Living Water;

Jesus uses the phrase “LIVING water” in two instances in the Bible. The first instance is FOUND in John chapter 4. Jesus was tired and sat at a well while His disciples went into town to buy food. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus asked her for a drink. The Samaritan woman was quite shocked because Jesus was a Jew, and Jews simply hated the Samaritans. Of course, she had no idea who Jesus was and asked Him how He could ask her for water since He was a Jew. ❤️☺️

Jesus ignored the question and went right to the POINT, “If you -knew the GIFT of God- and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you LIVING water” (John 4:10). Notice that He does not say that He is the living water, but that He would “give living” water to her, and when she received it, she would never thirst again. Of course, that does not tell us what the living water is! For that, we must go to another passage of Scripture. In this case, Jesus is in the temple surrounded by a throng of worshipers. He suddenly cried out, “If ANYONE IS THIRSTY, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in ME, as the Scriptures said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of LIVING water.’ But this He spoke of the SPIRIT, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet GLORIFIED” (John 7:37–39, emphasis added).

Here Jesus refers to the “Holy SPIRIT”✨ as the LIVING water. External influence of the Spirit had always been given in the conversion and SANCTIFICATION of the Old Testament saints and PROPHETS, but the gift of the Spirit who would “INDWELL believers” had not yet been received (ACTS 10:44–45). So, though many people say that Jesus is the living water, Jesus Himself intended the phrase to mean the “HOLY SPIRIT” who “DWELLS in believers and SEALS them for salvation” (Ephesians 1:13–14). It is the -ministry- of the Spirit, flowing out of a heart “REDEEMED by GOD,” that BLESSES believers and, -through- them, brings LIFE and LIGHT to the WORLD.☀️❤️🌈

Proverbs 18:24; All translations agree that there is a friend that STICKS closer that a brother - there is a friend who displays such loyalty towards us that no matter what we say or do they will remain loyal to us. They will SUPPORT and ENCOURAGE us, help and COUNSEL us, comfort and WARN us and they will love us no matter what happens.

Most branches of Judaism consider Jews to be the "chosen people", in the sense that they have a special role to "preserve God's revelations" (revelations come from the jewish new testament but the jewish people have their unique and special gifts and callings) or to "affirm our common humanity". This attitude is reflected, for example, in the policy statement of Reform Judaism, which holds that Jews have a responsibility to "cooperate with all men in the establishment of the kingdom of God, of universal brotherhood, Justice, truth, and peace on earth". (Well- ultimately, Identity politics and identity ideology opposes peaceful existance) Some secular and critics affiliated with other religions claim (christianity is non secular, and its not a claim) the concept implies favoritism or racial superiority, as have some Jewish critics, such as Baruch Spinoza. Some Jews find the concept of "chosenness" problematic or outdated, and such concerns led to the formation of Reconstructionist Judaism, whose founder, Mordecai Kaplan, rejected the concept of the Jews as the chosen people and decried it as being ethnocentric. (Very well could be the chosen people, but that is the definition of ethnocentric and racial superiority which was what was “claimed trump supporters” (christian Americans to be- which is -completely- backwards. If thats not definition of double standard, i dont know what is). 

Our culture has embraced the idea of -suffering- for a CAUSE, but it has cheapened the CONCEPT of martyrdom in the process. Terms like social change martyr, digital martyr, work martyr, and political martyr have expanded the meaning of martyr to include “any inconvenience resulting from expressing an opinion.” But in order to UNDERSTAND just how bad the TRIBULATION will be, we need to know what WORDS like martyr MEAN in their biblical CONTEXT.

Revelation 6:9 makes the meaning clear: "When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the WORD of GOD and for the TESTIMONY which they held." Slain is a sacrificial term that means

 "slaughter, butcher, murder." 

God's people have always experienced PERSECUTION in parts of the world, and many have sacrificed their lives for the GOSPEL throughout the centuries. As the world's END draws NEAR, persecution will rise to unprecedented levels, and many will be martyred—murdered—for their FAITH.

The Tribulation martyrs will weigh their earthly suffering against the “greater SPIRITUAL SUFFERING” of denying CHRIST, and they will arrive at the same conclusion as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who was hanged during World War II:

[Messengers of the GOSPEL] must not fear men. Men can do them no harm, for the power of men ceases with the death of the body. But they must overcome the fear of death with the fear of God. The danger lies NOT in the judgement of men, but in the judgement of GOD, not in the death of the body but in the eternal destruction of body and soul. Those who are still afraid of men have no fear of God, and those who have fear of God have ceased to be afraid of men.

