A Hope that Floods the Soul

Charles Spurgeon is a name that I would venture to say nearly all of us are familiar with. Perhaps you’ve read his sermons and found your heart flooded with love for Christ. Maybe you’ve been motivated as you consider the massive scope of his ministry and been excited to attempt something for God yourself or maybe you know nothing more of the man than that he simply loved Christ and is well known for that. Well, regardless of your exposure to Spurgeon, one thing stands married to his reputation: Spurgeon wanted to do something for God.

If you were to get your hands on Spurgeon’s early letters, you would find them laced with statements such as, “Oh how I wish I could do something for Christ,” and “I have more than sufficient to induce me to give up myself entirely to Him who has bought me and purchased me with an everlasting redemption.” During his first year as a believer, one of Spurgeon’s mentors documented his spiritual progress saying, “Spurgeon lost no time in channeling this rush of spiritual life into practical Christian commitment and work.” An important thing for us to understand, however, is that for the believer, the experience that struck such a zeal within the soul of our faithful brother is no different than what each of us has known. Namely, we have each experienced Christ. But in the face of serious adversity, a society laced with lethargy, and a myriad of screens, hobbies, and more calling for our attention, I believe it to be necessary that we ask ourselves if we have grown cold to the excitement that we once knew (DiPrima, Spurgeon and the Poor).

It is my prayer, as we explore the Scriptures together tonight, that we would leave not only understanding how to read the Scriptures better but that we, understanding the work of God in us and through us and what His end game is, would find our hearts stoked with an unquenchable zeal for Christ to be made known in Burlington. So, if you’ve found yourself here tonight wondering whether you’ve drawn the lot in life of being a bench warmer in the work of God, this sermon is for you. If you’ve found yourself disturbed by the heartaches of this life and find your soul drained of hope in this dark world, this is for you. Or, if you’ve found yourself here tonight crushed beneath the weight of your sin, thirsting for something different than the bitterness you have always known, this is for you. Tonight we will see that our God is making all things new through the work of His Son Jesus Christ and that this message of life comes through each of us as His people on Earth.

As we look at our initial text for this evening, I want to catch us up to speed on what Ezekiel is experiencing so we can understand this passage a little better. In summary, the people of Israel have been invaded by the Babylonians and a first wave of exiles have been sent off, among them is Ezekiel. On his thirtieth birthday, he receives a vision of the glory of God. And what is strange about this is that His glory is not with the ark of the covenant in the Temple of Jerusalem. The reason for this is that the people of Israel have fallen into idolatry and have therefore broken their covenant with God. So, God commands Ezekiel to call them to repent or there would be another great attack. As we find ourselves in the latter half of the book, we find that Ezekiel is being taken on an angelic tour of a prophetic temple to come. This leads us to this interesting passage here in Ezekiel 47, but before we can understand this passage, we will need to look at Genesis 2, which takes us to our first point for this evening.

1. Hardship Floods the Human Story

In Genesis 1-2, we find the account of God’s creation of the world. Genesis 2 is going to zoom in from the broader account of Genesis 1 to look at what takes place in the Garden of Eden where God would place Adam and Eve. What is important for us to remember is the bliss of this experience. According to the dialogue recorded in Genesis 2 as well as the mention of God walking in the cool of the day with them in Genesis 3:8, Adam enjoyed fellowship with God. There was no heartache, there was no relational fracture or irrational fear. There was no death, no famines, no wars, and no separation from God. This is paradise!

But as we all know, tragedy strikes in the rebellion of our parents against God. From this rebellion enters a tidal wave of depravity, separation, and heartache that produces the atrocities that are experienced all over the Earth today. Do you feel it? A yearning in your heart for all things to be made right as you reflect on the pains of this life and, for the believer who has been shown the truth, a yearning for unhindered fellowship with your God. If so, that’s the intent of the text. As a result of this rebellion recorded in Genesis 3, mankind is banished from the Garden, and with that goes the blissful fellowship of man with God.

