Living Water
If you read Made Alive by the Word, one key impression made was the event of spiritual death that had befallen mankind through disobedience. Disobedience had brought on disconnect communion(fellowship) with God. Disconnect communion with God had brought on spiritual death.
Prior to this event, as long as Adam and Eve were in communion with God, they were spiritually alive.
Through obedience, Christ came to restore (reverse) that which was lost (communion with God),
Generally, we understand the heart in the bible is represented as the temple. Through previous posts we also established that there are two major sources of influence on the heart. First, the world (dominated by sin), second the hearing of the word or divine communion with God.
We also established, that which becomes embedded in the heart will directly impact how you act, think and feel (the soul.) In other words, if you allow the world to shape and mold the heart it will bring on spiritual death. You will conform to the ways of the world and sin will be on the throne of the heart. Or, you can let the Word transform and renew the mind into the likeness of Christ. Christ then will be on the throne of the heart.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Rom. 12:2 NIV)
One way scripture symbolically teaches us this spiritual truth is through a detailed description of the temple. Ezekiel 47 decribes a vision he received regarding the temple.
The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). (Eze 47:1 NIV)
… This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down…, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. (vs.8)
Again, symbolically the temple resembles the heart. From the east end of the temple flow rivers that empty into the dead sea. The dead sea resembles the soul (mind, will, emotions). You see, our soul, just as the dead sea, is dead and without life, when sin is on the throne of the heart. The thought life continually becomes corrupt and foul. Yet when Christ establishes his temple, and sits on the throne of the heart (a renewed mind), out of it flow rivers of living water …
…and everything will live wherever the river goes. (vs. 9)
Perhaps as the dead sea, you feel as if there is no life left in your soul. All ambitions, and hopes have ceased to exist. You may want to think good thoughts, but you feel that they are no longer in your control. Sin (flesh) must be dethroned, and a heart prepared, for Christ to be invited in.
Further:
…because the water from the sanctuary flows to them…(vs.12)
On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Rev 22:2 NIV)
Not only does a renewed soul bring life to the individual, it will produce fruit. Specifically, thoughts that are able to bring healing to the nations (others). This is because the life-giving source of these thoughts, is Christ in them.
Let’s return to the garden of Eden where communion with God was severed and sin gained dominion:
he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. (Gen 3:24 NIV)
Notice: “East side” and “Guard the way to the tree of life”
God had put a temporary guard (road closed sign) on the east side. We had just recognized the east side as the way of which the rivers were flowing. Christ have restored communion with God and provided a way again. Through Christ we have divine fellowship with the father. That which was dead, now lives.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NIV)
Supporting text
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38 NIV)
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God. (Rev. 2:7)
Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:19 NIV)
We also established, that which becomes embedded in the heart will directly impact how you act, think and feel (the soul.) In other words, if you allow the world to shape and mold the heart it will bring on spiritual death. You will conform to the ways of the world and sin will be on the throne of the heart. Or, you can let the Word transform and renew the mind into the likeness of Christ. Christ then will be on the throne of the heart.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Rom. 12:2 NIV)
One way scripture symbolically teaches us this spiritual truth is through a detailed description of the temple. Ezekiel 47 decribes a vision he received regarding the temple.
The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). (Eze 47:1 NIV)
… This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down…, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. (vs.8)
Again, symbolically the temple resembles the heart. From the east end of the temple flow rivers that empty into the dead sea. The dead sea resembles the soul (mind, will, emotions). You see, our soul, just as the dead sea, is dead and without life, when sin is on the throne of the heart. The thought life continually becomes corrupt and foul. Yet when Christ establishes his temple, and sits on the throne of the heart (a renewed mind), out of it flow rivers of living water …
…and everything will live wherever the river goes. (vs. 9)
Perhaps as the dead sea, you feel as if there is no life left in your soul. All ambitions, and hopes have ceased to exist. You may want to think good thoughts, but you feel that they are no longer in your control. Sin (flesh) must be dethroned, and a heart prepared, for Christ to be invited in.
Further:
…because the water from the sanctuary flows to them…(vs.12)
On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Rev 22:2 NIV)
Not only does a renewed soul bring life to the individual, it will produce fruit. Specifically, thoughts that are able to bring healing to the nations (others). This is because the life-giving source of these thoughts, is Christ in them.
Let’s return to the garden of Eden where communion with God was severed and sin gained dominion:
he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. (Gen 3:24 NIV)
Notice: “East side” and “Guard the way to the tree of life”
God had put a temporary guard (road closed sign) on the east side. We had just recognized the east side as the way of which the rivers were flowing. Christ have restored communion with God and provided a way again. Through Christ we have divine fellowship with the father. That which was dead, now lives.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NIV)
Supporting text
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38 NIV)
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God. (Rev. 2:7)
Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:19 NIV)
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