THE RIVER OF LIFE

(A summary of a sermon shared by Mr. Johnson Baby of the Ebenezer Brethren Assembly, RK Puram, New Delhi.)

Photo by matthew Feeney on Unsplash

In the book of Ezekiel 47 the prophet continues to see a vision of the millennial kingdom. In this vision, he is accompanied by a man who is never named or described.  This man guides Ezekiel through the vision and here shows him a river that is at the very least (a cursory measurement) a mile or two wide from bank to bank, a river that is gushing out from under the threshold of the house toward the east.

A very unique vision that can have various Eschatological interpretations, especially in the light of the New Jerusalem, I would like to look at it from a devotional point of view and link it to our daily Christian experience.

Before we begin however, avid students of the Bible would quickly find similarities to the river mentioned in the book of Revelation 22 that flows through the New Jerusalem and that river is seen to begin at the throne of God. I do like to think that both visions are complementary in nature and speak of the same river. The differences found in the description should be, I conclude, attributed to the difference in the purpose of both visions and their intended recipients.

This river is clearly described in both places as a life-giving river that nourishes the land around it and refreshes the earth. The river, I am sure, is an apt representation of the Holy Spirit and His invisible, yet astonishing work in our life.

There are three primary points that I would like to point out to you:

1. Surveying the river

Ezekiel was shown this river by the man who guided him through the complex vision and Ezekiel was shown the geography of the river. This is what he observed:-

a) The river originated under the house / from the throne of God. (verse 2)

The river found its source at the feet of God. The book of Genesis shows God as the originator/ source of all things. The gospel of John states that in the beginning was ‘Logos’ from whom came all things. Paul too states that ‘He’ created all things, for by Him, through Him and for Him was all things made. Similarly, here the river of life finds its origin with God for He is the source of life itself. God the Holy Spirit is God Himself after all, the third person of the Trinity.

b) The river begins as a gushing strong current.

After stating in verse 1 that the river began under the threshold and now the scene having shifted to outside the wall, the next description of the river in verse 3 shows a wide, expansive water body, for the man in the vision measures the river from the bank inward to upto three thousand cubits or roughly more than a mile to the deepest point. That is a pretty significant river. Most rivers begin as small streams or fountains and as they traverse long distance various feeder streams accumulate their flow into the main flow and so it slowly becomes larger and grander. This river here though, seems to ‘begin’ at atleast 2 miles wide and 7 to 8 feet deep. That is a huge and strong river that we are talking about. There is no river whose source comes anywhere close in size. This here shows the strength and power of the Holy Spirit. He does not acquire power as time goes on or when you or I do something. He is always fully strong at every instant. He is the very same God who created the entire universe by merely speaking and brought forth salvation from sheer impossibility.

c) This river can heal and rejuvenate (verse 8 and 9)

A voluminous source of fresh water can lower the salinity of the ocean water at the estuary where the river meets the ocean.  This is the principle on which verse 8 is based. The world is like the saline ocean. It has a huge amount of water accessible always, never drying but if you drink it a little it only makes you thirst even more, it cannot quench your thirst ever. If you keep drinking ocean water then very soon, your organs will shut down unable to handle the saline saturation and you will die. In pretty much the same way, the world immersed in sin brings about death. It offers so much, but nothing it offers can ever satisfy. It only leaves you wanting something more. This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. He alone can satisfy us, a mere taste of His power and presence is enough to rejuvenate us like a glass of cool, fresh water stream.

If you continue to look at the water of this river you find life thriving in it. Estuaries are called the ‘nurseries of the sea’ owing to the fact that it provides the best possible environment for aquatic life to survive.

In addition, rivers are also known to be nature’s most efficient cleaning system. Most of civilizations waste is dumped into rivers which carry the waste and slowly within a few kilometers based on the food chain of the living organisms found in the water, physical processes and chemical reactions end up having cleaned itself up completely.