The APOSTLE John says the Tribulation martyrs will be killed "for THE WORD of God and for the TESTIMONY which they HELD" (Revelation 6:9). Armed with the TRUTH of God's Word, the martyrs will preach REPENTANCE and “warn of the judgment to come.” In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul describes the Christian life as a fragrance that smells like a sweet perfume to God and other Christians. But to "those who are perishing," the aroma smells like decay and death (verses 14–16).

During the Tribulation, there will be few believers around to appreciate the fragrance of righteousness. Most people will have hardened their hearts and will “reject the message” of salvation. With the -Antichrist firmly in control- of world politics and religion, society will react violently to any trace of Christianity. Many will be CALLED upon during the Tribulation to love God more than their very lives (Revelation 12:11; see also Psalm 44:22).

A story from the Old Testament helps us understand how humans, who were created in God's IMAGE (the individual, free speach, equal platform, ideological diversity), could hate someone for serving Him. Two kings, Ahab of Israel and Jehoshaphat of Judah, were “preparing for war.”

Jehoshaphat insisted on consulting one of God's PROPHETS. Ahab, who worshiped false gods, summoned four hundred prophets who readily “agreed with the kings' battle plan” (hmmmmm) Jehoshaphat -wasn't fooled- (NOPE) and again asked for a prophet of the Lord. Ahab finally admitted there was one godly prophet, Micaiah, who could be consulted. 

Before calling the prophet, Ahab explained his disregard this way: "I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil" (1 Kings 22:8).

Ahab rejected TRUTH because it did not CONFORM to his expectations (correct). He preferred the “flattery of pagan prophets” to the SINCERITY of “God's prophet” (unfortunately correct). In 2 Timothy 4:3–4, the apostle Paul warned Timothy that a time would come when mankind "will not endure sound DOCTRINE, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will “turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to FABLES” (media rumors) ." Ahab's attitude is typical of what happens in a heart that has turned away from God.

The DIGITAL AGE (amazing accomplishment!) has made it possible for people to “select which news” they hear and “how it is reported.” Universities have created “safe spaces” where students can insulate themselves from “unwelcome ideas.” (What else could be a safe space from unwelcoming ideas?) 

Recent court cases have threatened the civil LIBERTIES of Christian business owners who try to conduct their businesses according to biblical standards. When Christianity in practice arouses the “DORMANT conscience of a non–Christian,” the response is to "KILL THE MESSENGER." That is why Christians have been persecuted throughout history and will be increasingly PERSECUTED as the Day of the LORD draws NEAR.

The apostle John describes the martyrs as crying out from under an altar contained inside the fifth of seven seals on a scroll (Revelation 6:9–10). Each of these seals represents a separate “judgment” upon the earth. This means the world will be “judged, among other things, for the -blood- of the martyrs.”

The PRAYERS of the saints CRYING out for justice become the “punishment of the sinners.”

The third bowl judgment, turning freshwater to blood, declares God's retribution against those who have martyred HIS people. Here are the words of the angel who pours out this judgment.

In the words of 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for YOUR SAKE. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to REPENT" 

In Revelation 6, the martyrs' CRIES FOR JUSTICE were answered with white robes and encouragement to "rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed" (verse 11). 

As in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, God will delay His judgment until every “WILLING soul” is preserved (Genesis 18:32). Now in Revelation 16, the cries are answered with the Lord's vengeance.

As Christians CELEBRATE Easter Sunday 2022, we take notice that Good Friday and the start of Passover occurred simultaneously (law and prophets FULFILL the law- star of bethlaham leads to jesus, two stars merge) this year and as such, we should not ignore the “shared symbolism.” Just as Jesus's RESURRECTION from the dead on Easter Sunday led to the start of Christianity, the Israelite's LIBERATION from Egypt led to the beginning of Judaism.  Both Easter and Passover represent “cultural freedom and rebirth” - two principles NEEDED to UNITE our Country (UNITY comes through true UNDERSTANDING). 

