I’m intrigued by the description in Ezekiel 47 of the 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 was recently at the Dead Sea, 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 is so toxic with salt and other chemicals.
Between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea is a dessert wilderness. In fact, the Middle East is facing a water shortage crisis. The Sea of Galilee was 12 feet below its normal level when I was there. The Dead Sea is shrinking. Throughout the region water is becoming scarcer every day. It likely will trigger a major conflict.
Yet in Ezekiel 47 it describes a life giving river flowing eastward from the temple. It effects fruitfulness along its banks and abundant life wherever it goes.
I was at En Gedi while in the area. There were no fishermen on the banks of the Dead Sea. But in Ezekiel 4:10 it says there will be. Fish will be as abundant as in the Mediterranean Sea.
Reflecting on this contrast I remembered Jesus’ words 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 are as toxic and spiritually dead as the Dead Sea. When we receive Christ by faith He imparts a well of healthy, pure, spiritual water which makes our lives full and fruitful for His glory.
