Son of the Fountain

Looking unto Jesus we see that it is the glory of our God to give. "I do nothing of Myself," said Christ; "the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father." "I seek not Mine own glory," but the glory of Him that sent Me. John 8:28; 6:57; 8:50; 7:18. In these words is set forth the great principle which is the law of life for the universe. All things Christ received from God, but He took to give. So in the heavenly courts, in His ministry for all created beings: through the beloved Son, the Father's life flows out to all; through the Son it returns, in praise and joyous service, a tide of love, to the great Source of all. And thus through Christ the circuit of beneficence is complete, representing the character of the great Giver, the law of life" Desire of Ages p. 21.

Not only is the Father the fountain of life (Ps 36:9, Jer 2:13; Jer 17:13), but we are told that as Christ lives by the Father (John 6:57), so also

From Jesus is our life derived. In Him is life that is original,–unborrowed, underived life. In us there is a streamlet from the fountain of life. In Him is the fountain of life." RH Aug 6, 1914 from a letter written Nov 1, 1905 to a sanitarium manager

It is the life which was in Jesus and the fountain of life that is in Him. Also notice that it is the life which is underived. This is quite different from saying that the person of Jesus is underived or that Jesus is the fountain of life.

Where is the fountain of life? Is it in Jehovah, the great Giver, the great Source of all? or is it in Jesus, the Son of Jehovah? It's in both!

Since we know that the Father has given all things to the Son (Matt 11:27; 28:18; John 3:35; 13:3), the Son also becomes a fountain of life. And, as he said to the woman at the well, whoever he gives the water of life to, it becomes a well of water in THEM, springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14), Which is what Jesus also said in John 7:38, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of HIS belly shall flow rivers of living water."

Therefore, both Jehovah and the Son of Jehovah have the fountain of life; but Jehovah is the great Source of all fountains.

Some dispute that Jesus is the Son of Jehovah, insisting instead that Jesus is Jehovah. They take note of Isaiah 43:10-14

"Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me."

"I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God." verses 11, 12.

"Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall prevent it? Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel;" verses 13,14.

A very interesting connection with Isaiah 43:10-14 is made with the 43rd book of the Bible, chapter 10.

"the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." John 10:25-30

• Here Jesus speaks of bearing witness (In Isaiah, Jehovah says that we are His witnesses).
• In Isaiah, Jehovah says that "there is none that can deliver out of my hand" (Jesus says that no one can "pluck them out of my hand," and because his "Father is greater than all," they can't be plucked out of his Father's hand either!)
• The one who is named Jehovah in Isaiah is the one who works in his Father's name in John.

But when He claims to be one with his Father, the Jews accuse him of blasphemy! And Jesus asks why.

"because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." John 10:36-38

Jesus explains that when he said that he was one with his Father, it was the same as saying he was the Son of God. He was not saying that he was the Father, but that being the Son of God made him one with God. In Isaiah he expressed the same thing by saying he was the only God formed: there was none before him and none after. He was "brought forth" from the LORD Jehovah (Prov 8:24), the Son of the One "who established all the ends of the earth" (Prov 30:4)--the Son of Jehovah who had his Father's name in him (Ex 23:21), who had his Father, the fountain of life, in him, and who came in the name of his Father (John 6:57), speaking the words of his Father (John 8:38).

In volume 3 of the Testimonies for the Church, Ellen White contrasts the self-indulgent behavior of a "brother B" who forsook his responsibilities to "gratify his own pleasure." She then said,

In what marked contrast with this is the life of Christ, our Pattern! He was the Son of Jehovah, and the Author of our salvation. He labored and suffered for us." 3T p. 18 1871.

This was the only time she said, "Son of Jehovah" but she often spoke of Jehovah's Son.

The heart of God yearns over His earthly children with a love stronger than death. In giving up His Son, He has poured out to us all heaven in one gift. Through that gift there comes to us day by day the unfailing flow of Jehovah's goodness." Our Father Cares (1991) p. 65; RH Jan. 21, 1873

The life of the Father flows through His Son; the goodness of Jehovah flows through His Son, His one Gift.

