Zechariah 14:8-9
The Living Waters
8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
In a land where the rains were very seasonal and the summers were very dry, where the rivers and streams dried up for long periods each year and where fresh drinking water was at a premium, the thought of a river that would flow year round and stretch from the "former sea," the Eastern or Persian Sea, to the "hinder sea," the Western or Mediterranean Sea, must have been very inviting. These living waters would flow from the holy city, Jerusalem. This was the city which is now overseen and protected by the living and present Christ. It is the place from which all blessings flow.
Of course, we are reminded here of our Savior's words to the Samaritan woman, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water... But whosoever drinketh 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 of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 14:10. 14) Later, at the feast in Jerusalem, He shouted, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38) These are the waters that are typified in this verse from Zechariah.
Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ enjoys the gift of eternal life and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. So powerful is this life force within us that it must flow, it cannot be contained within any single person. It flows in the form of the gospel of God's love and with the force of the Holy Spirit. The rivers of living waters that flow from each Christian cannot be blocked or diverted by any mountains or other obstacle. They will flow summer, fall, winter or spring, up hill or down and from sea to sea. They carry the good news of redemption and forgiveness and are picked up and passed along to others by all who drink from them.
Jerusalem typifies the church of Jesus Christ, the hundreds of millions or perhaps billions of saints who have trusted in Christ over the many centuries. From them flow the rivers of living waters. They come with their Savior to flood the earth with the word of God. Like the force of a great tsunami the word will cover the earth, and no one will be able to resist its power.
Thus the millennial reign of our Lord begins. He rules over all the earth. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the great I AM, the Alpha and Omega, and the beginning and the end. When His name is mentioned, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The names of every false god and idol ever invented by man will be totally forgotten. Now there will be but One Name above all names.
Can you feel the power working within you? Are the rivers of living water constantly yearning to flow from you? Let them go! Spill them out so that others can drink. Picture yourself standing in beautiful New Jerusalem with all the saints, sharing the kingdom with your Lord. Will He say, "Well done?" What greater motivation to spread the word could you want or need?
Before The Throne:
Pray, "Lord, let your Spirit pour forth from me, your humble servant. Make me your faithful disciple, a fisher of men. Give me the courage and boldness to be a radical fanatic for your Son whom I love. Give me the radical love for my neighbor that will cause me to sacrifice my comfort and safety to lead him to you. God, I thank you for your grace and for the opportunity to be one of your messengers."
For Further Study:
(v.8 ) ** living. Ezek 47:1-12; Joel 3:18; Luke 24:47; John 4:10, 14; 7:38; Rev 22:1-2; 22:17; ** former. Joel 2:20; ** in summer. Isa 35:7; 41:17-18; 49:10; 58:11; Rev 7:16-17;
(v.9) ** the Lord. Zech 8:20-23; Gen 49:10; 1Sam 2:10; Psa 2:6-8; 22:27-31; 47:2-9; 67:4; 72:8-11, 17; 86:9; Isa 2:2-4; 45:22-25; 49:6-7; 54:5; 60:12-14; Dan 2:44-45; 7:27; Amos 9:12; Mic 4:1-3; 5:4; Zeph 3:9; Rev 11:15; ** one Lord. Eph 4:5-6; ** and. Jer 23:6; Matt 1:23; 28:19; Eph 3:14-15;
8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
In a land where the rains were very seasonal and the summers were very dry, where the rivers and streams dried up for long periods each year and where fresh drinking water was at a premium, the thought of a river that would flow year round and stretch from the "former sea," the Eastern or Persian Sea, to the "hinder sea," the Western or Mediterranean Sea, must have been very inviting. These living waters would flow from the holy city, Jerusalem. This was the city which is now overseen and protected by the living and present Christ. It is the place from which all blessings flow.
Of course, we are reminded here of our Savior's words to the Samaritan woman, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water... But whosoever drinketh 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 of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 14:10. 14) Later, at the feast in Jerusalem, He shouted, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38) These are the waters that are typified in this verse from Zechariah.
Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ enjoys the gift of eternal life and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. So powerful is this life force within us that it must flow, it cannot be contained within any single person. It flows in the form of the gospel of God's love and with the force of the Holy Spirit. The rivers of living waters that flow from each Christian cannot be blocked or diverted by any mountains or other obstacle. They will flow summer, fall, winter or spring, up hill or down and from sea to sea. They carry the good news of redemption and forgiveness and are picked up and passed along to others by all who drink from them.
Jerusalem typifies the church of Jesus Christ, the hundreds of millions or perhaps billions of saints who have trusted in Christ over the many centuries. From them flow the rivers of living waters. They come with their Savior to flood the earth with the word of God. Like the force of a great tsunami the word will cover the earth, and no one will be able to resist its power.
Thus the millennial reign of our Lord begins. He rules over all the earth. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the great I AM, the Alpha and Omega, and the beginning and the end. When His name is mentioned, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The names of every false god and idol ever invented by man will be totally forgotten. Now there will be but One Name above all names.
Can you feel the power working within you? Are the rivers of living water constantly yearning to flow from you? Let them go! Spill them out so that others can drink. Picture yourself standing in beautiful New Jerusalem with all the saints, sharing the kingdom with your Lord. Will He say, "Well done?" What greater motivation to spread the word could you want or need?
Before The Throne:
Pray, "Lord, let your Spirit pour forth from me, your humble servant. Make me your faithful disciple, a fisher of men. Give me the courage and boldness to be a radical fanatic for your Son whom I love. Give me the radical love for my neighbor that will cause me to sacrifice my comfort and safety to lead him to you. God, I thank you for your grace and for the opportunity to be one of your messengers."
For Further Study:
(v.8 ) ** living. Ezek 47:1-12; Joel 3:18; Luke 24:47; John 4:10, 14; 7:38; Rev 22:1-2; 22:17; ** former. Joel 2:20; ** in summer. Isa 35:7; 41:17-18; 49:10; 58:11; Rev 7:16-17;
(v.9) ** the Lord. Zech 8:20-23; Gen 49:10; 1Sam 2:10; Psa 2:6-8; 22:27-31; 47:2-9; 67:4; 72:8-11, 17; 86:9; Isa 2:2-4; 45:22-25; 49:6-7; 54:5; 60:12-14; Dan 2:44-45; 7:27; Amos 9:12; Mic 4:1-3; 5:4; Zeph 3:9; Rev 11:15; ** one Lord. Eph 4:5-6; ** and. Jer 23:6; Matt 1:23; 28:19; Eph 3:14-15;
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