The River Of God

The River of God

Revelation 22:1-2, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."

One of the most beautiful scenes of the Bible is described is these two verse of Revelation. John was given a vision of the great River of Life that flows from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. This crystal clear river begins as a trickle from the Throne and then flows throughout the New Jerusalem to provide healing and life for all who live on its shores. The green grass, beautiful flowers, trees and meadows along its banks can only be seen in the mind and heart of man for the present, but one day soon we shall all see it just as John has described. What a day that will be when we get to see Heaven’s glorious scenes for the first time. All the troubles and trials of this life will pass into nothingness when we see Jesus face to face.

We are given many pictures and symbolisms of the water of life that comes from this river. Today, I want to try to stir your soul and take a look at this River of Living Water.

One of the greatest pictures of the power of that river is given to us in Ezekiel 47:1-5, "Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over."

Ezekiel has been down to the valley of dry bones, representing the dead spirituality of Israel as a nation. These dry bones also stand for every man who ever lived who did not have the life-giving flow of God in their lives. When God asked Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?”, He was asking a question for which there was only one answer if we answer in the power and ability of man. The answer would have to be NO! But, in the power of the life giving River of God, these bones could not only live but they could become a mighty nation and able to do great things.

When we look a little further, we can see Jesus as he is waiting for the woman at the well who heard the words of Jesus as he said in John 4:14, " But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

As the waters of that river flow, there is much that it will do those who will step into its water and wade out just a little bit deeper each day.

Ezekiel saw the waters as they were only ankle deep as Jesus began to lead him into the unseen depths of the river. Every Christian must step out into the water and begin to explore the things of God. As Christians mature in Christ and their relationship grows, they begin to wade out a little farther from the shore and a little farther until finally they are lost in the love of Jesus Christ and learn to live by faith.

Too many people won’t go out into the deep water of relationship with Jesus because it requires a commitment of faith to believe that Jesus’ power will keep them afloat.

In these Scriptures in Ezekiel, we see how that Jesus has taken Ezekiel to the House of God, the Temple, and has revealed to him the source of the river that will flow out upon a dry and thirsty land to provide life for all it touches.