Several days after
our Savior’s birth, a dream I previously was given, was brought back to my
attention. Dream mentioned July 8th
2013 of blog entry. I wrote these words of reflection in my
journal.
“Do not partake
from the sea of humanity but take from the Mountain, the ROCK- that gives only
good sustaining water. For the
water that comes from the sea makes one sick and naked and fruitless. I have seen the seawater do what is
unnatural. Instead of staying in
the sea it is pouring onto the land stripping the trees of their bark leaving
them unprotected and exposed.
There are no leaves in their canopies; all the fruit has been laid to
waste. The lands have been
poisoned. The way into these lands
is fenced off to my companions and I, to only witness the shame. It is a hopeless land. It is a cursed place. It has trusted and given into the ways
of man instead of God, the GREAT MOUNTAIN and ROCK. But still there is hope for those who don’t submit to these
seas. For those who realize this
place is not their home and place their hope in the LORD, who is all light and
adorns us with His light by his grace and mercy through our Savior JESUS
CHRIST.”
EZEKIEL 47
I was then guided by
the Spirit to Ezekiel 47:1-12
“Then
he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from
under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple
faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple,
south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north
gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east;
and there was water, running out on the right side. And when the man went out to the east with
the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me
through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought
me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one
thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a
river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one
must swim, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen
this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. When I returned, there, along the bank of
the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. Then he said to me: “This water flows toward
the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it
reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that
moves, wherever the river goes, will live. There will be a very great multitude
of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything
will live wherever the river goes. It
shall be that fishermen will stand by it (The Dead Sea) from En Gedi to En
Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the
same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea (Mediterranean Sea), exceedingly many. But its swamps and marshes will not be
healed; they will be given over to salt. Along
the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used
for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They
will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary.
Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
This
passage from Ezekiel has reminded me how that the Spirit puts the puzzle pieces
of God’s truth together through both the New and Old Testament. They not only compliment each other but
reveal each other by what is being spoken of as well.
Jesus said, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the
kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure
things new and old.” Matthew 13:52
So
what is the Spirit revealing to us in this passage? Let’s take a look at the objects and things He has chosen to
illustrate truth.
THE
TEMPLE
In
the beginning of the 47th Chapter, Ezekiel continues in what I believe is a
vision or dream. He is at the “temple of God.” What does the Spirit of
God remind us of in New Testament about the word temple?
We,
the believer in Jesus Christ, are the temple
of God.
“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the
Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 6:16
THRESHOLD OF GOD
Next
Ezekiel notices water is coming out from under the threshold of the temple.
It
is as if water is being drawn up like a sponge through the foundation and is pouring
out from the threshold.
Note: The Christian’s
foundation is set upon God’s truth. (Matthew 7:25)
What is a
threshold? A threshold is an
entrance/door.
John 10:9 Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
John 14:6 Jesus also said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me.”
Jesus is the
threshold of the consciousness/reality of God. Only through Jesus do we discover what is means to walk in
the ways, God intended for us to walk, discover and live in the truth of God
and have life through God’s plan and purpose. Only through Jesus are the veils removed, the unseen-
seen. The impossible made
possible. He is the one who puts
pieces together and reveals the deep things of God at precisely the right
time. A person has a wasted life
or might as well have had no life at all if they don’t have God.
Note: Jesus is also known as the “Word”.
“In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
“And the Word became flesh and
dwell among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of
the Father, full of grace and mercy.” John 1:14
“He sent His word, and healed
them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Psalm 107:20.
WATER
Water can represent
baptism (the old has passed away and new life as began in Christ/God). Water in this case represents the
Spirit of God/ Holy Spirit. In the temple's case, it represents the Spirit of God living in us ( the believer in Christ Jesus).
The threshold (Jesus) gives water (the Holy Spirit) to
the temple of God (the believer in Christ).
“That he might sanctify and cleanse her (the
church/body of Christ) with the washing of water by the word.” Ephesians 5:26
- Think
of Jesus, the WORD, is sanctifying
and cleansing us with His Spirit-Holy Spirit.
”And I will give you a new heart, and I will
put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give
you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you
will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 (Cleansing and
sanctification)
Jesus
said “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall
give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in
him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14
IMPORTANT NOTE: John 3:3-6 Holy
Spirit who gives eternal/everlasting life.
