The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east... As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured of 1000 cubits and led me through water that was ankle-deep, he measured of another 1000 cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep, ... water that was waist-deep, ...water that was deep enough to swim in... Ezekiel47:1-12
This is a fantastic vision. A river flowing from the temple that gets deeper and deeper until it was too great to cross. The river then flows through the desert areas of Israel and brings life and hope wherever it goes. Trees, plants and fish abound wherever the river flows and even the Dead Sea comes alive at the incredible touch of God's river.
Many have seen a literal fulfillment of this prophecy in the incredible pioneering work the Jews have done with irrigation in Palestine. They have literally greened the desert. But much more is meant here.
Legend has it that on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the priests poured a jug of water over the altar in the temple. There was a special channel that would transport the water from the altar so that it would pour out on the east side of the temple. Jesus was at the feast of Tabernacles and maybe it was at this point that He said this: "Whoever is thirsty let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water shall flow from within him."
John goes on to add an explanation: "By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive." (John 7:37-39)
Ezekiel's vision is of a wonderful transformation of those who know and love God. The river of His Spirit will flow from us in an ever-deepening experience of God's love, grace, and power. The river flowing from us and from the church will bring life to those who are dry and broken and in need of His revitalising touch.
The question is are we paddling in the "shallows" of God's love or are we ready to wade into the depths of His amazing grace?
(This is a repeat of an eDev I sent out in 2005...)
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
