A Transforming Stream
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Ezekiel 47:9 And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.
Ezekiel 47:9 And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.
Ezekiel 47:3-12
Ezekiel 47:3-12
Ezekiel 47:1 (ESV)
Ezekiel 47:1 (ESV)
Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
It is important to see here that this river flows from the throne of God. It may have been intended to represent Jesus, who God gave to save us all and the more his loving mercy flows the deeper it gets.
Ezekiel 47:3 “Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep.”
Ezekiel 47:3 “Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep.”
Cubit
The length of an average forearm.
This averaged out to be approx. 18” so our distance here was 18,000” or 1,500 feet or .28 miles
Ezekiel 47:4 “Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep.”
Ezekiel 47:4 “Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep.”
1,500 feet for a total of 3,000 feet or .56 miles
1,500 feet for a total of 4,500 feet or .85 miles
Ezekiel 47:5 “Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.”
Ezekiel 47:5 “Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.”
1,500 feet for a total of 7,000 feet or 1.3 miles
Ezekiel 47:6 “And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river.”
Ezekiel 47:6 “And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river.”
Ezekiel 47:7 “As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other.”
Ezekiel 47:7 “As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other.”
Here we see everything that grows from the life-giving waters. The “very Many Trees” could represent all of us. All different and hopefully producing fruit.
Ezekiel 47:8 “And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.
Ezekiel 47:8 “And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.
Arabah is also known as the Dead Sea
ARABAH (Heb. ’arāḇâ). 1. The root rb, meaning ‘dry’, ‘burnt up’ and therefore ‘waste land’, is used to describe the desert steppe (Jb. 24:5; 39:6; Is. 33:9; 35:1, 6; Je. 51:43; rsv usually translates as ‘wilderness’ or ‘desert
J. M. Houston, “Arabah,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 62.
Ezekiel 47:9 “And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.”
Ezekiel 47:9 “And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.”
Wherever the living waters flow, what was once dead is now alive. Just like it is with us. We were once all destined to die and go to hell but now through the life-giving waters of Jesus, we live and flourish producing good fruits.
Ezekiel 47:10 “Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.”
Ezekiel 47:10 “Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.”
This could represent the disciples who spread God's word through Jesus Christ and by casting their testimony brought in a great multitude of sinners.
Ezekiel 47:11“But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt.”
Ezekiel 47:11“But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt.”
This would be those who remain in the world and live as the world does. They do not recieve the life giving waters of Jesus
Ezekiel 47:12 “And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.””
Ezekiel 47:12 “And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.””
Here we see that we are to produce more followers of Christ by bearing fresh fruits every month because the live giving waters of Jesus never changes and heals all that it touches.
This river is simular to our walk with Christ. When we first get saved we see the trickel of water coming under the door of salvation. As we begin to study our Bibles and learn about our Father, Son and Holy Spirit be begin to submerse oursleves and we are ankle deep. Then we submerse oursleves deeper and begin to do small things in our churchs. Then we submerse ourselfs half way and we begin to reach outside of the church and begin to witness to others. Finally we our completely submerse and swimming in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and we can do all things thru him.
This river is simular to our walk with Christ. When we first get saved we see the trickel of water coming under the door of salvation. As we begin to study our Bibles and learn about our Father, Son and Holy Spirit be begin to submerse oursleves and we are ankle deep. Then we submerse oursleves deeper and begin to do small things in our churchs. Then we submerse ourselfs half way and we begin to reach outside of the church and begin to witness to others. Finally we our completely submerse and swimming in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and we can do all things thru him.
The lesson teaches us that God's presence is central to our spiritual vitality and that we must actively seek to dwell in it. Through our faith and obedience, we can tap into the rivers of life that flow from the Lord, enabling us to thrive spiritually and emotionally.
The lesson teaches us that God's presence is central to our spiritual vitality and that we must actively seek to dwell in it. Through our faith and obedience, we can tap into the rivers of life that flow from the Lord, enabling us to thrive spiritually and emotionally.