In a similar fashion, the moment the Holy Spirit descends into our life He cleanses us revives us, renews us and brings forth eternal life within us. He transforms the dead and useless persons that we are into living, eternal and useful vessels to hold and reflect God’s indescribable glory.

d) This river results in fruitfulness and lasting greenery (verse 12)

If you have learnt geography in school then one of the things that you are taught is that river banks are the most fertile places one can find on earth. This is because of the soil sediments that the river both takes and deposits simultaneously in a continuous cycle, perpetually enriching and nourishing the earth with the minerals carried by its water from far-away places. Trees found on such banks are ever-green and always bear fruit in every season. Sounds similar to Psalm 1? Don’t be surprised, for this is true in our lives when the Holy Spirit is allowed to work in and through us. His fruit mentioned in the book of Galatians will most certainly spring forth from our lives and be visible to all around us. You cannot contain His power and the result of His work within our lives. He might be invisible but the result of His work is uniquely distinguishable always.

This is how Ezekiel observed the geography of the river and completed his general survey of the water. This is what many of us did when we first heard the gospel and slowly found our eyes and hearts opening to its divine truths. We were surveying the river of life. However, I do not believe this is an experience that will ever be over. This experience keeps carrying on as we discover God every day and know Him deeper every moment. If you think you are still standing on the bank of the river and surveying it even today then please know that it is not enough to stand on the banks of the river; to experience its goodness you have to step into it and get wet and so the next thing one might notice is that Ezekiel was led by the man into the water.

2. Stepping into its waters

Having surveyed the river, Ezekiel follows the man in the vision and steps into the water.

A) They have walked in about 1000 cubits or 457 meters in from the bank and the water is now ankle deep. This scene here is symbolic of our experience of salvation. We are no longer on the bank and dry, we are in the river and getting wet, the cool water flowing across your toes and your soles feeling the slight tug of the current. We are no longer standing at the gate of heaven but have entered into heaven itself. You are touched by the river and nobody can ever deny it. The moment your feet steps back onto the land the river will cause your feet to leave its print. You no longer are one with the dry land (the world). Do know that this is supposed to be just the beginning. You have just touched the river and there is so much more to explore.

B) They have now walked in another 1000 cubits meaning they are now about 900 meters into the river and the water is now knee deep. In Christian tradition, the knees have always been known to symbolize prayer and so this scene here is a symbol of a prayer life where we begin to depend on God. This is that stage of Christian life where many of today’s believers have reached and are happy to remain at. It is certainly better than being just ankle deep anyway. However, notice that you are still barely wet, you are just beginning to experience the power of the river currents, and you are still too close to the shore and so can turn back whenever you feel you are in danger of losing control. You are still on your own feet and still in control of all that you do. You are still trying to understand God’s will in your life and decide on whether you want to venture in deeper. You are just about a barely committed disciple of the Lord. 

C) They have now walked in another 1000 cubits in meaning they are now about 1.3 kilometers into the river and the water is now at hip height. This is that stage of your life when your desires and will contend with the desire and will of God. You know what God wants and yet your heart still yearns to go back to the shore. This is the final point of decision. This scene is a symbol of spiritual strength. This is where the strength of the Holy Spirit begins to truly manifest because although your feet still touch the earth, you are barely able to hold yourself steady against the strong gushing tide. As you stand here, half wet and half dry, on the cusp of decision, you have to make this lasting choice of whether to give in and let go or forget the risk and quickly back to shore.  This stage is where most long term mature Christians struggle to reach and choose to remain at. They have learnt and acquired a beautiful understanding of God and His will for them but are still held back from taking the final leap, the final step away from shore. There is no safety beyond this point for the shore is now just about visible but you can still make it back if you wanted. The make or break point as one might call it. When you are here, everyone around you will actually see the effect of the river on how you walk and move as the river current causes you to sway with it. You can no longer hide the truth that you are different and that Christ lives in you. A very nice spiritual state, isn’t it? Well, it is a very convenient point to be at when you do not want to make the choice to fully commit to the Master’s call for the flesh is always weak and yearning for the world. Know this though that this is when you exert most of your energy trying to hold yourself steady, straining your muscles to keep control. Don’t stop here, it is time to let go. Stop wading and start swimming.

3. Surrendering to the river

This is the final stage that a believer can ever reach in this earth bound life. No, this is not perfection but this is true submission. This is what happens when you finally decide to cast aside your dreams and aspirations, forget all you are and have and give up this world. The true sainthood / enlightenment that all the world’s philosophies talk of and the world’s religions claim to help you reach is this.

