This penultimate chapter describes fresh water flowing out of the temple, and new divisions of land for God’s people.
“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar… And he said to me, ‘This water flows toward the eastern region and… enters the [Dead Sea]; when the water flows into the sea, the water will be healed. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish… And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month… Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.’ ” (v1, 8-9, 12 abr)
The existence of this river flowing out of the temple is very important for several reasons:
– The Middle East is a fairly dry and arid climate, and a river is often the only source of life for a region, so most settlements are built by rivers
– Jeremiah calls God “the Fountain of Living Water” (Jer 2:13, 17:13) and the waters in this passage flow out from the temple where God dwells (His presence)
– the river is both a literal and symbolic representation of the “living water” Jesus also described (Jn 4:10, Jn 7:37-39)
– the Dead Sea is a completely lifeless body of water (it’s so salty nothing can survive, hence it’s namesake), showing God cares about healing the environment that sin and the curse destroyed
– God’s living water will sustain His people with perpetual physical and spiritual nourishment
– this river’s description is nearly identical to “the river of the water of life” (Rev 22:1-5) that flows from God’s heavenly throne
My takeaway is God’s the source of all life and healing. He plans to one day restore everything that was marred and destroyed by sin, including His people, His creatures, and all of creation as a whole. Once everything is restored, similar to its original intended state (redeemed), then He will bring in a New Heaven and New Earth that are completely untouched by sin (Rev 21).
Father God, our “Fountain of Living Water”, You are truly the source of all life and healing. Thank you for sharing the good news and promise of Your provision. Thank you for beautifully illustrating life through You and Jesus. Please help us to share this good news of the refreshment, sustenance, and healing You offer to all. In the name of Jesus our Savior and King, through whom flows Your living water, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training