots of bitterness that poisons our joy that we are designed for. Desire to balance the scales results in the gall of bitterness and the bondage of iniquity like Simon the sorcerer whose case is a warning to us all.

You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn't right before God. Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity. (Acts 8:21-23)

Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking, as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious: (1 Peter 2:1-3)

Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (Psalms 23:1-3)

The war we are involved in revolves around where we source our identity and seek satisfaction. Our healthy relationship in a marriage is tied intimately to how God designs for us to relate to Him as our source. All throughout Scripture God uses marriage motifs to illustrate the kind of relationship we are to have with our heavenly Parents in the Godhead. Thus the instructions for experiencing joy and intimacy within a marriage relationship can inform us as to how we may enter into a deeper intimacy with our Creator.

Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares? Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you. Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe and a graceful deer-- let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love. For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another? For the ways of man are before the eyes of Yahweh. He examines all his paths. The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly. (Proverbs 5:15-22)

Who has heard such a thing? who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? says Yahweh: shall I who cause to bring forth shut the womb? says your God. Rejoice you with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her; that you may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that you may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and you shall suck of it; you shall be borne on the side, and shall be dandled on the knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass: and the hand of Yahweh shall be known toward his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies. (Isaiah 66:8-14)

Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Yah, Yahweh, is my strength and song; and he has become my salvation." Therefore with joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation. In that day you will say, "Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name. Declare his doings among the peoples. Proclaim that his name is exalted! Sing to Yahweh, for he has done excellent things! Let this be known in all the earth! Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion; for the Holy One of Israel is great in the midst of you!" (Isaiah 12:2-6)

Thus says Yahweh, In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage: saying to those who are bound, Go forth; to those who are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them. I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. (Isaiah 49:8-11)

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. Whoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded. The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death. Good understanding wins favor; but the way of the unfaithful is hard. (Proverbs 13:12-15)

The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)

It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud. He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in Yahweh is blessed. The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction. Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly. The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 16:19-25)

Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue; by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. (2 Peter 1:2-4)

He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)