You have now stepped further into the river and the current has swept over you. Your feet have been pulled away from the earth and you are being carried away by the river. You are no longer in control of anything. The river simply carries you wherever it wants. You no longer possess a choice nor an identity of your own. You have become one with the river. You now know there is no point in trying to swim out, for nothing on earth can get you out. You surrender yourself to the will of the mighty rush of water. Your life is no longer in your hands anymore. Every moment is now decided by the river.At this point, you are no more connected to the world; there is nothing anymore that holds you back, you can see the shore no more.

This is what happens when you surrender yourself fully to the Holy Spirit and His will, when you give yourself and your will wholly to Him. You move into a territory that is completely beyond your capacity and skill or ability. You no longer decide what happens in your life but He does for the only thing that you are now connected to, is the river which is the Spirit of God.

4. Remember you are not alone

In this vision Ezekiel was never alone; in fact, he was led through the vision by the man in the vision. Notice the choice of words in verse 1, 2 ,3 ,4 and 6 which repeatedly say “He brought me” in reference to the man in the vision. Ezekiel was always accompanied by this man at every stage in the vision and not just accompanied but led through. God did not have Ezekiel stumble around, no, He accompanied Ezekiel in this journey and showed him around, explaining it all to him. The only thing Ezekiel had to do was to follow. What was the result? God led him through safely till the very end and Ezekiel went on to convey the vision to Israel in full detail.

That is exactly what God has already promised us in Isaiah 43:2, Isaiah 54:17 etc. where God states that He will be by us through thick and thin. Remember David’s experience in Psalm 23? He said “I will walk through the valley of the shadow of death” too. Where did he find the confidence? His confidence was in the God he exalts in Psalm 121 as his Keeper.

Our God cannot forsake anyone of us ever. He loves us too much to be able to that. He loves you and me more than He loves everything else in creation. You are, just you are more precious to Him than the entirety of the universe. What is the limit of His love for you and me? Well, if ever you are able to find the extent of the love that God, the Father has for God, the Son or God, the Holy Spirit then you might actually be able to find the limit, or else there is none.  It is truly speaking, immeasurable, for we can barely measure the limit of this universe anyway.  

This is the confidence that we can then have in Him always. There is just too many verses in the Bible that speak of our God’s love and care in the life of His children, just too many. 

If anyone among us then questions the idea of how God can even understand what I am going through then know this that Jesus Christ came to the earth and lived the life of  a mortal man. He ‘contained’ his true self so much that He never used his divine attributes for Himself, even though we see numerous occasions when He could have. In full manhood, He endured shame, ridicule, mockery, sadness, pain, agony and then death. None of these experiences were toned down or lessened. Almost all his experience on earth was at the extreme of what a man can bear to go through and He went through it all, without even a complaint. So that is why Jesus is called the firstborn and the captain of our Salvation. This is why we are asked to look unto Him as we run this race for He alone can strengthen us. Infact, Jesus endured our cross upon Himself and the cross we have to bear is much lighter. Is that not what Jesus said in Mathew 11:30? What more do we need to convince us?

Remember that true revival or fullness is possible only when we are as deep in the knowledge of God as we can ever get in this mortal life.

It is truly disheartening to see many in the world happy to just survey the river of life. It also heartbreaking to see that among those who actually choose to step into this river most are happy to just dip their ankles in the water and know they inherit heaven. Some among these step ahead but then again a lot of this group remain content in trusting in God and His promises once in a while or when it is of great profit to them. A rare few continue to march onward and begin to give up their self and will contending between God’s will and their own desires. Only a handful then win this battle and venture further still into the depths and genuinely let go and let God take full control.

I hope you too reach this point of full surrender, the point where you are no longer in control but the Spirit is and you will never again see this world and the new one, with the same eyes again. Make sure you are at the right river for there are so many that look the same but are not. Once you are sure, then do not be content to remain in its shallows, move away from the shoreline and venture deeper every day and moment. Go as deep as you possibly can and then, just let go and the Spirit of God will be in full control manifesting Himself through you before the world all around you.