“And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb

Revelation 22:1,

When does this “river” flow? Since it flows “out from the throne of God and of the Lamb,” it could only be after the Lord’s day began in 1914. That was the time for the event heralded by the blowing of the seventh trumpet and the grand announcement: “Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ.” (Revelation 11:15; 12:10) During the time of the end, the spirit and the bride have been inviting rightly disposed ones to take life’s water free. Water from this river will continue to be available to such ones right up to the end of this system of things and, thereafter, on into the new world, when New Jerusalem ‘comes down out of heaven from God.’​—Revelation 21:2.

20. What indicates that a measure of water of life is already available?

²⁰ This is not the first time that life-giving water has been offered to mankind. When he was on earth, Jesus spoke of water that imparted everlasting life. (John 4:10-14; 7:37, 38) Further, John is about to hear the loving invitation: “The spirit and the bride keep on saying: ‘Come!’ And let anyone hearing say: ‘Come!’ And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.” (Revelation 22:17) This invitation is being sounded even now, indicating that a measure of water of life is already available. But in the new world, those waters will flow from God’s throne and through New Jerusalem as a veritable river.

21. What is represented by the “river of water of life,” and how does Ezekiel’s vision of this river help us to know?

²¹ What is this “river of water of life”? Literal water is a vital element for life. Without food a man can survive for a number of weeks, but without water he will die in about one week. Water is also a cleansing agent and vital for health. Thus, the water of life must represent something essential for the life and health of mankind. The prophet Ezekiel was also granted a vision of this “river of water of life,” and in his vision, the river flowed out from the temple and down into the Dead Sea. Then, miracle of miracles! That lifeless, chemically saturated body of water was converted into freshwater teeming with fish! (Ezekiel 47:1-12) Yes, the visionary river brings back to life something that was previously dead, confirming that the river of water of life pictures God’s provision through Jesus Christ for restoring perfect human life to the “dead” human race. This river is “clear as crystal,” showing the purity and holiness of God’s provisions. It is not like the bloodstained, death-dealing “waters” of Christendom.​—Revelation 8:10, 11.

22. (a) Where does the river originate, and why is this appropriate? (b) What is involved in the water of life, and what does this symbolic river include?

²² The river originates at “the throne of God and of the Lamb.” This is appropriate, since the basis of Jehovah’s life-giving provisions is the ransom sacrifice, and this was provided because Jehovah “loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) The water of life also involves God’s Word, which is spoken of as water in the Bible. (Ephesians 5:26) However, the river of water of life includes not only the truth but also every other provision of Jehovah, based on Jesus’ sacrifice, for recovering obedient humans from sin and death and granting them everlasting life.​—John 1:29; 1 John 2:1, 2.