An Israeli Rabbi has claimed that the biblical prophecy of Balaam, which says that the appearance of a new star will precede the coming of the Messiah, matches an astronomical event that scientists predict will occur in 2022 (TRUE). Although the Jewish faith does not believe that Jesus is the Messiah, some Christians have interpreted the Rabbi’s prediction as proof that Jesus’ second coming will occur in 2022 (body of messiah through christians falls in this timeframe- the actual appearance no one knows). 

Rabbi Yosef Berger of King David’s Tomb on Mount Zion claimed that biblical prophecy of Balaam and “Jewish esoteric sources” show that the astronomical event predicted for 2022, the collision of two stars to form a brand NEW STAR in the night sky, will herald the ARRIVAL of the MESSIAH. The astronomical event FULFILLS an ancient prophetic SIGN (law and prophets) of the coming of the Messiah, the Rabbi claimed, according to Breaking Israel News.

Rabbi Berger claimed that Balaam’s prophecy and other Jewish mystical sources say that the coming of the Messiah will be preceded by HEAVENLY SIGNS involving multiple stars (the SIGNS are truly EVERYWHERE right now). 

The ancient prophecy of the arrival of the Messiah matches recent predictions by astronomers that a dazzling display from a red nova explosion will appear in the sky in 2022, following the collision of two faint stars in the constellation of Cygnus, according to the Rabbi.

The new star, expected to appear in 2022 in a blaze of LIGHT called a nova, will be the brightest heavenly body visible in the nighttime sky for six months. It will be the “first time in recorded history” that a celestial event of this kind will be WITNESSED by the naked eye.

Beyond its scientific uniqueness, the appearance of the new star could have much bigger implications for the earth-bound, one prominent rabbi told Breaking Israel News, pointing to a Biblical prophecy of Balaam which hails the appearance of a new star as the precursor to Messiah (CORRECT).

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; there shall step forth a star out of Yakov, and a scepter shall rise out of Yisrael, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Seth. Numbers 24:17

Rabbi Yosef Berger, rabbi of King David’s Tomb on Mount Zion, cited Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, known by the acronym Rambam, the foremost Torah authority of the 12th century, whose rulings are still used as the basis for much of Jewish law.

“The Rambam brings this verse about a star appearing as PROOF that the Messiah will come one day,” Rabbi Berger told Breaking Israel News. “But he says it will come from Jacob, and not from Esau. More specifically, from the TRIBE of JUDAH.”

According to the Hebrew Bible, the tribe of Judah was one of the twelve Tribes of Israel, named after Judah, the son of Jacob. Judah was the first tribe to take its place in the Land of Israel, occupying the southern part of the territory. Jesse and his sons, including King David, belonged to this tribe.

The tribe of Judah settled in the region south of Jerusalem and in time became the most powerful and most important tribe. Not only did it produce the great kings David and Solomon but also, it was prophesied, the Messiah would come from among its members. (They were Asher, Dan, Ephraim, Gad, Issachar, Manasseh, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Judah and Benjamin. Of these 12, only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin survived). 

The new star, announced last week by Larry Molnar, a professor of astronomy at Calvin College in Michigan, will certainly be unusual. It is a binary star, or two stars orbiting a central point. Molnar described it as “two peanuts sharing a single shell.”

In his observations, Molnar noted that the orbital period was decreasing at an accelerating rate, leading him to understand that the two stars were moving closer to each other. Based on a previous case of binary stars, Molnar predicted the two stars stars would collide in 2022, resulting in a massive explosion.

“[The collision] will release as much energy as the sun releases in its entire lifetime,” Molar said in a video about the discovery.

When the two finally collide, it will create a new star, a red nova. The star’s brightness will increase ten-thousandfold, making it one of the brightest points in the heavens for six months, after which it will fade and remain as a smaller dot in the sky. It will be the first time in history that the creation of a new star will be visible with the naked eye.

“It’s a one-in-a-million chance that you can predict an explosion,” Molnar said. “It’s never been done before.”

Machefsky quoted the Talmud (Sukkoth 29a).
“Thus saith HaShem, ‘Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the nations are dismayed at them, the idolaters will be dismayed, but Israel will not be dismayed.’” (The talmud is similar to the new testament, but it is historically and disorganized, more repeating a lot of what the nt says except written by religious men, not godly authority or divibe spirit and paints a very inaccurate picture of christianity because christianity is true. So this was Gods plan all along- to keep the two separate). 

