I wrote the song, There is a River that Flows, based on this scripture. I love how Rivers cut through territories, divide lands, create gorgeous scenery, and bring life to areas creating avenues of lush vegetation.
There is so much wonder, tranquility, power and beauty in rivers. From their fast and furious rapids and falls to their docile and deep glass like waters.
This scripture in Ezekiel is wonderful and it is speaking of Living water flowing from the threshold of the temple eastward down mountain ravines and eventually flowing into the Dead Sea. Amazingly, The Dead Sea, has no life in it now because the salt content is far too high for fish. It is void of life...therefore, it's the Dead Sea. YET, a day is coming when waters will flow from the threshold of God and bring LIFE to that Dead Sea, and there will be a huge impact due to that flow.
It will change the Dead Sea to a sea TEEMING with life! That is miraculous, that is radical, that is mind-blowing! It is interesting to note that this river will impact not just the waters, but the landscape, the commerce and communities. A landscape destitute of vegetation, barren, lifeless, harsh, and barely inhabited, will be a place where trees will line the banks, fruit will be for food and healing, a tremendous variety of fish will be caught with nets, commerce will increase, habitation will take hold, people will flourish, communities will thrive all because LIVING WATER impacted the area.
THIS is what God wants to do in each one of us. He wants HIS LIVING WATER to flow into our dead places, our lifeless, barren, uninhabitable places. He wants to change the landscape, make new the environment, produce fruit, provide sustenance, and give purpose and hope for a life well lived.
Jesus alone, offers such incredible transformation. Jesus Alone! Yes it is exclusive to HIM! It comes from the threshold of God. It flows out from HIM to us.
This River does not show up on a map, YET! The Bible Tells us when the River will impact the Dead Sea. At The Lord's Return. Zechariah 14 tells us at His Return, a river will flow from Jerusalem and will flow to the Eastern Sea.
The Major River that currently flows to the Dead Sea is the Jordan River. With is always symbolic of death. Crossing the Jordan is symbolic of leaving the old sinful life and entering the promised land, as is being baptized in it. Interestingly, in the book of Joshua, the Jordan River which flows to the Dead Sea, was being crossed by the Israelites into the promised land. It was miraculously dried up, and the waters were stopped up as far back as to the City of Adam, as soon as the Priests feet carrying the Ark of the Covenant, touched the river.
It is the POWER and Presence of GOD, when it intersects with that which flows from us (Adam) and it stops the flow which is leading down to the Dead Sea in our life. The River that Flows from ADAM always leads to DEATH, and needs desperately to interrupted by the Presence of GOD! Only God's Presence, Only Jesus does such a thing. Not religious thought, Not religious activities, obligations. Only the Presence of God impacting our life, changes the flow that leads to a Dead result, Changing it radically, and bringing LIFE to everything it now touches. THAT's AWESOME! THAT's RADICAL! THAT's HOPE!
Jesus Promised, "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." John 7:38
It's the same River mentioned in Revelation 22:1 "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb".
There is a River that Flows, from the threshold of GOD!
I want it flowing in me!
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