Fountain is translated as a “spring of water.” The “Spring of Water” and “Rivers of living
water will flow from your heart” is represented as the Holy Spirit living
and working in the believer of Christ.
“On the last day, the climax
of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds,
“Anyone who is thirsty may come
to me! Anyone who
believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of
living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was
speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But
the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered
into his glory.)” John 7:37-39
Psalm 36:9 says, “They feast on the bounty of your house; you let them drink from your river of pure joy. Within you is the spring of life. In your light, we see light.
Again,
we can’t receive and drink God’s living water, the Holy Spirit, unless we give our life
to Jesus.
This is important
to remember because the people of this world can’t understand the word of God
and even at times when we try to understand God’s word in our own understanding
instead of submitting to His Spirit, we too won’t understand what is being
said. We can’t embrace it. We can’t see and understand with Godly understanding unless
we submit our life to Jesus for He is the one who gives the Holy Spirit and
understanding through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus
is the Threshold. He is the birth into the Spirit of
God in our lives.
THE DEEPENING OF
THE RIVER
Ezekiel
then writes, “Again he measured one
thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too
deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.”
The deepening of
the river is the illustration of us gaining a deeper “living” understanding of the
things of God- things that we could not come to see or understand, build upon,
and live in without the Spirit.
By the Spirit we learn and build upon precept to precept/understanding
upon understanding. By the Spirit
we see and live and are equipped in the things that are far beyond our
understanding and what we can imagine.
“But the Helper,
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all
things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John
14:26
“But it was to us that God revealed these
things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's
deep secrets.” 1 Corinthians 2:10
Living
by/according to the “river of God” is a choice but notice
everything that the River/Spirit doesn’t touch is given over to salt are remains salty. Everything the Spirit doesn't touch simply dies.
SALT
Salt
is a tasty and a good thing for preserving. Jesus speaking a warning to his followers said, “You are salt
of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled
underfoot as worthless.” Matthew 5:13
But
here in Ezekiel salt is looked at in
an entirely differently. Jeremiah
has the same sentiment.
Jeremiah
17 says the same thing. This
is what the LORD says, “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and
turn their hearts away from the LORD.
They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the
future. They will live in the
barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives.”
Remember what
happened to Lot’s wife in Genesis 19? She didn’t heed the warning of the angels
who said, “Run for your lives! Do not
stop anywhere in the valley. And
do not look back! Escape to the mountains, or you will die.” “But
Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she became a pillar
of salt.” Genesis 19:26
Her heart was not
on the word, warnings of or the things of God but on the evils in Sodom and
Gomorrah. Her heart was on the
things that were going to be destroyed.
She had her focus on the things of this world. She loved her life that was in Sodom and Gomorrah.
Jesus tells us the
world and the heavens (sky/stars) are going disappear/be destroyed. Matthew
24:35-37. He tells us to not the love
this life or this world and whoever does not love this life or this world will preserve
their life forever into eternity. John
12:25. For life is not in this
world but in God/Jesus. God didn’t
design this world to be corrupt but man has corrupted it with his sin. Sin corrupts and ends in death- where
no one lives.
“For if you live after the
flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do put to death the deeds
of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by
the Spirit of God, these are children of God.” Romans 8:13-14
TREES
Ezekiel then speaks
of the “trees” along the riverbank. These trees along the riverbank
represent the children of God who draw up nourishment and strength from God’s truths by the
Spirit of God.
Jeremiah 17:5-8. This is what the LORD says, “Cursed are
those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the
LORD. They are like stunted shrubs
in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats
where no one lives. But blessed
are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and
confidence. They are like trees
planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by heat or
worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious
fruit.”
THE SEA, FISH, FISHERMEN
We know by looking at the map, En Gedi is located on the Dead Sea. And according to "experts" the Dead Sea is SO saturated with salt that no fish or frog can survive in it.
However... the Jordan River that flows into the Dead Sea does have fish in it.
Let's take that picture in our mind and compare it to the word of God. The Dead Sea is the "Sin and death" and the Jordan River is the "Spirit". What does the word of God say about the "sin and death" and the "Spirit"
"Those
who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but
those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that
please the Spirit. So
letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But
letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." Romans 8:5-6
Living in the Dead Sea is living in/practicing "sin" which leads to death but living in the "River" is living in the Spirit of God that leads to life and peace.