“According to Hasidic philosophy, the wellsprings of knowledge (spirit of truth, holy spirit, jesus is the living water, the way, the truth, and the life) will be opened up in the times of the Moshiach (Messiah),” Machefsky said. “It is truly amazing that astronomers can predict this when just a few years ago we wouldn’t have known about this until the star suddenly appeared. Science has enabled us to share in God’s natural processes (internet- technology- oneforisrael- apple iphone).”

Machefsky quoted the Talmud (Sukkoth 29a).
“Thus saith HaShem, ‘Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the nations are dismayed at them, the idolaters will be dismayed, but Israel (christianity or messianic Judaism) will not be dismayed.’”

“According to Hasidic philosophy, the wellsprings of knowledge will be opened up in the times of the Moshiach (Messiah),” Machefsky said. “It is truly amazing that astronomers can predict this when just a few years ago we wouldn’t have known about this until the star suddenly appeared. Science has enabled us to share in God’s natural processes.”

The history of the tribe of Judah, which eventually became a nation, begins in the book of Genesis. Judah was the fourth son of the patriarch Jacob by his first wife, Leah (Genesis 29:35). He grew up with his brothers, working in the family business tending cattle and sheep.

In time Judah and his brothers grew jealous and envious of their younger brother Joseph. Joseph was favored by his father, who gave him a special coat (Genesis 37:3). But it was when Joseph told his brothers about his dreams, which indicated he would be greater than them, that their hatred of him intensified (verses 5-11).

The hatred grew to the point that the brothers wanted to actually kill Joseph; but Reuben, the firstborn, stepped in to stop them. Joseph was placed in a pit; and while Reuben was absent, Judah came up with the idea of selling Joseph to Midianite traders for 20 shekels of silver (verses 18-22, 26-29). The brothers killed a goat and covered Joseph’s coat with blood to deceive their father into believing a wild animal had killed him. Jacob could never get over his grief for the loss of his son (Genesis 37:35).

Judah suffers with family problems
Judah and his brothers thought they had taken care of the problem of their younger brother, but God did not let that be the end of the story. God preserved Joseph and blessed him in Egypt, where he had been sold as a slave. Meanwhile, Judah’s family suffered many trials over the next 20 years or more. Judah married a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua. They had three sons, Er, Onan and Shelah.

Judah took a wife, Tamar, for his firstborn son, Er, but he was so evil that God took his life (Genesis 38:6-7). Judah commanded his second-born son, Onan, to marry Tamar and produce an heir for his deceased brother as God’s laws commanded in such circumstances. Onan would not carry through with this act because it would not be his heir. God then took Onan’s life for his refusal to give his brother an heir (Genesis 38:8-10).

A strange event in Judah’s life
Following Onan’s death, Judah asked Tamar to not remarry, but to wait in her father’s house until Judah’s youngest son, Shelah, was old enough to marry. Tamar complied with Judah’s wishes. But quite a number of years went by, and Judah’s wife died. Tamar realized that she was not going to be given in marriage to Shelah, who was now grown (Genesis 38:11-14).

One day Tamar heard that her father-in-law was heading out to shear his sheep. She removed her widow’s garments and dressed to appear as a harlot as she sat along the road where Judah would pass by. Judah did not recognize her and propositioned her; and she demanded his signet, cord and staff for collateral. When it was later discovered that she was pregnant, Judah threatened her with death for harlotry. To save her life, she presented the items belonging to Judah and said, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child” (Genesis 38:18, 24-26).

Tamar had twins. At delivery, one twin put out his hand first and the midwife tied a scarlet thread on it and said, “This one came out first.” But the other twin, Perez, came out unexpectedly followed by Zerah with the scarlet thread tied on his hand (Genesis 38:27-30).

God would use the unusual birth of these twins to establish two lines of genealogy in the tribe of Judah.

The second great promise God gave to Abraham stated, “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). This promise would come through the line of Perez. King David and the kings of Judah would descend through the line of Perez. But most importantly, Jesus Christ would come through this line so “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Matthew 1:3, 16).

As the apostle Paul wrote, “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).

Why the tribe of Judah?
In looking at the life of Judah and his character, it is hard to see why the tribe of Judah should become so prominent among the tribes of Israel. On the one hand, Joseph lived a righteous life and was blessed with the birthright in place of Reuben, the firstborn. The name of “Israel” was passed on to Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

Yet God also chose Judah and his descendants for a special place in His plan through the ages. The prophecy God gave to Jacob at the end of his life concerning his sons’ descendants “in the latter days” reveals a special blessing for the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:1, 8-10).

