I have been captivated by a Biblical concept that I had not paid much attention to prior to late July. The concept of the River flows from scripture. We named our bible school in the Philippines Streams of Living Waters’ primarily because the “River“ was taken, and our school couldn’t be registered under that name. Actually the River is seen throughout scripture. There is a River in the Garden of Eden. There is a River in the book of Ezekiel and there is a River in John and in Revelation. These are certainly not the sole places that the “River” is spoken of. For this time I want to focus on the River as it is presented in the book of Ezekiel. Please note that I have capitalized River because the River is a reference to the Holy Spirit.
Ezekiel 47:1
Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.
Please take the time to picture the River that is central to Ezekiel's vision. The River flows from the temple. When I was in Idaho at the end of July with my family, we stopped at a canyon out of Twin Falls where the Snake River was flowing. One of the things that I found fascinating was that according to information provided in the park the Snake River just seemed to bubble up out of underground springs. So I imagine the start of this river that Ezekiel is describing something like that. The River flows from under the threshold of the temple bubbling up so that it flows out of the temple south of the altar. The source and the direction in which the River flows is incredibly significant. Please note that Ezekiel 47 describes the flow of the River, and the life both in and around the River in vivid detail.
Picture taken by Grace Wick
* I usually do not pick a “random” book of the Bible for my time with the Lord, but I feel I should study and better understand the River of God and how it flows and what it does in bringing life.
W- Ezekiel 47:7-9 NKJV
When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
O- There is a River that flows: it originates in the temple; it simply flows bubbling up from the temple. The waters run from within to outside, running out of the right side flowing ever deeper and stronger. At the banks of the River are trees, “very many trees”. These trees are bringing healing and food. This is a mirror of the River in Revelation. Ezekiel has a vision of the same thing John does hundreds of years apart. Where the River flows there is abundant life. The River brings life, yes always life. Along the banks of the River are all sorts of trees bearing fruit without fail. Every month these trees bear fruit. As long as the River flows there is abundant life.
R- This bares repeating: as long as the River from the temple flows there is abundant life. This River is meant to flow not be stopped up at the temple. If I/we are not blocking the River it will bring life and healing and food wherever it flows. When I understand that I am the temple, because Jesus destroyed the earthen temple and placed it in us. We, His people have to understand that we are His temple, and this shifts our understanding around. We have in all too many cases turned the flow of the River inward and not allowed it to flow out and bring life where there is death. The river wants to bring life everywhere; even where we do not want it. A River flows where it will, thus making a way where there seems to be no way.
This is what we don’t see: the River does not choose what it brings life to; LIFE is the essence of the River. I am the vessel that contains the River. Bringing life is what the River does; it can't be classified, contained or qualified. Wherever the River goes it brings LIFE.
We are meant as Christ followers to bring the River of Life wherever we go. Neither the walls of the temple, nor the walls around the temple stopped the flow of the River.
May the Love of Jesus capture your heart. He loves you more than you can fathom.
Grace
very insightful