The presence of Jesus Christ, enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, followed this people in their wilderness wandering. The Angel of the covenant came in the name of God, as the invisible leader of Israel. The Son of God over His own house is higher than Moses, higher than the highest angel. He bears the name of Jehovah upon His miter, while on His breastplate is written the name of Israel." 7BC p. 928, letter 97, 1898.

Jesus, the Angel of the covenant, the Son of God, came in the name of God, bearing the name of Jehovah, his Father.

Notwithstanding the Son of God was clothed with humanity, yet Jehovah, with his own voice, assures him of his sonship with the Eternal. In this manifestation to his Son, God accepts humanity as exalted through the excellence of his beloved Son." 2SP p. 60

Jehovah, God, the Eternal, assures his beloved Son, the Son of God, of his sonship.

Adam will tell you, It is the seed of the woman that shall bruise the serpent's head. Ask Abraham, he will tell you, It is Melchisedek, King of Salem, King of Peace. Jacob will tell you, He is Shiloh of the tribe of Judah. Isaiah will tell you, Immanuel, Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Jeremiah will tell you, The Branch of David, the Lord, our righteousness. Daniel will tell you, He is the Messiah. Hosea will tell you, He is the Lord God of Hosts, the Lord is his memorial. John the Baptist will tell you, He is the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. The great Jehovah has proclaimed from his throne, This is my beloved Son. We, his disciples, declare, This is Jesus, the Messiah, the Prince of Life, the Redeemer of the world. And even the Prince of the powers of darkness acknowledges him, saying, "I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God."" 2SP p. 395

He (the prince of this world) misrepresented the Lord Jehovah, and the high Commander of heaven." RH April 25, 1893

Jehovah is God the Father; Jesus, the Son of Jehovah, is the high Commander of heaven, the Captain of the Lord's host (Judges 5:15).

The Lord Jehovah is the Benefactor of the universe. He is of tender compassion, full of goodness, and his love is toward suffering humanity. The Psalmist says: "The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing." The only begotten Son of God, who was the exalted Commander of heaven, who received the adoration of the angels, though he was rich, yet for our sakes he left the royal throne, departed from the heavenly courts, laid aside his royal robes, and for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich." ST July 2, 1894

The Son of God, heaven's glorious Commander, was touched with pity for the fallen race. He entered into a covenant with God to save man, and to vindicate His Father's character as expressed in the law. He came to the earth in the form of man to refute Satan's lie, that God had given a law which man could not keep. He came to give Himself as a sacrifice for sin, thus revealing to the heavenly universe that the law is as changeless and eternal as is Jehovah Himself." ST, July 23, 1902

Jehovah suffered the glory of his Son to be veiled that the fallen race might be redeemed." RH July 15, 1909

We have every reason to believe that the Lord Jehovah and the angels of heaven were looking upon Christ as he began his work of mercy for the lost world. At the beginning of his public labors, the heavenly indorsement was stamped upon his work and mission; but when he was baptized, the heavenly host knew that Jesus had placed his feet in the blood-stained path that led to Calvary. When his mission began, the heavens were opened, and the glory of God encircled the Son of God; but when it ended, he hung upon Calvary's cross, and even the sun which he had created, refused to shine upon the scene of his agony. Darkness, denser than that of midnight, enshrouded the Son of God." YI, June 23, 1892

As we follow the flow of the living water, from the throne, through the tree of life, to those who respond to the invitation of the Spirit of Christ (the Bridegroom) and the Bride (his church) to "Come and drink of the water of life freely" (Rev 22:17) we understand that the Gift of eternal life is given to each fountain in succession. As the Father has life in Himself, so has He given to the Son to have life in himself (John 5:26); and as the Son has life in himself, "even so the Son gives life to whom he will" (John 5:21) that we may become the sons of God (John 1:12).