In speaking of the tribe of Judah, Jacob said, “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (Genesis 49:8-10).

In this passage God looked at Judah as a strong warrior and likened him to a young lion sleeping in its den after devouring its prey. Perhaps it was this strength of character and determination that God foresaw in this tribe that influenced Him to choose Judah to be His lawgiver and the tribe from which His Son would later be born (Hebrews 7:14). Jesus Christ is called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5).

Regarding Genesis 49:10, Expositor’s Bible Commentary says, “The word ‘Shiloh,’ found in some English versions, is simply an untranslated form of the Hebrew expression meaning ‘one to whom it belongs.’” Jesus Christ is the “one to whom it belongs” (Frank E. Gaebelein, ed.).

Judah is also described as a lawgiver in the Psalms. God inspired David to twice say that “Judah is My [God’s] lawgiver” (Psalms 60:7; 108:8).

The tribe of Judah has not only been a lawgiver, but a preserver of God’s written laws. The apostle Paul said, “What advantage then has the Jew? … Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles [that which was spoken or commanded] of God” (Romans 3:1-2).

Through the centuries, the Jews have faithfully preserved the books of the Old Testament and the Hebrew calendar.

Judah prevails over his brothers
The postexilic writer of 1 Chronicles, probably Ezra, wrote, “Yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s” (1 Chronicles 5:2).

How did Judah prevail?

During the time of Moses, the tribe of Judah became the stronger tribe and “prevailed over his brothers.” The census in Numbers 1 shows that Judah was the leading tribe in population and in men who could go to war (Numbers 1:2-3, 27).

After the death of Joshua, God chose the tribe of Judah to take the lead in conquering the nations who were living in the land promised to the 12 tribes (Judges 1:2). The first chapter of Judges shows that the tribe of Judah was aggressive and strong in driving out the Canaanites in the southern half of the land of Canaan.

Redeemer.An even more important way that Judah prevailed over his brothers took place during the time of one of Judah’s most famous descendants, King David. The tabernacle of God had long been in Shiloh in the territory of Joseph. But David set the stage for the temple to be built on Mount Zion, “which He [God] loved,” and which David made his capital (Psalm 78:67-70).

God chose David to be His shepherd and Jerusalem (Mount Zion) for His place to dwell. God also chose David to hold the “scepter,” a symbol of kingship that would always remain in the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Psalm 89:34-37).

The tribe of Judah suffers national captivity
After the death of Solomon, the nation of Israel became divided. Solomon’s son Rehoboam refused to lighten the burden of taxes that had been imposed by his father. In fact, Rehoboam threatened to make life far worse for the people than what his father had done.

This resulted in 10 tribes separating and becoming the northern kingdom of Israel with its capital city in Samaria (1 Kings 12:12-14). The tribes of Judah, Benjamin and a part of Levi stayed with Rehoboam and became the southern kingdom of Judah, with Jerusalem as its capital.

The northern kingdom of Israel immediately went into idolatry and turned away from worshipping God. After 200 years, they went into national captivity at the hands of the Assyrian Empire. The southern kingdom of Judah lasted more than a hundred years after the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel. Judah also turned away from the God of their fathers and went after idols several times, and several times righteous kings instituted reforms.

God sent prophets to warn them of their slide into idolatry, but eventually they would no longer listen. The Jewish nation was taken into national captivity by the Babylonians in several waves of deportations culminating in 586 B.C.

End-time nationhood of the tribe of Judah
After 70 years of captivity in Babylon, some of the Jews returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, but they didn’t fully return to the status of a sovereign nation until the 20th century.

Jesus—the Messiah, the Savior of mankind, the Lion of the tribe of Judah—would come through the tribe of Judah, but He would be rejected by His own people. The Church Jesus established initially sprang out of the tribe of Judah. But since the middle of the first century, the Church of God has become largely non-Jewish in membership.

Approaching the 20th century, many Jewish groups and Christian churches were advocating a homeland in Palestine for the tribe of Judah. Jewish groups wanted to return to Judea because it was their ancient homeland. Christian groups saw the establishment of a Jewish state as a sign of end-time prophecy being fulfilled that would lead to the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

One such prophecy can be found in Daniel 12:11, which indicates that the Jews will resume animal sacrifices before the return of Christ. Presumably, they would need their own homeland to do this.

