The power of living water: Ezekiel 47

Today’s reading: Ezekiel 46-48.

“Give me this water that I may never thirst again.”

Jesus hinted at the power of living water to the woman at the well, but Ezekiel saw it in action. It began as a small stream flowing out from beneath the millennial temple. It didn’t stay small.

The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south side. As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but 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. Ezekiel 47:1-5

Streams grow bigger as they flow along because of the tributaries that join them. The living water flowing down from Ezekiel’s temple grew rapidly without any such help. In a little more than a mile it expanded from a trickle to a raging river no man could cross. That was only the start of its power.

• The trees along its banks never failed to bear fruit in every season.
• The leaves of the trees it fed healed disease.
• It turned the Dead Sea from salt to fresh water and made it teem with fish.

The Psalmist saw the river and rejoiced. “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.” Zechariah also saw it, flowing out from the city to the east and to the west after the Day of the LORD. But their visions, and Ezekiel’s, were just a prelude to the ultimate river that flows from God’s throne in the new Heaven and Earth.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:1-2

We don’t have to wait to see the power of the waters of life. The same power flows through each believer today. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:38). This living water gives eternal life. It bears fruit. It heals the sickness of sin. It has the power to bring abundance to life. It grows greater, not smaller, with time. By the Holy Spirit this power lives in each believer now. We need to release it and watch God’s kingdom grow.

Image by Daniele Zedda on Flickr, CC by 2.0