Jesus said "And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?" Matthew 16:26
Ezekiel writes: "When it
reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that
moves, wherever the river goes, will live. There will be a very great multitude
of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything
will live wherever the river goes. It
shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En
Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the
same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea (Mediterranean Sea), exceedingly many."
We (Christians) are told to go into all the world (The Sea of Humanity) and share the word of saving grace of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in us. We are healed from the life of practicing sin and we find out what it means to live in God, who is life. And as we allow the Spirit of God to work in us, he uses us to heal, encourage, and reconcil people with Himself.
2 Corinthians 5:19-21 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sin against them. And he gave us this wonderful message or reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
1 Peter 2:24 "He personally carried our sin in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
By Christ we are saved, he makes us acceptable to God. When God sees a person who has given their life to Christ, God sees a child of God. He sees His Son's holy blood that paid for all our unrighteousness.
Jesus said "Again, the kingdom of heaven
is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they
sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw
away. That is the way it will be at
the end of the world. The angels
will come and separate the wicked people from the godly, throwing the wicked
into the fire. There will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do
you understand?” Matthew 13:47-49
THE
NETS and EN GEDI & EN EGLAIM
I have really struggled on En Gedi and En Eglaim and what to make of En Gedi and En Eglaim. I have sought the Lord some MORE and you might be as surprised by the answers.
Jesus said, “This is the way
it will be at the end of the world.” Why are nets just at En
Gedi and En Egliam? Is there something important we should know about their position?
"Then
fishermen will stand on its shores spreading their nets all the way
from ‘Ein-Gedi to ‘Ein-‘Eglayim. There will be as many kinds of fish
as there is in the Great Sea, [the Mediterranean,] a great variety. However, its mud flats and marshes will not become fresh but will remain salty." Ezekiel 47:10-11 Complete Jewish Bible.
En Gedi is
the spring of male young goat/kid. It's 80 degree life giving water is surrounded by harshness- from 100 degree days to bitter tasting sea waters, mud, heavy salted beaches, desert, to 400 foot high desert walls. (No doubt a spring a goat would find.) The Spring of En Gedi itself is a welcome oasis from the harshness that hides and surrounds it. It provides water for grapevines and date palms. It
has been a sight of for archaeologist and a tourist. After all it was
the place David hid from Saul - The stronghold of En Gedi. (More info here: http://classic.net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=En+Gedi)
En Eglaim is the spring of two calves. A place that seems to be a mystery to any modern map or theologian. However Isaiah 15:8 speaks of it in the land of Moab which is in modern day Jordan. Moab in Isaiah's vision was under the judgement of God. More info here: http://classic.net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=En+Eglaim
So taking into account the site of En Gedi and En Egliam seem to be on opposite sides of the Dead Sea, goes right along with Jesus' dragnet illustration. Angels standing on opposites of the shores and gathering their catch of humanity in their nets at the end of the world.
When I was thinking of the spring of En Gedi and all the harshness that surrounds, I thought "Nothing is impossible with God." With all the elements and circumstances that surround the spring of En Gedi, it still pours forth life sustaining water. It rises to the height of 656 feet above the Dead Sea. It waters the fruit trees and vines below it. It is a sanctuary for animals to come eat and drink. And even gives people pools to wade in and cool off. Does this not illustrate who God is in our life? Here we are surrounded by the harshness of life and here God is giving us living water to sustain us in the middle of this harsh and fallen world.
What is probably the most interesting fact of all is the source of it's water. The source of it water comes from the Hebron Hills were it seeps through a "complicated" network of tectonic plates to En Gedi. Hebron is where Abraham built an alter to the Lord. Genesis 13:18. AND in Hebron God promised Abraham his descendants would be like dust, that could not be counted. Genesis 13:16.
And we read, "The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. What's more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would accept the Gentile, too, on the basis of their faith. God promised this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, 'All the nations will be blessed through you.'" Galatians 3:8
Yes! Lots of FISH of many different kinds.
So by Hebron the spring of En Gedi flow and so by Christ the Holy Spirit is given, making us children of God by faith.