In 1917 the Balfour Declaration made public Great Britain’s support of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. But it would not become a reality until May 14, 1948. Today, the nation called Israel is a major power in the Middle East, but will it remain such a power until the second coming of Jesus Christ?

Tribulation and restoration of the tribe of Judah
Jesus in His Olivet Prophecy said, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). The tribe of Judah and the State of Israel will not be spared from this traumatic time. In Luke’s account of the same prophecy, Jesus said, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near” (Luke 21:20).

The prophet Zechariah also spoke of this same time, “For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city” (Zechariah 14:2). Invasion and war will come to Jerusalem and to the tribe of Judah.

Following the prophecy of the invasion of Israel and Jerusalem, Zechariah announced the good news of the coming of Christ: “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. … And the LORD shall be King over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:4, 9).

Jeremiah spoke of this same time when he said, “In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6).

The good news for the tribe of Judah and this world is that the “Lion of the tribe of Judah,” Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:5), will return to establish the Kingdom of God, and the tribe of Judah will finally accept its Redeemer (Romans 11:26).

Read more about this wonderful promised future in the section on the “Kingdom of God.” You can also find related articles in this section about the “12 Tribes of Israel” and the section about the “Middle East in Bible Prophecy.”

In John 7:38, Jesus makes a seemingly odd metaphorical statement: “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of LIVING water will flow from WITHIN them.” Yet, as it turns out, the statement isn’t so odd, because Jesus actually had much to say about the idea of water and ✨NEW LIFE.✨

Earlier, Jesus had told Nicodemus that one had to be born of “water and the Spirit” in order to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). Most likely, Jesus’ reference to water here was simply to physical birth, in contrast to “spiritual birth” (John 3:6). In John 4:10Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that He could give her “living water.” 

This was in -contrast- to the “physical-water” (physical realm/humanistic view verses spiritual realm/GOD) that the Samaritan woman came to the well to retrieve. That physical water would run out, and she would need to continually return to get more. But Jesus offered the woman water that would never run out—water that would become within the believer “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). 

Jesus later would return to this theme when He STOOD UP in PUBLIC and said, “If ANYONE is thirsty let him COME TO ME and drink” (John 7:37). In this way, He was again OFFERING Himself as the water of LIFE and telling ALL they could come to Him and receive that never-ending life! 

After making the offer of life-giving water, Jesus adds that rivers of living water would flow from the heart of the believer (John 7:38). Jesus alludes to Isaiah 55:1and Isaiah 58:11—passages that similarly present the Messianic HOPE in terms of life-giving water (cf. Exodus 17:1–6; Psalm 78:15–16; 105:40–41; Proverbs 18:4; Isaiah 12:3; Ezekiel 47:1–11; and Zechariah 14:8). 

Jesus was not simply using metaphor to liken His own life-giving ministry to that of water. He was actually claiming to be the FULFILLMENT of Scripture’s water allusions and prophecies. Because He was the Life-giver, those who believed in Him would have eternal life within them and would no longer need to seek for life from external sources. 

Later, it is revealed that God would put His Spirit within each believer (Romans 8:9), and each believer would have eternal life (John 6:47) and the EVIDENCE of life (in the Holy Spirit) within. It is in that sense that “rivers of living water” would FLOW from the HEARTS of believers. 

Later, Paul would describe that in LOVE Christ SANCTIFIES His church, washing her with the water of His WORD (Ephesians 5:25–26). The writer of HEBREWS continues the theme, noting that our hearts are sprinkled and “our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). 

PETER adds that believers are cleansed as if by water (1 Peter 3:20–21). (Baptism theme) Finally, in a beautiful portrayal of Jesus’ MINISTRY, John says that the 

“Lamb would be the Shepherd, -leading His people- to the water of life (Revelation 7:17)”

This is reminiscent of David’s song of Psalm 23 in which the Shepherd leads David beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:2) and RESTORES his SOUL. Just as each of these writers recognized, we need to -understand that Jesus is the One- who freely gives eternal life.

The phrase the law and the prophets refers to the entire Hebrew Bible, what we call the Old Testament. Jesus spoke of “the law and the prophets” multiple times, such as when He listed the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:40). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus pointed to His absolute perfection, saying, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to FULFILL them” (Matthew *5:17).

