The Rising River Water (2)

Ezekiel 47:6-12

Speaker: Reverend Philip Lee

Service: Moriah, 2nd Service

Date: August 16, 2020

A river that revives the dead

God showed prophet Ezekiel all the places in Ezekiel’s temple, a total of 25 locations. The bank of the river of the rising water is the 25th location that God showed to Ezekiel (Ezek 47:6). This river that is rising is referring to the river of life. No river in this world can revive what is dead and bring back to life. However, the river in Ezekiel’s temple revives the things that are dead. This river symbolizes how the work of God’s Word will flow and bring life to all.

Characteristics of the river of life

First, this river of life steadily grows as it flows from the temple out from the outer gate facing east until it reaches the ankles, knees, and the loins. And later it becomes a great river that people cannot ford, for they would have to swim across it as the water rose and became a rising river (Ezek 47:3-5). This signifies how God’s Word will steadily grow and expand.

Secondly, this river of life will rapidly grow in the end time for there will be a movement of the Word with such exponential growth. When we believe in the work of the river of life, there will be a great expansion of the Word in our lives (Isa 11:9; Hab 2:14).

The river of life give life

With the river of life, even the seas are made fresh, and all the living creatures that swarmed in the sea will also live. So, where the river of life goes, it gives life.

First, the sea becomes fresh (Ezek 47:8-9). The “sea” symbolizes the fallen corrupt world. Thus, God’s work of living waters, which is the Word itself, will revive this corrupted world of death (Rev 17:15). The whole world is like the waters which the “harlot” sits on, and the one who controls this fallen world is the “red dragon,” which is Satan, the devil, the serpent of old (Rev 12:9). However, God Himself will cut off the heads of the dragon, the “sea monsters” in the waters (Psa 74:13). This whole world is like the “sea” where the dead souls live, but only the Word of God can make this “dead sea” fresh again and heal and repair this broken fallen world (John 6:63). The Word of God is what heals and delivers us from destruction (Psa 107:20). This is why we should always give thanks to God for His healing in our bodies, spirits, and souls.

Secondly, the river of life made all the living creatures live, which signifies how the Word of God will make all the dying souls live again for the Word of God is living (Heb 4:12). The Bible speaks of three ways Jesus gives life to people. First, Jesus revives and gives life to dead souls who will hear the voice of God (John 5:25). Thus, we have to hear and obey the Word of Jesus in order to live, for we were dead in our trespasses and sin but He made us alive again (Eph 2:1-2). Secondly, Jesus will give life to our dead bodies, which is referring to the resurrection of the body and the spirit (John 5:28-29). Thirdly, the Lord will change the saints which is speaking of transfiguration (John 11:25-26). When Jesus Christ comes, those who are dead will be resurrected, but those who are still alive will be transfigured (John 8:51). Therefore, the Bible speaks of transfiguration at the last trumpet (1 Cor 15:51), and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 speaks of the so-called “rapture” when we will be caught up in the air when He comes. Also, Philippians 3:21 says that God will transform the body of our humble state and conform it to the body of His glory. This means God will transform the body of our humble state into the body like that of Jesus Christ which is the work of the Word, the work of Jesus Christ (John 1:1). So let us hold onto this Word of the Lord Jesus Christ and truly partake in the blessings of resurrection and transfiguration.

Redemptive-historical lesson

We saw the river of life in Ezekiel’s temple which foreshadows the river of life in the New Jerusalem. The Book of Ezekiel talks about the river of life, the way of life, and fruitful trees whose leaves do not wither and whose fruits do not fail (Ezek 47:12). These trees in Ezekiel are evergreen and fruitful every month. In the Book of Ezekiel, it only says “trees,” but in the Book of Revelation, it says that these trees are the Tree of Life, for these trees are sustained with “life” forever (Rev 22:1-2). This is the Tree of Life by the bank of the river of life. And if we also receive this water from the river of life, then we will also spiritually become the Tree of Life where our fruits and leaves do not wither. We are the righteous; therefore, the fruits of righteousness must become the Tree of Life (Prov 11:30). Wisdom is a Tree of Life--this wisdom is referring to Jesus Christ, the true Tree of Life, our wisdom forever (Prov 3:18).

Secondly, when our wishes are fulfilled, that is also a Tree of Life. The reunification between heaven and earth is a Tree of Life. Furthermore, we wish of transfiguration and when we are transfigured, that means we become this Tree of Life, for desire fulfilled is a Tree of Life (Prov 13:12).

Thirdly, a kind tongue is a Tree of Life (Prov 15:4). Inside the righteous is the life of the Word. Thus we drink the water of life and are filled with the water of life, which is the Word of God. Then through the lips of the righteous, words will come out which will give life, soothing, and healing for the people. If there is death inside a person, then the words that come from that person’s mouth is not a word that gives life but is a word that perverts and creates crookedness and deceit in others who hear it. Therefore, those that have the Word of living waters must speak words that will give life to others for perversion in the Word crushes the spirit (Prov 15:3-4). If my words are crooked or deceitful, these very words will crush the spirit not only of the one who speaks them but also the spirit of those who listen to our words. Can we go into Ezekiel’s temple when we speak words of perversion? The Lord is watching, so we must be careful to only speak "life" (Prov 15:3). Therefore, let us be filled with the Word of life, the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ so that we can have a soothing, healing tongue and bring life to all the people around us.