The Womb of the Spirit
Background
This teaching flows from utterances at a recent prophetic prayer assembly seeking God about the formation of a 24-7 prayer and praise hub in Perth. The consensus was that the Spirit was testifying of himself as rivers of living water about to be released through the womb of the Church in the city. This relates to Christ’s own important, if unclear, prediction.
A. “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart/innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39 ESV)
B. On the last day of the feast, the greatest day, Jesus stood up and shouted out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and 38 let the one who believes in me drink. Just as the scripture says, ‘From within him will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 (Now he said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were going to receive, for the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (NET)
Introduction
The two versions of John 7:37-39 listed above rely upon different decisions about punctuation, something absent in the original Greek manuscripts. In version A, preferred by most translators, it is the believer who is the source of the rivers of living water. In version B, often preferred by commentators, Jesus is the origin of the rivers. Theologically, Jesus is the origin of everything that flows out of us. He is the source of our “springs of living water” (John 4:10, 14), the blood and water testify to us so that we testify to him (John 19:34; 1 John 5:6-9). The flow from Christ to and through us is however completely dependent on his receiving the gift of the Spirit whom he passes on to us so we can impart this Spirit of life to others (John 20:17, 22; Acts 2:33; 20:17). The flow Father>Spirit>Christ>Spirit>Church>Spirit>others is the river of God! (http://cross-connect.net.au/the-river-of-god-and-the-healing-of-the-nations/).
The Womb of a Man?
Another seemingly difficult dimension in translating John 7 is found verse 37. It reads, “‘Out of his koilia will flow rivers of living water.’” Koilia simply refers to a hollow inner cavity, so it can be legitimately translated as “heart” (see Ps 40:10), “innermost feelings” (see Prov 20:27), “belly” (see Mark 7:19) or womb (see John 3:4). If the Man from whom the living water ultimately flows is the Lord, then in relation to the powerful dynamics of the rivers of the Spirit all of these meanings are needed. “Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.” (Ps 42:7) “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream” (Isa 66:12). Nothing less than the totality of Jesus’ innermost life is imparted to/through the Church in the Spirit.
The Indispensable Glory of the Cross
“Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”” (John 19:28). Jesus could command us to come to him and drink, because in his moment of total spiritual deprivation (cf. Ps 42:1) he thirsted for the fulness of the Father like no-one else ever had (Matt 5:6). He will fully fill us (Eph 1:23) as he was filled to overflowing in the Spirit through resurrection and glorification. His own body is the new eternal end-time temple (John 2:19-21) from whom flows the water of the river of life because he is the shattered cornerstone (John 19:34; Eph 2:20; 1 Pet 2:6-7) through whom the Spirit can flow without measure (John 3:34). The cross is womb of God indispensable to the flow of the river of the Spirit.
Adding to the profound nature of this passage, John 7:39 does not read, “the Spirit had not been given” but “the Spirit was not yet”. “Given” was added by ancient and modern translators to assure readers that the Holy Spirit existed at the time of Jesus speaking. This adding to scripture is understandable, but perhaps unwise. Since in John the glorification of Jesus begins at his crucifixion (John 12:27-33), only after Christ’s his resurrection and ascension does he become “the Spirit of (the man) Jesus/Christ (Acts 16:7; Rom 8:9; Gal 4:6; Phil 1:19; 1 Pet 1:11). The gift of the Spirit must be understood as the gift of the Third Person in God transformed through the glorification of the humanity of Jesus. As Jesus was pregnant with the Spirit at the time of John 7, then since Christ’s glorious receiving the Spirit from the Father to give to us (John 20:22; Acts 2:33), the Spirit himself is now filled, pregnant, with the humanity of Jesus. This is how the living streams of the Spirit, saturated with the glorified humanity of Christ, bring life and healing “wherever it goes” (Ezek 47:9, 12; Rev 22:1-2).
Shattering the Church
The “scripture” (John 7:38 = Isa 58:2; Zech 14:8) fulfilled through Jesus is that as the new Jerusalem the Church becomes a hub for the outflow of the rivers of God (cf. Gen 2:10-14). We see this mightily fulfilled in Acts where again and again the Spirit moves through the words, works and hands of the apostolic mission (Acts 2:38; 8:18; 10:44; 19:6 etc.). This can once again be a regular occurrence in our day providing the many unbroken leaders in the Church submit to a union of shattering with their cornerstone. Peter, the pattern for apostolic leadership, in the very broadest sense, typifies this. For Peter to become the rock like Christ upon whose testimony to Jesus, “you are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16-18), the Church would be built, he must be broken by his own denial of Jesus, “Peter…wept bitterly” (Matt 26:75). Only through broken stones in union with their Lord, the broken “threshold of the Temple”, can the Spirit flow without measure (Num 20:11; Ezek 47:1; 1 Cor 10:4; John 3:34).
Conclusion
We live in a great time on the edge of the glorification of Father, Son and Spirit. If we would “see his glory” (John 1:14) we must however submit to the flow of blood and water in that order (John 19:34). Spiritual people understand this has a material dimension (1 Cor 15:46), deep natural tragedy precedes new kingdom order. Our Lord is outworking a plan so his Church can share in the restoration of all things (John 19:28; Acts 3:21) through the transformation of his own humanity from degradation to exaltation (1 Cor 15:43-53). We have begun to witness a massive and exceptional move of brokenness of spirit (Ps 51:17; Isa 66:2), with wailing, travailing and tears. I’ve seen this in recent weeks in multinational prayer assemblies across Perth for Myanmar, India, South Africa, Afghanistan. There is something here to embrace in your own heart. Years ago, in a meeting of godly pastors in Perth, one remarked, ‘We believe in “fruit bowl” Church rather than “fruit salad” Church’. This man of God was confused. Though the colours and shapes in a fruit bowl are wonderful, the types of fruit remain separated. The mixing and mingling of the sweet inner juices in a fruit salad speaks of a mix of cultures, ages and vocations united in the Spirit by brokenness. This is the King’s work today, it is “the womb of the Spirit” and from it life will flow to the nations.