The River of Transformation: A Call to Deeper Faith - Ezekiel 47:1-9
"The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). 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 trickling 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. 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 Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty 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."
In Ezekiel 47, the prophet shares a striking vision that has captured the imagination of many believers throughout history. The vision begins with Ezekiel being led by a messenger of God, who takes him to the temple's entrance. From there, he witnesses a remarkable water flow starting in the temple, trickling out and growing into a mighty river as it descends eastward. What begins as a small stream soon deepens. Ezekiel is led from ankle depth to knees, to waist and then a depth over his head, recognizing that it was soon too vast to cross. The river continues to flow down from Jerusalem into the Dead Sea, transforming its salty waters into life-giving fresh water full of fish where there was none.
While this vision is a literal prophecy for the restoration of Israel, it also carries profound spiritual significance. In many ways, Ezekiel’s river is a powerful metaphor for the journey of faith, calling us beyond the shallow and into the deep. It serves as a reminder of the nature of spiritual growth and transformation, inviting us to examine our walk with God. Indeed, we all start in the shallows, but God calls each of us to go deeper. And as that river flows from the temple and presence of God, if we stay in the shallows instead of flowing with it, we will be stuck in the traditions and religious form and function of practice, not life. This River of Life eventually transforms the dead areas of our life.
Jesus' call to come as we are, was never to remain as we were. There is a call, even a mandate, to grow into maturity.
Shallow Waters: The Illusion of Fulfillment
In today’s Christian culture, it is easy to become content with the shallow waters of faith. Many Christians desire what appears grand and vast—a mile-wide river of spirituality, but only an inch deep. We are often eager for refreshing, easy, and manageable encounters with God—where we can dip our toes in, enjoy the coolness of the water, and build our sand castles along the beachfront. Not be too vulnerable, accountable or challenged. We may be wet but not fully immersed in the living waters. Splashing around in the shallows can feel satisfying for a time, but it does not lead to real transformation. Like children building sandcastles on the shore, it is easy to enjoy the community and the moment, but this kind of faith does not challenge us to confront the deeper issues in our hearts or lead us toward true spiritual growth. The church can reflect this superficiality, where programs and activities are more about entertainment and community than spiritual growth. This shallow engagement with the Spirit often gives the illusion of fullness.
2 Timothy 3:5 cautions believers to be aware of those who, "have a form of godliness but deny its power. Have nothing to do with such people."
This verse is part of a passage where Paul warns Timothy about the godlessness and moral decay that will mark the last days. But it highlights how some people may seem to have a form of godliness or religious appearance. Yet, their actions, attitudes and agendas deny the true power of God, refusing to move in a way that leads to transformation and resurrection power in their lives, never really victorious still dying inside, not flourishing with new life.
The Call to Deeper Waters
Ezekiel’s vision speaks to a deeper, more radical calling—the call to leave the safety of the shallows and wade into the deeper waters of the Spirit. When the man in Ezekiel’s vision measures the river, it begins at ankle-deep, a place where it is easy to control, a manageable space. But as the journey continues, the water rises. It moves from ankle-deep to knee-deep, waist-deep, and eventually to a place where the river is so deep, Ezekiel cannot cross it on his own. This deep water symbolizes the kind of life God is calling us to—a life where we are no longer in control, where we must rely on the Spirit to carry us.
This is the journey of true discipleship—a willingness to follow the Spirit beyond our comfort zones, beyond the places where we feel safe. It’s one thing to stay on the shores, enjoying the community and the safety of shallow faith. It’s another thing entirely to let go of our control, to trust the Spirit to take us into the deep places, where transformation happens.
The Depths of the Spirit: A Radical Transformation
The river flows from the temple—the very presence of God—and as it moves away from the temple, it transforms everything in its path. It flows through the wilderness, into the Dead Sea, and brings life where there was once death. The salty waters of the Dead Sea, which had been uninhabitable, are made fresh. This image reminds us that God’s Spirit, when allowed to move in our lives, has the power to transform what is dead and dry into something vibrant and full of life.
When we step into the deep waters of faith, we invite God to transform every area of our lives. The river of the Spirit moves through our hearts, convicting us of sin, reshaping our desires, and challenging us to die to ourselves. It is not a comfortable process. Just as Ezekiel was overwhelmed by the river's depth, we, too, may feel overwhelmed by the Spirit’s work in our lives. But it is in these moments of surrender, when we no longer rely on our strength, that true transformation occurs.
The Call to Surrender: Letting Go of Control
We must relinquish our need for control when we step into the deeper waters of faith. This is where real transformation happens—not in the shallows where we can manage everything, control outcomes and mitigate loss, but in the depths where we must trust God.
The deep waters of the Spirit require a level of surrender.
Much of contemporary Christianity is shaped by a desire for ease—comfort, safety, and the illusion of spiritual fullness without the messiness of true commitment. We tend to gravitate toward surface-level teachings, where everything is easy to grasp and comfortable to handle.
Churches often seek to control the activity and depth of engagements.
Still, when we allow ourselves to be led into the deep places of God, we are forced to confront uncomfortable truths, to wrestle with complex theological concepts, and to be challenged in ways that stretch us, perhaps even having discussions and asking questions that can't be answered or resolved in a short sitting.
Going Deeper: The Challenge of Spiritual Growth
As believers, we must ask ourselves: Are we content with the shallows? Are we satisfied with surface-level engagement that never challenges us to grow deeper in our faith? Or are we willing to step into the depths, where we can no longer rely on our strength but must trust the Spirit to carry us? In surrendering to the Spirit we will often find ourselves in a place of
In today’s church, many groups offer surface-level engagement with Scripture, where conversations are polite, comfortable, and predictable. But where is the place for deep, challenging discussions about faith and theology? Where are the spaces for uncomfortable truth, correction, and spiritual growth? When we avoid these deeper conversations, we stay on the shores, never genuinely encouraging people to be transformed, but staying on the shores of comfort and control maintaining the status quo.
The call of God is not to remain in the shallows, but to venture into the deep.
The deeper we go, the more we are transformed. When we trust the Spirit to lead us beyond the limits of our own understanding, we will experience the life-giving power of God in ways we never thought possible.
The tremendous promise of the Living River reaching the Dead Sea is Resurrection-Healing of the dead places. Not just a little, but enough transformation that affects others. Empty waters now draw fishermen, communities, towns, and merchants to become established on those once vacant shores in abundance. Consider what that means in our life!
Conclusion: Immersed in the Spirit, Transformed by the River
Ezekiel’s vision is a powerful reminder that spiritual growth requires us to go deeper. It is easy to settle for the shallows—where everything is safe, comfortable, and manageable. But the Spirit calls us to something greater: a life of radical transformation, a life that is not controlled by our strength but is carried by the river of God’s Spirit.
When we allow ourselves to be immersed in the deep waters of faith, we experience true transformation. Like the waters of the Dead Sea, our lives, once dead and barren, are made fresh. We are called to dive into the depths, to trust God to lead us where we cannot go on our own. And when we do, we will experience the life-giving power of the Spirit, bringing new life and transforming us from the inside out.
May we, like Ezekiel, be willing to go deeper, trusting God to lead us into the depths of His presence, where true transformation takes place.