As we back up to look at this paradisical setting, Genesis 2:10 mentions that there was a river that nourished the garden. Not only is there a river feeding the Garden, and not only is God present in the Garden, but the Garden, verses 11-12 shows us, is full of gold and onyx. This Garden also has a tree of life and a Garden keeper, Adam, who is called to tend and keep the Garden in verse 15. But why does this matter for today’s study? The reason it matters is because these are similarities that are found in the Temple later in the Old Testament. To put it plainly, the Garden of Eden is a Temple! As a matter of fact, the same word that Moses used for God walking in the Garden in Genesis 3:8 is used concerning God’s presence in the Temple throughout the Old Testament.

As we explore the Old Testament storyline, we find, first, the establishment of the Tabernacle which signifies God's presence among His people wherever they go, and then the construction of the Temple stands to speak of permanence regarding His presence with His people. So, in summary, we find the first man dwelling in the Edenic temple with God where a river is flowing to nourish all things, namely the tree of life. However, in sin, it is lost, but the Temple worship of the Old Testament will be established to point us to what is to come. Seeing this, we are now ready to explore Ezekiel 47 which takes us to our second point.

2. A Prefigured Temple

Well, just like the Garden had a river flowing from it, so does this Temple that is being explored by Ezekiel in Ezekiel 47. What is important for us to recall here is that the Temple is the place of God’s presence so what we are seeing is that there is a life-giving river that flows from the presence of God.

In verses 8-12, we find a beautiful depiction of the nature of this water. First, verse 8 describes it as flowing from the Temple which would’ve sat around 2,430 feet above sea level and would flow down to the Dead Sea which rests at 1,292 feet below sea level. This is a drop of over 3,700 feet. Not only this but when this life-giving water reaches the poisonous waters of the Dead Sea, it will bring healing and abundant life to a sea that is known for being barren. In verse 12, we find that the desert that the water flows through to reach the sea will also be teaming with life.

From this, we see an illustration of the magnificent and life-giving grace of God which flows from up high and reaches down into what is nothing but death and brings forth life. Notice, the Garden imagery there in verse 12? There is a river that feeds a garden-like setting which will nurture trees that are life-giving much like the Tree of Life in the Garden.

What we are looking at in this passage is a promise that God is bringing life to death, hope to hopelessness, abundance to what was barren. He is the source of life; He is the source of healing.

As I was writing this, I was reminded of a poem written by Sarah Sparks which recalls the story of Jill Pole in CS Lewis’s “The Silver Chair.” It reads:

I saw you on the mountain I met you by the stream And I terrified at your sight A lion after me You asked if I was thirsty I said "If I don't drink I will surely die here be dry Lying by the stream" He said, "Dear child, come farther For this the only stream That will bring you life My supply is all that You will ever need He didn't promise not to harm me He said, "I'll do no such thing For I am the law And in my jaw I've swallowed men, and mountains and kings." It is so. There is only one blood that could have done What I have done And I know As so many do you may run But I am your only hope. There is only one blood that could have done What I have done It is so. I am justice and wrath, I am love But I am your only hope! I am in the light, I am in the shade I am in the wind, I am in the waves.

Well, where do we find the one whose blood the poem talks about and the one through whom life-giving water is given, but in the Lord Jesus Christ? This takes us to our third point.

3. The Fountainhead Dwells with Us.

In John 7:37-39, Israel is celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. Now, through time the Feast developed a tradition where there would be a seven-day water ceremony and prayer for rain where the priests would draw water from the pool of Siloam to fill a golden pitcher. When they returned to the water gate in the city, a shofar would be blown and then psalms of praise would be sung to the Lord. After this, the water would be offered to God as a sacrifice every morning. Although this would’ve been a prayer for rain, there is something stronger here than that. The Feast of Tabernacles is a time when Israelites would live in little shanties for several days to recall their pilgrimage out of Egypt. So, this prayer for water is them recalling the water that flowed from the Rock that Moses struck. So, this was not only a prayer for rain, but an arrow pointing to the Messiah who would flood the earth with blessing. And what does Jesus do on the last day of this act? He stands us and says, “If anyone thirsts, let Him come to Me and drink!”

This would have been a stunning thing to have seen because Jesus is declaring that He is the fulfillment that this Feast has been anticipating, that He is the one the rock depicted, and that through Him the thirst of a man’s soul could be quenched.

Is this not what He said of Himself to the woman at the Well in John 4 when He told her that He could give her water that she would never thirst again? And is this not what He is saying to you and me today? As Christians, we must never seek to have our thirst quenched by the idols of the world! If we have truly tasted of His grace, we understand that there is nothing that can compare to what floods our souls when we draw from Christ, but if we are not careful, our weak and wandering hearts will pull us to wander to the wells of this world! To those of you who do not know Christ tonight, are you thirsting? Do you find your heart burdened by your sins, are you wearied and beaten down by the hardships of this broken world? Do you find yourself longing for reconciliation to God and hope that extends outside of the here and now? Then run to Jesus!

He floods the barrenness of our souls with life, He reaches from high and blesses the lowly, He brings life to what was nothing but death! He extends a call to you right now to come to Him and to find your thirst quenched and if your heart tells you that He would never want someone like you, Jesus corrects your heart and says, “Come to me.” The only qualifier is that you thirst.

Do you remember how I said that the Tabernacle and Temple were instrumental in typifying the dwelling place of God? Well, in John 1:14 we read, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus has come! The fountainhead of life has dwelt among us that we poor, thirsty sinners might drink and be made satisfied. Stop looking for what you can offer, there is nothing you need. He says in Isaiah 55:1, “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

Here we find that the way that God is making all things new is through the person and work of Jesus Christ alone who is the fountain of life. Look with me in Revelation 22 for our last point which is.

4. Eternal Bliss in Fellowshipping with God Forevermore

In Revelation 22:1-2, we find language much like we have seen in Genesis and Ezekiel. Life-giving abundance flowing from the presence of God. Except here, there is something greater. In Genesis, there is a Tree of Life, but in Revelation, there are multiples of them on either side of the river and they do not provide healing for an area like a garden, but for nations. To put it simply, it’s bigger than we ever imagined. In Genesis, the temple is a Garden. In Revelation 22, it’s the whole world. Notice in verse 1, it’s a pure river and in verse 2 it isn’t hidden somewhere far off but is the center of the street there. GK Beale says, “[This is because] eternal fellowship with God is an essential characteristic of the city” (Beale, Revelation). In this, there is eternal, unbroken, and secure fellowship with God for all His saints through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

But where is this temple today that Ezekiel speaks of? Is there going to be some third temple built in the future? The answer to that is no. This temple is already here on the Earth. 1 Corinthians 3:16 reads, “Do you not know that you are the Temple of God and that the Spirit dwells in you?”

Now, who are these people? They are the ones who have their thirst quenched by Jesus in John 7. The result of those who come to Him is found in verses 38-39. He says, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

What does this all mean for us? Here are a few lessons.

1. There is redemption. Jesus is the source and substance of all true peace and reconciliation. (Give the gospel).

2. There is hope. Just as Christ has come, died, and resurrected so surely will He see to it that all things will be made new.

3. There is motivation. We are not the source of the life-giving water, but we are the instruments that He uses to dispense it to the world. Shouldn’t the mouths of those who have tasted such water be the same mouths that share where others can find their thirst quenched? Concerning the motivation of Spurgeon, he wrote, “The Church is the world’s hope. As Christ is the hope of the Church, so the Church is the hope of the world” (DiPrima, Spurgeon and the Poor, 63). In Ezekiel 47, there was a little trickle from the Temple that grew into a mighty river. And from the Lord’s body at Calvary, there trickled blood and water that today floods the whole Earth.