I saw water
coming out from under the threshold of the temple
I
looked up that word to see what context it might have the joy of previous
readings of Ezekiel 47 was taken to new heights.
Continuing
without pause or interruption - ceaseless,
unceasing,
constant,
continual,
unabating, interminable,
endless,
unending,
never-ending,
everlasting,
eternal,
perpetual,
continuous,
nonstop,
uninterrupted,
unbroken,
unremitting,
persistent,
relentless,
unrelenting,
unrelieved,
sustained
As
Ezekiel is taken back to the entrance of the temple by his spirit guide
(remember, he is in the midst of a vision while simultaneously an exile in
Babylon – 25 years into what would be a 70 year exile for Israel), he begins a
journey into the waters flowing from the throne. First the water was trickling from the south side of the temple, then he was led into ankle deep waters, then knee deep, then waist deep and then
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.
Now
he is taken back to shore and given a bird’s eye view of what I believe is the
incessant, eternal Glory of God. . .
Then he led me
back to the bank of the river. When I
arrived I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 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. 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.
THE
GLORY OF GOD! Out of the throne comes
Living Waters that get deeper and deeper and deeper as we enter those waters of
life, and soon these waters empty into what was once a dead sea that could not
sustain life in any form. Now, everywhere the river flows there is life!
We
are the representatives who take the depths of God’s redeeming, life-giving,
life-sustaining waters to a dead, chronically thirsty, broken world and when we
go with the flow of His glory and grace, everywhere we go, life springs forth. It is nothing we do. The waters flow from His Throne transforming
our lives so that we simply get to be the bearers of His Living Waters through
whom He brings the dead to life. John’s
gospel tells us:
Jesus stood and cried out, saying,
"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. "He
who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow
rivers of living water.'" John 7:37-38
Out
of our innermost being will flow rivers of living waters!
“Don’t you know
that you yourselves are God’s temple and that His Spirit dwells in your midst?!” 1 Corinthians 3:16
We
are His temple. Out of us flows living
waters! Oh it might be just a trickle at
first but as we allow Him to lead us we soon find ourselves in over our heads
in the depths of His glory and grace, and EVERYWHERE WE GO THERE IS LIFE!
Ezekiel
then sees fishermen on the shores -
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
Jesus
says - “I will make you fishers of men if
you follow me!” Matthew 4:19
Ezekiel
sees the fruit trees offering both sustenance and healing -
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.”
Galatians
5 reminds us we are God’s fruit bearers and in Matthew 10 Jesus’ tells us:
Heal the sick,
cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received,
freely give. Matthew 10:8
The
fruit of our lives, lived for the Glory of God, will fill others up with His
love. We will be His ambassadors who
bring healing to broken lives.
Insanely,
incessantly, incredibly we get to be vessels of God’s glory. That’s why my spirit shouts every time I read
Ezekiel 47. It isn’t just a cute story
of a man wading in the waters who sees a sea come to life. It is depictive of how my world can be
transformed from rivers of living waters flowing out of the Throne of my
living, loving Savior and Lord. I get
to be His emissary. I get to deliver
living water, food for the hungry, healing for the broken because out of my
innermost being, His holy temple, flows rivers of His life-giving,
life-sustaining waters.
May
the Glory of His presence fill the world around me today as I go with His flow.
AMEN!
suemccarysargis
9/19/2014
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