Living Water — what is that?

Our city has almost as many people teaching English as a third-world country. People come from many parts of the world to live and work here. They do their best to learn our customs and our language. For instance, my hubby has had engineers ask questions like, “Do I stand up when my boss comes into my office?”

Language can be a big barrier in both directions. English has many odd idioms and figures of speech. I remember a few of us talking to a man about the silly things we say, like, “Go jump in the lake” or “Don’t get your shirt in a knot.” Getting a grasp on these is a big challenge and a sense of humor is needed as well as patience.

Bible study requires an understanding of figures of speech too. For instance, in John 6, Jesus told those who followed Him . . . 

“Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” (John 6:54–56)

Even those who knew Him struggled with that “hard saying” as they no doubt tried to figure out what it meant. Some still take it literally, which is also confusing.

Later, on the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37–39)

Clearly, He is using a figure of speech. How can living water flow out of a person’s heart? Yet the image is sharper if readers understand the significance of when and where it was presented. It was a Sabbath, the last feast day of the year. The remarkable ceremonies were joyous anyway, but particularly on the last day. Each day prior, the priest brought water in golden vessels from the stream of Siloah. This flowed under the temple-mountain. The priest solemnly poured it upon the altar. This day was the culmination when the words of Isaiah 12:3 were sung:

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isaiah 12:3)

This was a symbolical reference for God’s people. They anticipated God’s salvation and their joy was so ecstatic as this ceremony was performed — accompanied with sound of trumpets — that it used to be said, “Whoever had not witnessed it had never seen rejoicing at all.”

I can picture the crowds and the noise. Then I can imagine Jesus standing up and calling out to those who were thirsty for this water of salvation. He told them they could come to Him and receive it. His words included the joyful news that they would then become a source of this water for others. He used the ceremony to announce that the well of salvation was now available to them, not a literal well or literal water but, as John explains, He is talking about the Holy Spirit.

Tozer responds to these thoughts by saying every Christian can and should be filled with the Holy Spirit, even a “copious outpouring . . . in a measure far beyond that received at conversion” and beyond that enjoyed by most believers today.

Tozer also says I need to get this straight. No doubts. No misunderstanding the figure of speech. Doubt (and confusion) give the devil and open door to mess up my life. The Holy Spirit will not fill anyone who questions the possibility of being filled or doubts His promise.

^^^^^^^^

Jesus, again this is one scene that I can imagine. You stand up amid the noise and excitement of this celebration with the greater news that the living water they have longed for has now arrived. All can come to You and be filled and satisfied — and even more, be a vessel for that water to flow to others. Those who understood what You were saying must have nearly burst with joy. “He’s here! He’s here!”

Thank You so much for language lessons, for images and figures of speech, for the revelation that You are the Messiah, the Savior of the world, the Living Water that has totally satisfied my thirsty soul!