On the Emmaus Road, Jesus -taught two- disciples “everything written about himself in the Scriptures, beginning with the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets” (Luke 24:27, CEV). Clearly, all Scripture, indicated by “the law and the prophets,” pointed to Jesus. 

The same passage also contains a three-fold division of the Old Testament: “the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (verse 44), but the two-fold division of “the law and the prophets” was also customary (Matthew 7:12; Acts 13:15; 24:14; Romans 3:21).

The books of the law, properly speaking, would comprise the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The prophets, in the two-fold division, would include the rest of the Old Testament. Although it may seem strange that poetic books such as “Job or Proverbs” would be included in the “prophets” category, it was common for the Jews to see any writer of Scripture as a PROPHET. Further, many of the psalms are clear messianic prophecies.

When Philip invited his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus, he referred to the whole of Hebrew Scripture in its two-fold division: “We have FOUND the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about—Jesus of Nazareth” (John 1:45, NET). Philip was right that all of Scripture has a common theme: the Messiah, the Son of God, who is Jesus.

In the Book of Revelation, the apocalyptic hopes of the early Christian community find their clearest and most complete expression. Apocalypticism was not a new phenomenon among Christians; it was a well-established belief among Jews, who held that the coming of the kingdom of God would not be brought about by a gradual transformation but by a sudden INTERVENTION, when God would end the present age and establish his kingdom in the world made new. 

This conception of COMING events is associated with the belief that prior to this future time, “the STRUGGLE BETWEEN the forces of good and evil will become more intense.” As the evil powers grow stronger, they will INFLICT PERSECUTION and in some instances even death upon those who follow a -course- of righteousness. The struggle will eventually reach a climax, at which time God will intervene, destroy the forces of evil, and set up a “new order” in which the righteous will live for all time to come. The APPEARANCE of the Messiah will coincide with the coming of these events.

When the members of the Christian community AFFIRMED their BELIEF that the crucified Jesus was the long-awaited MESIAH, they necessarily revised their understanding concerning the work Jesus was to do and especially the way in which his work would be completed. 

Because they were convinced that the work of the Messiah must end in triumph and glory, they believed that this end could be accomplished only by a return of Jesus back to this earth from the heaven to which he had ascended. This second coming, occurring at the time when all the events connected with the apocalyptic program will take place, will inaugurate the coming of the NEW AGE, as well as the final destruction of all the forces of evil.

Revelation 1

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave(A) him to show his servants what must soon take place.(B) He made it KNOWN by sending his angel(C) to his servant John,(D) who TESTIFIES to everything HE SAW that is, the WORD of GOD(E) and the TESTIMONY of JESUS CHRIST. 

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it,(G) because the time is near.

Greetings and Doxology

John,

To the seven churches(I) in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you(J) from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,(K) and from the seven spirits[a](L) before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,(M) the firstborn from the dead,(N) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.(O)

To him who loves us(P) and has freed us from our sins by his blood,(Q) 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests(R) to serve his God and Father(S)—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.(T)

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[b](U)
    and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;(V)
    and all peoples on earth “will mourn(W) because of him.”[c]
So shall it be! Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”(X) says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come,(Y) the Almighty.”(Z)

John’s Vision of Christ
9 I, John,(AA) your brother and companion in the suffering(AB) and kingdom(AC) and patient endurance(AD) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God(AE) and the testimony of Jesus.(AF) 10 On the Lord’s Day(AG) I was in the Spirit,(AH) and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,(AI) 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see(AJ) and send it to the seven churches:(AK) to Ephesus,(AL) Smyrna,(AM) Pergamum,(AN) Thyatira,(AO) Sardis,(AP) Philadelphia(AQ) and Laodicea.”(AR)

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,(AS) 13 and among the lampstands(AT) was someone like a son of man,[d](AU) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet(AV) and with a golden sash around his chest.(AW) 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.(AX) 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,(AY) and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.(AZ) 16 In his right hand he held seven stars,(BA) and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.(BB) His face was like the sun(BC) shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet(BD) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me(BE) and said: “Do not be afraid.(BF) I am the First and the Last.(BG) 18 I am the Living One; I was dead,(BH) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!(BI) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.(BJ)

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen,(BK) what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand(BL) and of the seven golden lampstands(BM) is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches,(BN) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.(BO)

