1He brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, waters flowed out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, for the front of the temple faced toward the east. The waters came down from underneath, from the right side of the temple, on the south of the altar. 2Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me around by the way outside to the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looks toward the east. Behold, waters ran out on the right side.
3When the man went out eastward with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles. 4Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through waters that were to the waist. 5Afterward he measured one thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be walked through.
6He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”
Then he brought me and caused me to return to the bank of the river. 7Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8Then he said to me, “These waters flow out toward the eastern region and will go down into the Arabah. Then they will go toward the sea and flow into the sea which will be made to flow out; and the waters will be healed. 9It will happen that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, will live. Then there will be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters have come there, and the waters of the sea will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river comes. 10It will happen that fishermen will stand by it. From En Gedi even to En Eglaim will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceedingly many. 11But its swamps marshes will not be healed. They will be given up to salt.
The words of warning in the books of the prophets are stark, but when it comes to the hope of restoration there are few that revival the hope revealed through Ezekiel. In chapter 37 we see God take the dry bones of a dead people and he not only restores their flesh but he breathed his own breath of life in them. In chapter 43 the glory of the Lord that had left now fills the temple again. What hope we find in God’s heart of restoration. How often have we felt like the dry bones in the valley or the ruins of the destroyed and empty temple? For those of us that feel like the dry bones or ruined temple my prayer is that God would breath life in us again and in his grace restore his presence in us. I pray that we would be overwhelmed by the presence of his Glory and would know that the lord God is our redeemer and restorer.
Chapter 47 talks about a river of healing, this river restores trees, vegetation and life along its banks. These images take us right back to the Garden of Eden and a time before sin. In this we realise that God is providing a way to make everything right again. Then something amazing happens the life of the river powers through and reaches the whole way to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is a place where no life can survive everything dies, but this river of healing overwhelms the dead water with life and fish begin to swarm in it. What once brought only death is now teaming with life. How we need this River of healing to flow through our own land today. Where does is the source of this river? It begins at the temple where God’s presence has been restored.
When God’s is present in his people (the church) rivers of should be flowing from it bringing hope, healing and life to a world in need.