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| The Prophet Ezekiel's Vision of Healing Waters |
An angel took the prophet Ezekiel out of one of the temple side doors and brought him to the front of the temple. He could see water flowing out the front door of the temple and down past the right side of the altar of sacrifice.
Ezekiel and the angel walked along the stream for 1,750 feet and stepped into the water. It came up to Ezekiel’s ankles. Then they walked another 1,750 feet and stepped into the water again. This time, it came up to his knees. They walked another 1,750 feet and the water came up to his waist. They walked another 1,750 feet and the water was over Ezekiel’s head.
As Ezekiel and the angel turned back and walked along the riverbank, things had dramatically changed. There were many evergreen trees growing on both sides of the river. This river was flowing out of the temple and through the desert valley and into the Dead Sea. But everywhere it flowed there was healing. When it reached the Dead Sea, it made the salty waters fresh and pure.
Even though the water flowed through the desert valley, it created droves of living things. Even the Dead Sea now produced an abundance of fish of every kind. Wherever the river streamed, life flourished.
Jesus said, “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his or her heart rivers of living water will flow.”
The soul can become a dry place, like a desert. But when Jesus (the river of life) flows out of that heart, healing comes. I’m telling you everywhere His water flows, healing and restoration comes, no matter how dry the desert, evergreen trees will abound and flourish (and not one leaf will turn brown).
Sometimes life can make you feel bottomed out and cause you to struggle to keep hope alive. But the healing waters that flow from Christ through our heart, can heal and restore any Dead Sea and make it flourish better than it ever did before.
I’ve been going through some rough storms in recent days. Two days ago, I was sitting in the Living Room battling hopelessness. Suddenly, I felt the presence of God in front of me. I reached up and hugged His invisible neck and wept till I got it out of my system. I was studying something else this morning when the Holy Spirit dropped this blogpost in my spirit. I promise you that healing waters are flowing again and joy and hope has returned to my soul. Sometimes it starts at the ankles, and increases till it’s over your head. But God…
Even when we’re feeling bottomed out, and the hope resuscitator system is alarming loudly, the Lord’s healing power can flow, and heal, and restore. In His presence is fullness of joy.
The river of life symbolizes life from Jesus Christ, with the healing and restoration that flows from His throne, like what Ezekiel saw coming from the front door of the temple. It is a gentle, safe, deep river, expanding as it flows, until the riverbed is so deep that the water came over Ezekiel’s head. Everywhere it flows, nothing remains the same.
The weapons of our warfare are not of this world, but are powered by God and are completely effective to win every battle we fight.
Someone wrote a song that says…
I’ve got a river of life flowing inside of me
He makes the lame to walk and the blinded eyes to see
He opens up prison doors and sets the captives free
I’ve got a river of life flowing inside of me.
Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove