The far reaching idea of an elixir may be seen by the many ways the word is used—elixir of life, panacea, cure-all, nostrum.
When ancient Chinese tribes found gunpowder for the first time, they obviously didn’t know what it was. Their journals and notes from that first discovery still exist, and the lead scientist called the power “an elixir of immortality” – which is pretty ironic considering it has led to more death than any other substance.
A metaphor is a figure of speech, which makes an implicit, implied or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated but share some common characteristics. The link, 15 Famous Metaphors in the Bible, does not use the phrase water of life, but from other illustrations given there, one may identify the phrase often used in Scripture.
There is such a comparison in John 7:37-39. “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”
A similar metaphor appears in John 4:7-15.
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, 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.
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14 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.
15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
Matthew 5:6—Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Revelation 7:15-17
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
FIGURATIVE USES:
Water of life
John 4:14
John 7:37-39
Revelation 21:6
Revelation 22:17
Water of affliction
2 Samuel 22:17-18
Psalms 69:1
Isaiah 30:20
Isaiah 43:2
Water of salvation
Isaiah 12:3
Isaiah 49:10
Isaiah 55:1
Ezekiel 36:25
John 4:10
John 7:38
Domestic love
Proverbs 5:15
SYMBOLICAL USES:
Proverbs 5:15
Isaiah 8:7
Revelation 8:11
Revelation 12:15
Revelation 16:4
Revelation 17:1
Revelation 17:15
Read deeply and consider the implications of elixir as it relates to the water of life.
–Beth Johnson