Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures and a great number of fish, because it flows there and makes the waters fresh; so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish. Wherever the river flowsThe imagery of a river flowing is a powerful symbol in biblical literature, often representing the life-giving presence of God. In Hebrew, the word for river, "נָהָר" (nahar), can also imply a stream of blessings or divine grace. This river originates from the temple, signifying that true life and rejuvenation come from God’s presence. Historically, rivers have been crucial for sustaining civilizations, and here, it symbolizes spiritual sustenance and renewal. there will be swarms of living creatures
The phrase "swarms of living creatures" evokes the abundance and diversity of life that results from the river's flow. In Hebrew, "חַיָּה" (chayah) refers to living beings, emphasizing vitality and the breath of life. This abundance is reminiscent of the creation narrative in Genesis, where God fills the earth with living creatures. It underscores the transformative power of God's presence, bringing life to barren places. and a great multitude of fish
Fish, in biblical times, were a staple of diet and economy, especially in regions like Galilee. The "great multitude of fish" signifies not only physical sustenance but also spiritual nourishment. In the New Testament, fish are often associated with the ministry of Jesus and the calling of His disciples to be "fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). This abundance points to the expansive reach of God's kingdom and the call to gather people into His fold. because it flows there and makes the waters fresh
The transformative effect of the river is highlighted by its ability to make waters fresh. The Hebrew word "רָפָא" (rapha) means to heal or restore, indicating that the river brings healing to what was once stagnant or lifeless. This is a metaphor for spiritual renewal, where God's presence purifies and revitalizes. It reflects the promise of new life and hope found in God’s redemptive work. so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish
The repetition of the river's flow emphasizes its pervasive and unstoppable nature. "Everything will flourish" speaks to the comprehensive impact of God's life-giving presence. The Hebrew word "פָּרָה" (parah) means to bear fruit or thrive, suggesting that under God's influence, life reaches its fullest potential. This flourishing is not limited to physical prosperity but extends to spiritual growth and fulfillment, embodying the abundant life promised by Christ (John 10:10). Persons / Places / Events 1. EzekielA prophet during the Babylonian exile who received visions from God, including the vision of the river flowing from the temple. 2. The RiverSymbolic of God's life-giving presence and the transformative power of His Spirit. 3. Living Creatures and FishRepresent the abundance and diversity of life that results from God's blessing and presence. 4. Salt WaterSymbolizes barrenness and death, which is transformed into fresh, life-giving water by the river. 5. The TempleThe source of the river, representing God's dwelling place and the origin of spiritual life and renewal. