Ezekiel 47:1-48:35; Ezekiel 29:17-30:19; 2 Kings 25:27-30; Jeremiah 52:31-34
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We finish the book of Ezekiel today! Ezekiel chapter 47's opening verses about the River of Healing are just beautiful. Verses 1 through 3 tell us - "Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing eastward from beneath the Temple threshold. This stream then passed to the right of the altar on its south side. The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the stream flowing out through the south side of the east gateway. Measuring as he went, he led me along the stream for 1,750 feet and told me to go across. At that point the water was up to my ankles."
As I was reading these verses about the River of Healing I imagined myself jumping into the river and just being refreshed and renewed and restored! Great stuff... This river is very reminiscent of the river in the Garden of Eden - and the River of Life described in Revelation chapter 22. Verse 9 in ch. 47 of Ezekiel sums it all up well - "Everything that touches the water of this river will live. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will be healed. Wherever this water flows, everything will live." Can you imagine this river of healing flowing from the temple? Can you imagine some rest & restoration & refreshment & healing through this river?
Today in Ezekiel chapter 48 we read about the division of land in Ezekiel's vision, which the map below details quite well (you'll need to scroll down a bit to view it all) -
Ezekiel chapter 48's last words - and the last words in the book of Ezekiel are simply this - "And from that day the name of the city will be `The LORD Is There.'" In Hebrew this is Yahweh Shammah. The Hebrew pronunciation of Jerusalem is Yerushalayim - which some say could be a wordplay on Yahweh Shammah. Jerusalem = The Lord is There...
The end of Ezekiel chapter 29 is fascinating in that God decides to allow Babylon to take plunder from Egypt in light of its war against Tyre (see yesterday's readings below). We continue to see that God is using King Nebuchadnezzar and the armies of Babylon for His purposes - for a time. We are reminded though at the end of this chapter in verse 21 - "And the day will come when I will cause the ancient glory of Israel to revive." God's still got the redemption of Israel in mind... Below is a map of how big the Babylonian empire is around this timeframe - (a map like this one below once again proves the amazing truth & history in God's words and prophecies in the Bible...)
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of Third Day's great song "Show Me Your Glory!" Here's a live version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JbEQHmCEFU
Do you want to see God's Glory? Click here for Glory!
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless,
Mike
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