The Scriptures reveal to us that man's need is met in God alone. To all of man's need God Himself is the supply, the only supply, and all the supply. God's intention is to be life to man, for it is as life to man and the life of man that God could be the supply to all of man's need. Thus in order to be life to man, God must come to man and enter into him as the living supply. Only in such a way can man enjoy Him and live by Him.
In the beginning of Genesis we see that after man was created he was placed in the Garden of Eden beside a tree called the tree of life. Near it there was a river. By the help of further revelations of the Scripture, we understand that this is a picture which shows how God comes to man. He comes just as the flowing of a stream to be contacted and received by man. In Psalm 36:8-9 the Psalmist praises God saying: "Thou wilt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life..." This means that with God is the fountain of life, from which flows the river of God's pleasures. God is a fountain of life, and from this fountain of life flows the river of God's pleasures. Man may drink of this divine river and enjoy the pleasures of God and be satisfied. The pleasures of God and the fatness of God go along with the flowing of this divine river. If we drink of this river we will enjoy the pleasures of God and be satisfied with the fatness of God.
God as life to man firstly flows out in His Son, our Lord Jesus. Thus the Lord can give us the living water, and the water He gives shall become in us a well of water, springing up unto eternal life (John 4:14). God flows out in His Son and through His Son. God is the spring of the divine water of life, and the Lord Jesus is the fountain or the well. He is the Rock smitten for us that out of Him may flow the living water of the divine life to be taken by us.
Secondly, God flows out as the living water in His Spirit and through His Spirit. The Lord tells us that he who believes on Him will have rivers of living water flowing from within him. He spoke this of the Spirit (John 7:37-39). By this we know that the Holy Spirit is the second channel by which God Himself flows out as the living water to us.
Hence, the Scriptures show us that God comes to us as life just as the flowing of living water. The Scripture tells us that whoever is thirsty may come to the Lord and drink the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17), and that in eternity the Lord will be our Shepherd and lead us unto fountains of waters of life (Rev. 7:17). The water of life is God Himself as our life. We drink of Him, we enjoy His pleasures, and we are satisfied with His fatness.
The book of Revelation tells us that this stream of living water flows out of the throne of God and the Lamb (Rev. 22:1). This is another picture showing us the source of this living water. It means that the life of God flows out of God Himself in the redeeming Savior, the Lamb, with ruling authority to be life to us now.
Within this stream is the life of God. We read that in the river of living water is growing the tree of life, yielding its fruit every month (Rev. 22:2). This shows that the life which supplies all our need is something growing in the river of living water. Thus it proves to us that the river of living water is the supply of the divine life. In the book of Ezekiel we see that in this river of life there is the power to swallow up death, for where it flows it heals the salty water and makes it fresh. It has healing power. We also see that it has the power to produce, for where it goes vegetable life as well as animal life is produced. Where it flows all kinds of trees grow, yielding various kinds of fruits. Moreover, the waters themselves are swarming with living creatures. This is a most meaningful picture (Ezek. 47:6-12). By meditating on it we realize its significance. Here is a stream which flows out of God Himself to bring life to supply all our need. This is a stream which will both heal and produce, both swallow up death and supply us with life. This is the stream of life.