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Pastor Lud Golz
Pastor Lud Golz

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  Home | Transcript Archive | May | May 23, 2018

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Before we leave the book of Ezekiel let’s look at chapter 47.  I am intrigued by the description of a river flowing eastward from the temple in Jerusalem.  It says it will flow eastward into a sea and it will make the sea water fresh.  In fact it says it will make the salt water fresh. 

I’ve visited the Dead Sea which is east of Jerusalem.  There is nothing living in the Dead Sea. If you were to drink a small portion of this water it could kill you it’s so toxic.  East of Jerusalem to the Dead Sea and beyond is a dessert wilderness.  In addition, the Middle East is facing a water shortage crisis.  The Sea of Galilee is over 10 feet below its normal level.  The Dead Sea is shrinking.  Water is very scarce and will likely trigger a major conflict in the region. 

Yet Ezekiel 47 describes a life giving river flowing eastward from the temple with fruitfulness along its banks and abundant life wherever it goes.  Verse 10 says there will be fish in the Dead Sea, as abundant as in the Mediterranean Sea. 

Reflecting on this prophetic contrast I was reminded of what Jesus said in John 7:38-39, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.  By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”  Apart from Christ we’re as spiritually dead and toxic as the Dead Sea.  But if we receive Christ by faith He imparts a well of healthy, pure, spiritual water which makes our lives full and fruitful for His glory.

 

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