Cross references

Revelation 1:1 : Jn 12:49; 17:8
Revelation 1:1 : ver 19; Da 2:28, 29; Rev 22:6
Revelation 1:1 : Rev 22:16
Revelation 1:1 : ver 4, 9; Rev 22:8
Revelation 1:2 : ver 9; S Heb 4:12
Revelation 1:2 : ver 9; 1Co 1:6; Rev 6:9; 12:17; 19:10
Revelation 1:3 : Lk 11:28; Rev 22:7
Revelation 1:3 : S Ro 13:11
Revelation 1:4 : ver 11, 20
Revelation 1:4 : S Ro 1:7
Revelation 1:4 : ver 8; Rev 4:8; 11:17; 16:5
Revelation 1:4 : Isa 11:2; Rev 3:1; 4:5; 5:6
Revelation 1:5 : Isa 55:4; Jn 18:37; Rev 3:14
Revelation 1:5 : Ps 89:27; Col 1:18
Revelation 1:5 : S 1Ti 6:15
Revelation 1:5 : S Ro 8:37
Revelation 1:5 : S Ro 3:25
Revelation 1:6 : S 1Pe 2:5; Rev 5:10; 20:6
Revelation 1:6 : Ro 15:6
Revelation 1:6 : S Ro 11:36
Revelation 1:7 : Da 7:13; S Mt 16:27; 24:30; 26:64; S Lk 17:30; S 1Co 1:7; S 1Th 2:19; 4:16, 17
Revelation 1:7 : Jn 19:34, 37
Revelation 1:7 : Zec 12:10; Mt 24:30
Revelation 1:8 : S ver 17; Rev 21:6; 22:13
Revelation 1:8 : S ver 4
Revelation 1:8 : Rev 4:8; 15:3; 19:6
Revelation 1:9 : ver 1
Revelation 1:9 : S Ac 14:22; 2Co 1:7; Php 4:14
Revelation 1:9 : ver 6
Revelation 1:9 : 2Ti 2:12
Revelation 1:9 : ver 2; S Heb 4:12
Revelation 1:9 : S ver 2
Revelation 1:10 : Ac 20:7
Revelation 1:10 : Rev 4:2; 17:3; 21:10
Revelation 1:10 : Ex 20:18; Rev 4:1
Revelation 1:11 : ver 19
Revelation 1:11 : ver 4, 20
Revelation 1:11 : S Ac 18:19
Revelation 1:11 : Rev 2:8
Revelation 1:11 : Rev 2:12
Revelation 1:11 : Ac 16:14; Rev 2:18, 24
Revelation 1:11 : Rev 3:1
Revelation 1:11 : Rev 3:7
Revelation 1:11 : S Col 2:1; Rev 3:14
Revelation 1:12 : ver 20; Ex 25:31-40; Zec 4:2; Rev 2:1
Revelation 1:13 : Rev 2:1
Revelation 1:13 : Eze 1:26; Da 7:13; 10:16; Rev 14:14
Revelation 1:13 : Isa 6:1
Revelation 1:13 : Da 10:5; Rev 15:6
Revelation 1:14 : Da 7:9; 10:6; Rev 2:18; 19:12
Revelation 1:15 : Eze 1:7; Da 10:6; Rev 2:18
Revelation 1:15 : Eze 43:2; Rev 14:2; 19:6
Revelation 1:16 : ver 20; Rev 2:1; 3:1
Revelation 1:16 : Isa 1:20; 49:2; Heb 4:12; Rev 2:12, 16; 19:15, 21
Revelation 1:16 : Jdg 5:31; Mt 17:2
Revelation 1:17 : Eze 1:28; Da 8:17, 18
Revelation 1:17 : Da 8:18
Revelation 1:17 : S Mt 14:27
Revelation 1:17 : Isa 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev 2:8; 22:13
Revelation 1:18 : Ro 6:9; Rev 2:8
Revelation 1:18 : Dt 32:40; Da 4:34; 12:7; Rev 4:9, 10; 10:6; 15:7
Revelation 1:18 : Rev 9:1; 20:1
Revelation 1:19 : ver 11; Hab 2:2
Revelation 1:20 : S ver 16
Revelation 1:20 : S ver 12
Revelation 1:20 : ver 4, 11
Revelation 1:20 : Mt 5:14, 15