August 25, 2026
Aug 23, 2026 "Where the River Flows"(Ezekiel 47:1–12)
Ezekiel 47:1-12 New International Version
The River From the Temple
47 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[a] 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,[b] 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.”
Ezekiel 47:3 That is, about 1,700 feet or about 530 meters
Ezekiel 47:8 Or the Jordan Valley
In Ezekiel 47 we read how the life giving transformative river starts from the temple and flows into world. The Bible clearly shows that true life and true transformation start with God.
We were created by God and thirst for God. Only God will satisfy our thirst.
John 7:37-38 ESV
[37] On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. [38] Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
The water that flows out of the temple starts as a trickle and moves into an uncontrollable river that no one can cross.
Ezekiel 47:1, 3-5 ESV
[1] 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.
[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. [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. [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.
Another question we should ask ourselves is "How deep is our relationship with God?" When the water is shallow we can walk and control our direction; however, as we go into deep water we have to swim and if that water is a powerful river, we have no control. A deep relationship with God means we don't have control of our lives. God has control as we give it to Him in our deeper relationship.
Ezekiel had no choice but to follow the river goes, but sees that wherever the river goes, there is life. The dead sea is full of salt and nothing can live there, but when the river flows into it, life follows. Death is overcome by life.
Ezekiel 47:9 ESV
[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.
We may have experienced a dead sea experience. Our spiritual life is dead and have lost hope and purpose, but God can bring life, hope and purpose. This is like this river of life. It doesn't avoid dead places or dirty places, but it brings life to wherever it goes.
We may be going through a time when our prayers are not being answered, or we keep sinning despite trying to change. God does not look at our situation and say it is hopeless. We might look at a situation and see no hope, but God doesn't give up. God can bring life and hope.
We must stay close to God and allow God to do His work. And when his life giving and life changing water comes, we must let it through us into others.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)