Skip to content From Judgment to Hope: Ezekiel's Prophetic Transition in Ezekiel 47-48 Apr 28 · 13 min ...more
From Judgment to Hope: Ezekiel's Prophetic Transition in Ezekiel 47-48
April 28, 2025 · 13 min
Analyzing Ezekiel 33's shift from prophecy of doom to a message of hope, emphasizing the importance of God's call to repentance.
Series Stand on the Word - Video On Demand April 28, 2025 · 13 min · Stand on the Word - Video On Demand
Analyzing Ezekiel 33's shift from prophecy of doom to a message of hope, emphasizing the importance of God's call to repentance. ...more Show the full description Show less Analyzing Ezekiel 33's shift from prophecy of doom to a message of hope, emphasizing the importance of God's call to repentance.
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The Living Water and the Kingdom of God 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Today, we conclude our journey through the book of Ezekiel as we look at the final 2 chapters, chapters 47 and0:21 48. And these are the last of the 8 chapters of Ezekiel's last recorded prophecy, which was focused on Israel and, the millennial kingdom. And and by the way, I just wanna say for those that0:33 have been on this journey from the start, you were it's amazing how quickly this goes. I mean, in fact, when we get to June, we're gonna begin the New Testament, and it's gonna fly from there. And0:45 before you know it, this 2 year journey is going to be over. And I may have mentioned this before, but, file this away, and I'll have some information coming up very soon. But we're gonna do a0:56 special June challenge. It is a family challenge to read together the book of Matthew. So be thinking of some folks that you'd like to invite,1:09 that, you know, to be a part of this journey as you have been, blessed by being in the word of God. It's designed to get families together to read the word of God together, and it's transformational.1:20 So be thinking about that. We're gonna have some special stuff, a lot of special stuff, even coloring books for the kids, to be a part of this journey through the book of Matthew. So make note of this.1:32 It's gonna be coming up pretty soon, and would love to have you share this with maybe it's your, your kids, your grandkids. Who knows? Be thinking, be praying about1:44 who you might share the Matthew family challenge with. It's gonna start on June the eleventh, and it'll roughly go 4 weeks. Alright? So that's coming up, and I'll give you more about that.1:56 Verse 35 of chapter 48, the circumference of the city shall be 18000 cubits, and the name of the city from that time on shall be the Lord is there. Now the symbolism of the2:08 gospel, I believe, is seen throughout chapter 47. As we read of the restorative power of the living water, which is Jesus Christ. We see the advance of2:20 the church and of the gospel message. And for and here here's something to to just basically anchor yourself in. Okay? For those critics who suggest2:32 that the church and the gospel message is is some somehow going to be extinguished, that it's gonna go away. Well, they have either not read or they don't understand the Bible, in2:44 particular, this passage that we're gonna look at today. But I don't believe we're dealing with just symbolism. As we move into chapter 48, it brings us back to facts and figures. And again, I just believe when2:56 the the Lord provides such specific detail, it is for a reason. I I think it suggests that this prophecy is just not figurative or illustrative of the kingdom of3:08 God, but of a coming reality. Verse 1 chapter 47, then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the temple faced3:20 east. The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that3:32 faces toward the east, and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. Going on eastward was a measuring line in his hand, and the man measured a thousand cubits. Was a measuring line in his hand, and the man3:41 measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle deep. Again, he measured a thousand and led me through the water, and it was knee deep. Alright. We're getting deeper here. Again, he3:53 measured a thousand and led me through the water, and it was waist deep. Again, he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in a river4:05 that could not be passed. I think the symbolism here is pretty clear. Jesus is the source of the living water, which will, which we'll see in a moment that living water brings healing everywhere it4:16 goes. But it starts small. Alright? The the church began. The the the the message that life giving message began small. It went out, became ankle deep. It grows4:28 in 4 stages to where it's an impassable river. About the only thing I think of to illustrate this was a number of years ago, I was a part of a strategic prayer effort,4:41 over the Mississippi River because the Mississippi River is is quite significant to our country, both historically and currently in the natural. But our focus was on the spiritual because4:53 we I know I believe in the, some of the symbolism and and and I believe God is working in in multiple realms where we have to have eyes. In fact, I was just praying this morning. You know, as we operate in the kingdom,5:05 we need kingdom eyes. We need kingdom vision. We need to be able to see in the kingdom of God, which is operating now. Alright? But anyway, there were 3 teams of people praying at the,5:17 there was a group at the headwaters of the missus of the Mississippi, which is in Minnesota, where the the stream is so small, you can actually walk across it. You can just step across it. Then in5:29 Saint Louis, we had a group, in in in the boat in the middle of Mississippi, and we were in the, right at the place5:41 where the Mississippi River spills into the Gulf of Mexico, and we were in a, a boat. And at that point, the water is, at some places, a mile deep. In fact, that's what makes the5:53 Mississippi River 1 of the most dangerous water bodies, 1 of the most dangerous rivers because in the country, because it's so deep, the water flows actually north from the Gulf of Mexico. But the point6:05 is it starts out small, but it becomes a raging river. And the kingdom of God, it started out small, but it is growing. It's not declining. Verse 6, and he said to6:16 me, son of man, have you seen this? Then he led me back to the bank of the river. And I went back, I saw on the bank of the river many very many trees on the 1 side and on the other. And he said to me,6:28 this water flows toward the eastern region and goes down to Arabah, the desert plain, and enters the sea. When the water flows into the sea, the water becomes fresh. Now this is a reference to the Dead Sea. Verse6:40 9. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish for this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh. So everything will live6:51 where the river goes. It's the river of life. The symbolism here is undeniable. But it's also a literal picture of what is to come, I believe. Alright? And and why do I base that? What7:03 do I base that on? Well, look at what John writes in Revelation chapter 22 verse 1. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God in the lamb, through the7:15 middle of the street of the city, also on either side of the river, the tree of life and its 12 kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No7:27 longer will there be any accursed, but the throne of God and of the lamb will be in it and its and his servants will worship him. Again, there are many different views on this passage. I7:39 only share my thoughts based upon my study of of the text and of the commentaries of the scholars as I've shared before. I see the Old Testament speaking clearly to the natural, the physical.7:51 Alright? And the New Testament, the age of the church speaking to the spiritual. The millennial age is a comb is is the combining of the spiritual and the physical. This8:02 is a picture of what is to come. Verse 12, and on the banks on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their8:14 fruit fail, but they shall bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their8:26 leaves for healing. So we have the living water that gives life, which is the lord Jesus Christ. Then we see that the trees that grow along the banks of the life giving8:37 river, which produce continuous fruit that sustains life, and leaves that give healing. I think this speaks to to the church in the spiritual realm. The8:49 fruit or the actions of the church feed many, and the leaves, the the message of the gospel brings healing. Reminds me of, of of Psalm 1. Blessed is the man who walks9:01 not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffers, but his delight is in the law of God. And on his law, he meditates day and night. He is like a tree9:13 planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither in all that he does, he prospers. What a great passage. The rest of the9:25 chapter, speaks of the allocation of the land, setting the boundaries for the tribes. Now let me start let me look at verse 13. Thus says the lord god, this is the boundary by which you shall divide the9:37 land for the inheritance among the 12 tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have 2 portions, and you shall divide equally what I swore to give to their fathers. This land shall fall to you as an inheritance. Now stop9:49 there. Just a few observations here. Number 1, god is the 1 who sets and defines our boundaries. Okay? It's his to give, and so he sets the boundaries. Notice that the tribes,10:01 different in population, have the same allocation of land, which is different from the allocation that we have in the Old Testament when Joshua allocated the10:12 land based upon the population of the tribes. See there is equality of treatment in the new covenant. Building on that idea, there's something new here, the general naturalization of Gentiles.10:25 They are treated just like the Jewish people. This again speaks to the new covenant as the partition wall between the Jew and the Gentile was taken down,10:36 and Gentiles are grafted into the covenant as Paul writes. In fact, Paul writes to the Galatians this in Galatians 3 28 says, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is10:48 neither male nor female, for you are all 1 in Christ Jesus. Does that mean we're there there's no differences? No. Doesn't mean there's not differences, but we're all equal before God.11:00 And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise. We're grafted in. Now let me close where I began with the final verse of Ezekiel in chapter11:12 48 verse 35. And the name of the city from that time on shall be Jehovah Sham. The Lord is there.11:24 Alright. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for this, this powerful, wonderful word that you have given us. We thank you for your word, lord, that you have given us direction. You've11:36 given us insight, understanding, and, lord, hope and and excitement and anticipation of the future of of what you're doing today and what you're going to do. We11:48 know where you're moving, Lord. We just don't know the timing. But I do pray once again that the Holy Spirit would speak to us, be our teacher, show us how to apply these truths and principles to our12:00 lives that we would rightly divide the word of God, and that we might walk in a way that brings honor and glory to your name, father. Thank you for those that are on this journey. I pray a blessing upon them today.12:12 Encourage them, strengthen them, and, Lord, may you use them for your kingdom and for your glory. In Jesus name, amen. Alright, folks. Thanks for joining me this morning.12:23 Until next time, keep standing on the word.12:28 Today's study comes from the stand on the word Bible reading plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you12:40 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 The Living Water and the Kingdom of God
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