A Mighty River Flows

Yesterday morning before the effects of allergy medicine caused me to fall back to sleep, I was reading the following verses from Ezekiel 47:1-12 NIV:

[1] "The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. [2] He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side."

[3] "As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. [4] He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. [5] He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in---a river that no one could cross. [6] He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

"Then he led me back to the bank of the river. [7] When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. [8] He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. [9] Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. [10] Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds---like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea."

[11] "But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. [12] Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing. ”

I have been thinking about the Holy Spirit recently, and most of the time the imagery of the flowing water refers to the Holy Spirit.  This is one of the coolest passages referring to flowing water in the Scriptures.  I love the imagery of the increasing flow, that brings life, provision and healing.

Yesterday I was wondering if the 1000 cubits were analogous to 1000 years, or millenniums? I don't know, but if it does, then we are getting ready to enter into the fourth millennium since the building of the temple (Originally built in 957BCE ) so 2973 years ago!  I know I like the idea that in the next years we see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, so much so that it becomes a mighty river of life, provision and healing to all we touch!  Come Lord!

I find it very encouraging that the river is able to make the Dead Sea fresh again.  The Dead Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water on earth.  It is called the dead sea, because nothing is able to live in its waters (except for some bacteria and fungi).  Its normal salinity level is 35%, compared to the oceans average salinity level of 3.5%. However, we aren't talking about becoming alive again, like the oceans, but fresh, like the water we normally associate with drinking water, almost no salt at all.  This would require an overwhelming amount of fresh water, to dilute the salt accordingly, either that or a removal of the salt.  Either way it represents a complete transformation of the water, the ecosystems and the life of all that comes in contact with the water!  I like that word picture very much!

We look forward to the day, Holy Spirit, where this is true, where the life flowing out of the Church, because of Your outpouring, touches and changes all around us!  Amen!