Saturday, March 29, 2008

Back to the River - Part 2

Ezekiel 47
"...now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this?"
Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Sea. When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Great Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."

If you remember from a previous post, I discussed the River of God and how it pertains to corporate worship. I want to continue that discussion with the last part of that amazing passage. If you pay attention closely, Ezekiel did not see the "trees" until he reached these swimming depths of water. Some say that these trees represent healing. So, once we reach these depths of the river in our worship services, we will no doubt start seeing miracles and healings on a regular basis.

The "Sea" that Ezekiel mentions is the Dead Sea. This Sea is described as a Dead Sea because of its salt content. The salt percentage is so high that no living creature can live. So, this River will bring healing and life to places that have the stinch of death! This is not unlike some churches and worship services around today. But Ezekiel offers a prophetic declaration by saying there is still hope for these churches; the River of God will bring life to the dead areas of religion and traditionalism through worship. There is hope church! It's found in finding the River in worship.

This passage concludes with an abundance of fish. People, believers and non-believers, will begin to flock to churches where the River is found continually in worship. Some will refute this and say that churches will scare away people if we really get into the deep depths of the River. Ezekiel prophetically saw the contrary. He envisioned fish being drawn to places where life and miracles and fruit abound!

Again, the River is what we seek and ask for in our worship services. I want it. I need it. I long for it daily. Join me and ask/pray for a longing, a thirsting for this River [Psalm 42:1].

Grace and peace.

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