Ezekiel 45-47

September 17

Ezekiel 45-47

Ezekiel had a vision of a river that began as a trickle coming out of the temple but grew to be a great river that brought life wherever it flowed. Jesus may have been referencing this vision when at the Feast of Tabernacles; "Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." (John 7:37-39, NIV)

Just as the river began as a trickle at the temple, Jesus’ ministry began small. Jesus and His twelve disciples traveled the countryside where Jesus taught, healed, and encouraged people to live for the Kingdom of God. The ministry grew as people heard about the miracles and teaching of Jesus. After His death, 120 people gathered in prayer, seeking what God had next for them. The Holy Spirit came and filled the believers in that room and “streams of living water” flowed from within them as they began to minister throughout the known world.

God still fills those who believe in Jesus and streams of living water still flows from those who come to Jesus to drink. God wants to use each of us as He used to early apostles, to take the good news of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. God wants to bring life to a dying world.  "Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live." (Ezekiel 47:9, NIV)

God wants to use us to bring the river of life where people are thirsty for God. In our world today, many people desire something more. They may not know what they are thirsting for, but they thirst for God. May the river flow out of you as you point others to the source of the river of life.