So what does that say about En Eglaim? Does En Eglaim represent evil?
En Eglaim a mystery yet it's waters are probably flowing into the Dead Sea right now. And since no one knows where it is, no one knows the source of it's water.
If we were to stay on this route of two spirits what would that mean? Just like the Dead Sea, the world has two springs that flow into it. It has two spirits, flowing into the sea of humanity. It has the Spirit of Christ- the Holy Spirit and the spirit of evil, - the Devil/Lucifer.
One is Spring of Life and the other is the spring of death.
“Now we have received, not the
spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the
things that have been freely given to us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:12
John 8:37-47 Jesus said, "I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has not place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father."
They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father."
Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father."
Then they said to Him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father-God."
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is not truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."
En Engliam is a mystery indeed. And sometimes a mystery is meant to be a mystery on purpose- for in time it will be revealed.
“For that day will not come until there is a
great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed-the one who
brings destruction. He will exalt
himself and defy every god there is and tear down every object of adoration and
worship. He will position himself
in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. Don’t you remember that I told you this
when I was with you? And you
know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when the time
comes. For this lawlessness is
already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is
holding it back steps out of the way.
Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will
consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his
coming. This evil man will come to
do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of wicked
deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse
to believe the truth that would save them.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10
“Then I saw another beast come up out of the
earth. He had two horns like those
of a lamb, and he spoke with the voice of a dragon. He exercised all authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those
who belong to this world to worship the first beast, whose death-wound had been
healed. He did astounding miracles
such as making fire flash down to earth from heaven while everyone was watching. And with all the miracles he was
allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who
belong to this world. He ordered
the people of the world to make a great statue of the first beast, who was
fatally wounded and came back to life.
He was permitted to give life to this statue so it could speak. Then the statue commanded that anyone
refusing to worship it must die.
He required everyone-great and small, rich and poor, slave and free- to
be given a mark on the right hand or one the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything
without the mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing
his name. Wisdom is needed to
understand this. Let the one who
has understanding solve the number of the beast, for it is the number of
man. His number is 666.”
Revelation 13:11-18
Note: The mark 666 signifies the replacement the Godhead/Holy
Trinity- (Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, Son -Jesus Christ) and replacing them with
the unholy trinity- Satan, false prophet, and beast.
The world is evil
now but there is coming day when the spirit of evil in all its bitter strength will be unleashed
and will succumb the world with its treachery and darkness. And the horrors the world deemed as
horrors, will only be tales of what will be experienced
But evil and those who love evil, their days will end. Jesus will come. And as all things began in the beginning with the Word, evil is be struck down by the power of the Word.
“He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood,
and his title was the Word of God.
The armies of heaven, dressed in pure white linen, followed him on white
horses. From his mouth came a
sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations. He ruled them with an iron rod, and he trod the winepress of
the fierce wrath of almighty God. On his robe and thigh was written this title:
King of kings and Lord of lords.” Revelation 19:13-16
Hebrews 4:12 “For
the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Through Jesus
Christ, the Spirit gives life and yes even takes life. (Remember Ananias and
Sapphria. Acts 5)
FINAL WORD
JESUS IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE.
It is
incredible that we as Christians carry the Holy Spirit? We carry God the Creator within
us. We “dedicated” ourselves
to God/Jesus and he came to live in us. We-
the imperfect building, have within the perfect God living inside- changing us
from the inside out.
And now as we walk
through this life, in the sea of humanity, God’s Spirit goes with us and gives
us the ability to touch people’s lives with Christ’s love and message of saving
grace.
Jesus told his disciples, “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you; you will receive
power and tell people about me everywhere- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in
Samaria and to the ends of the earth.“ Acts 1:8
Through Christ Jesus
the veils of darkness comes down and the prisoners are set free. Through Christ Jesus the blind,
deaf and lame are healed and made new.
Through Christ, we are saved from tortures of hell. We are made over as vessels of God's
saving grace by Jesus.
WHEREVER the RIVER
GOES THE SEAS ARE HEALED.
God, may we be
found and submitted to YOUR RIVER, YOUR WATERS, in Jesus Name, Amen.
"Along the bank of the river,
on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves
will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every
month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for
food, and their leaves for medicine.”
