EZEKIEL'S VISION OF THE HEALING WATERS

      Ezekiel's visions are heavily coded or veiled. As with the book of John's Revelation. Without the proper key, supplied by the scripture itself, one is guaranteed to misinterpret it. First lets look at the main problems with the way most modern prophecy teachers look at this. That is: As a prophecy about a physical temple being built in the middle east. Among these teachings there are varied scenario's and time frames they believe this temple will be built within. None of that is the issue. If you look at the previous and following chapters of Ezekiel. This temple has precise measurements. None of these measurement's come within hundreds or thousands of miles of the measurements of the New Jerusalem if it were a physical city. Ezekiel's description, with some minor geographical modifications at least compared to the New Jerusalem, is fitted into the current geography of the middle east.  If the New Jerusalem were a physical city. The sheer size of it would completely rid the whole land of Israel , or the whole middle east of it's current geography. It would be covered by the massive block of a city that is 325 or 1500 miles high and wide.  Furthermore in the prophecies about the New Jerusalem. It explicitly says there is no temple. So even if one wanted to insist that this temple is within the walls of the New Jerusalem, the Bible pointedly says it is not. It's obvious though that both John and Ezekiel's visions are talking about the same thing. As far as the chronology of both books are concerned. The illustration of Gog and Magog  immediately proceeds the New Jerusalem of Revelation and this temple in Ezekiel. Then of course there is the obvious. The river of life and the tree's of life.  So, to the supposed prophecy literalist, who is right? Ezekiel or John? There are absolute disagreements between these two visions if you look at them as literal physical cities and temples. If one is wrong then how can the Bible be the Word of God? Well of course. It's the Word of God that is right and the theoretical literalist that is wrong. Similar code but not the exact same code is being used by these two prophets, Ezekiel and John to describe the same thing.

     In 1st Peter 1:10 it says: 10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 To whom (those prophets) it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they did minister the things, which are now reported to you by them that have preached the gospel to you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. Jesus says in John 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and you say, that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus says to her, Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. .....23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.....What Peter is saying is that the prophets who wrote of the sufferings of the messiah and as far as the subject at hand, the glories which would follow. That even they understood that these prophesies of the glories that would follow were not to themselves and their people. To unfold this a bit in light of everything this article on end time prophecy has pointed out so far.  The glories that would follow were not to the Jewish people alone but to the whole world. There are dozens and dozens of verses and many chapters of scripture that explicitly teach this. This article goes into allot of these.  Therefore key that unlocks this prophecy is first the understanding that for all that ancient Israel was. Sometimes it was symbolic of the glories we are speaking of now. This prophecy is encoded using many things that one might think pertain to ancient Israel's future. Yet just as we have seen  with a multitude of prophecies and psalms about Jerusalem that in fact are prophecies about the New Jerusalem. (And the age we now live in.) So to is this prophecy about the temple of God in Ezekiel. It is a prophecy using similar but different code, speaking about the true temple of God, his people in the Great Gospel Age.  After all, he does not dwell in temples made of hands, meaning buildings. So lets look at the prophecy itself and glean a few things from it.

      Ezekiel 47: 1 Afterward he brought me again to the door of the house; and, look, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the front 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. 2 Then he brought  me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me around the way out to the utter gate by the way that looks eastward; and, look, there ran out waters on the right side. 3 And when the man that had the ruler in his hand went eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. 4 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. 5 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. 6 And he said to me, Son of man, have you seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. 7 Now when I had returned, look, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 Then said he to me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that lives, which moves, where ever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come here: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live where the river comes. 10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishermen shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they will be a places to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 11 But the muddy places of and the marshes around it shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. 12 And by the river upon the bank of it, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for food, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit from them be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for food, and the leave's from them for medicine.

      The river, the way it grows represents the growth of the Government of God in the earth. The more true believers there are over time then the greater the flow of these living waters coming from the temple. Obviously there is lots of symbolism in this.  Jesus made great use of the symbolism of these waters healing what is assumed is the dead sea or anywhere else they flow and the multitude of fish.Luke 5:4 When (Jesus) had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear. 7 So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they were about to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For Peter and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” The fish representing the people, the sea the nations.
     In many prophecies it's the tree's themselves that represent the nations. That could somewhat be construed to fit into this scenario. That the nations where the living water is flowing to are bringing forth fruit that is good for food. Meaning they are intellectually developing. They're understanding of the law of nature and natures God. They are working out the safest forms of human government and the rule of law. These things are food for mankind. They are the fruit of the Gospel if allowed to run it's full course. The leaves of the tree would represent the nation's under developments influence in other nations. Other nations perhaps not touched by the Gospel yet accepting the rule of law that they see in the nations that are developing. One striking way this is evidenced is nations that have barely been touched completely rejecting the great sin and ruin of the ancient world; real idolatry. We now live in a world that contrary to the past is no longer governed with idolatry and it's associated abominable practices. Although it still exists in many forms. It is only being used a a tool of despotism in the darkest corners of the world.  Our battles are different than the battles of those who went before us. These are just some basic understandings of how the Government of God works and relating it to this prophecy in Ezekiel. They actual interpretations are probably more specific in their nature but all in all. It is inescapable that both this prophecy in Ezekiel and John's corresponding vision are referring to the Gospel going froth into the world from the temple of God, Gods people. Then once it begins to run it's full course in the affairs of men it "heals" the nations of the maladies of the ancient world.