The River of Life Restored | How to Eat and Drink of Christ

What is the River of Life in the Bible, and what does it reveal about Jesus Christ and the Christian life?

In this powerful Bible teaching, Gene Edwards explores the Tree of Life, the River of Life, the Lamb of God, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ to reveal a remarkable picture of God’s purpose for His people. From the Garden of Eden to Israel’s journey through the wilderness, Scripture continually points us toward Christ as our life, strength, sustenance, refreshment, and joy.

Gene begins with a simple picture: food.

Just as our physical bodies depend upon food for strength and sustenance, the Christian life was designed to depend upon Jesus Christ. We were never intended merely to believe certain truths about Christ. We were created to continually receive our life from Him.

But Scripture gives us another picture as well: water.

In Eden there was not only the Tree of Life—there was a river. The tree speaks of life and sustenance, while the river reveals refreshment, joy, renewal, and the flowing life of God.

After humanity’s fall, that picture appears again in Israel’s journey out of Egypt. The Israelites were delivered through the blood of the lamb and strengthened by food, yet they soon discovered something was missing: water.

Then they encountered the bitter waters of Marah.

God showed Moses a tree, and when the tree was cast into the bitter water, the water became sweet.

Gene connects this extraordinary Old Testament picture with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ not only died as the Lamb of God for our salvation—He rose again so that His resurrection life could become our spiritual refreshment.

The River of Life flows again.

The Christian life, therefore, is not simply about being forgiven. It is about receiving Christ continually as our strength, life, joy, and refreshment.

As Gene summarizes the message: we must learn to eat and drink—to partake of Christ.