Time 3

Recently a pastor publicly mocked the idea of a boy going to heaven and coming back again…. 

WHY?

I don’t understand it myself. 

I mean Jesus has resurrected people from death and they have shared their experiences of heaven- so why not a child? What is so far fetched about this? Is nothing impossible with God? Is He not sovereign over time?  

How about those of us filled with the Holy Spirit that have experienced Heaven while still physically here on earth? 

“It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.  Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.  They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
    The whole earth is filled with his glory!”  Isaiah 6:1-3

“I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don't know--only God knows.”  2 Corinthians 12:2

“Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.”  Ezekiel 43:5

As I have shared before I have had such a vision but I am not going to retell this experience but another one. 

Some time ago, as I was resting I had vision.  I was young child maybe 6 years of age but I was no longer here on earth.  I pass through a small gate where a girl dressed in white with brown hair took my hand.  I didn’t recognize her from the past or even the present but it was apparent I knew her.  There was a forest of trees on the left side filled with this warm yellow light. 

As I continued in the vision I seem to go back and forth from being in my child self to watching myself as I am now.   I watched the younger me dressed in white holding this girl’s hand.  I remember feeling so filled with joy and energy.  We laughed and giggled as we ran up this tall grassy hill without even having to catch our breath.  And that is where the vision stopped- as if God didn’t want to give away the surprise that awaits on the other side of that tall green hill.

Three things come to mind when I think of the vision. 

1. My grandfather told me when God took his name down off the “hook” he would go over those green hills.  I never gave it much thought until after the vision.  What made him say such a thing?  Had he seen the green grassy hill himself? 

2. Then a sister in Christ told me when she has experienced heaven she is always a child as well. Now there were two of us that experienced the same thing.  We must be children in heaven.

3. Jesus says, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 18:2-4 AMP

These types of experiences are windows to things that have not happened yet they have been shown to us as things to come and are…

GOD is sovereign over time and the experiences in time.

He can do what he chooses….

For “nothing is impossible with God.”

God’s predestined timeline might have been what the Apostle Paul thought when he wrote, “When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.”  EPHESIANS 3:14

God knows the plan…. It is already written.   When I think about God knowing us, I think all that has been before us… I think of our past, our present, and our future- I think of words of prophesy, visions, dreams and even those déjà vu experiences.

Let us look at some encouraging scriptures about Jesus/God and Us and time.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” JEREMIAH 1:5

God knew us! God set us apart and appointed us for "spirit-filled" tasks in this life.  I say "spirit-filled" tasks because God is suppose to be helping us in those tasks but because we don't seek God's help and guidance that may seem too difficult for us to do or even mundane.   But the tasks that God gives are not to be mundane- we are not to think we are too good for any tasks for Jesus who was God took the servant's position and cleaned the disciples feet.  That was the job of a servant or a slave.  He died a death he did not deserve!

Let us look at Gideon who said, " “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” JUDGES 6:15 
But God did not see Him as the least.  God seeing all that Gideon would become in time gave him this message, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” JUDGES 6:12
  
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” ROMANS 8:29-30

“No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.” 1 CORINTHIANS 2:7

^“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,” EPHESIANS 1:4-5

“but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.  He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”  1 PETER 1:19-21

Thinks about what Jesus says here, “Yet even in Sardis there are some who have not soiled their garments with evil deeds.  They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.  All who are victorious will be clothed in white.  I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.  Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”  REVELATION 3:4-6

JESUS knows who names are and are not in the book of life before they are even born.   There is no reason not to believe this if He knows everything. 

Is he not the author and finisher of our faith?  Does he not know us in time and out of time?

Time 2

--> God In Time

 ^“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”  JOHN 3:16-17

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.  And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.  All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” JOHN 3:18-21

How can a person already be judged? How is this possible? 

God knows all… He does not just know what is in a person’s heart but what "has" and "will" happen in our life.  He is El Olam- the Everlasting/Eternal God.  He sees past, present, and future all at once.  He knows the outcome of our lives.  He knows if we are going to come to Him or not in the time we are allowed here on earth.  So God, who knows all, can judge based on what he knows from beginning to end.  As Christians, God knew the time of our salvation in Jesus, before we were ever born.

Imagine Jesus who spoke everything into existence, in essence, wrote the book of time and then he inserted himself into the book of time.  The book of time is “figurative speak”- I don’t know if there is an “actual” book of time but there isn’t a better way I can come up with to convey this truth at the moment.
    

God sent Himself into time to save those he created in time.   Jesus, The Son Of God, subjected Himself to time when the Spirit of God impregnated Mary who was a virgin.  Jesus was born fully God and fully man. 
 

Think of it…. The author of life came to save his creation but almost all his creation did not even recognize Him.
 

John 1:10 says, “He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him.”

Jesus being God in time, he had wisdom beyond his years. LUKE 2:46-50.   Yet being God in time he did not perform any “public” miracles until after his water baptism by John the Baptist.  Why is this? I do not know. 

I do say “public” miracles because his mother Mary seemed to know he could do miracles as when she asked him to provide wine at the wedding in Cana.  (JOHN 2:1-12).   John writes in 2:11: “This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was Jesus’ first “display” of his glory.  And his disciples believed in him.”  Another version uses the word “manifest” instead of display, which is to “make known, realized, and/or exposed to view”.

It is obvious Jesus was concerned about the “timing” of revealing such power publically.  “How does this concern you and me?” Jesus replied.  “My time has not yet come.”  It is as if God and SON had “events” schedule to thread in the ribbon of time.  I might even say the “story” of time.

And Jesus doesn’t just refer to time once but several times and the apostle John was aware of this “timing” as well in his writings.   John wrote, “….”yet no one seized him because his hour had not yet come.” -JOHN 8:20 

And… “At this they tired to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.” JOHN 7:30.  Is this not an odd statement?  Odd but not so odd if God had a plan in place.
 

This idea of timing, points to events as being governed and predestined by God.   We see this not only in New Testament scriptures but Old Testament scriptures where prophecies were written about Christ.  These prophecies date back all the way to Adam and Eve.   Probably the most well known prophecies are the ones written 700 years before Jesus Christ’s birth.

“Who has believed our message?
    To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
² My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
    like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
    nothing to attract us to him.
³ He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.

⁴ Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
⁵ But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
⁶ All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and treated harshly,
    yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
    And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
    he did not open his mouth.
⁸ Unjustly condemned,
    he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
    that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
    for the rebellion of my people.
⁹ He had done no wrong
    and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
    he was put in a rich man’s grave.

¹⁰ But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
    and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
    he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
    and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
¹¹ When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
    he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
    my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
    for he will bear all their sins.
¹² I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
    because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
    He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”

ISAIAH 53:1-12

Literally the LORD’s good plan to save us was accomplished in his hands.  His act of pure sacrifice cleansed all those who believe in Him from Adam and Eve to when time as know it finally ends. 

 “For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us.  We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.   God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times.  And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus.”  ROMANS 3:24-26

EZEKIEL 47 & Revisiting a DREAM

Several days after our Savior’s birth, a dream I previously was given, was brought back to my attention.  Dream mentioned July 8^th 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.”