June 28 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Ezekiel 47:1-12:

¹Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront 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.
²Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
³And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
⁴Again 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.
⁵Afterward 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.
⁶And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.
⁷Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
⁸Then said he unto 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.
⁹And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.
¹⁰And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
¹¹But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
¹²And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

Devotional

God showed to the prophet Ezekiel a new temple, the house of God. A man that had appeared unto him, brought him to the door of the house, "and behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward." These waters became a river that increased in depth, until it became so deep that it could not be passed over, but the waters were waters to swim in. These waters flowed eastward into the desert, and into the sea (the Dead Sea), and the waters thereof were healed. The prophet was told; Everything shall live whither the river cometh. "And there shall be very great multitudes of fish." And fishermen shall stand and fish; and there the fish shall be as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. Jesus said to his disciples: "I will make you fishers of men." And on the banks of the river shall grow all kinds of fruit trees. The fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaves thereof for medicine.

In Isaiah we read: "I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods upon dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive." John saw "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.... On either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which yielded fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters."

Prayer

Our Father in heaven, we thank Thee that the river of water of life is still flowing, that all who are athirst may come and drink. May it continue to flow, also into the desert regions of the earth. May it cause the desert to rejoice and to blossom as the rose. Grant us to see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. May sinners be saved and Thy name magnified. For Christ's sake. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Ezek. 47:5, 8; Matt. 4:19; Ezek. 47:12; Isa. 44:3; John 7:38, 39f; Rev. 22:1f; Isa. 55:1.

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