Bountiful Spirit - March 16, 2021
Ezekiel 47:1–9,12
Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple towards the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. 2Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me round on the outside to the outer gate that faces towards the east; and the water was coming out on the south side.
Going on eastwards with a cord in his hand, the man measured one thousand cubits, and then led me through the water; and it was ankle-deep. Again, he measured one thousand and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again, he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was up to the waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. 6He said to me, ‘Mortal, have you seen this?’
Then he led me back along the bank of the river. As I came back, I saw on the bank of the river a great many trees on one side and on the other, He said to me, ‘This water flows towards the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant waters, the water will become fresh. Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes. On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.’
Reflection by Lou Matjesko
Ezekiel is an Old Testament visionary prophet. This imagined pictorial vision of a temple from which a large river emanates is one of his four formal visions. It depicts a utopian land of abundance from a new Temple God establishes. It projects an atmosphere of awe around mysteries of God.
Yet today it seems to provide focus on Jesus, Son of God, and his power for redemption, the flowing water irrigating arid lands and souls making them fresh and providing unfailing food and healing.
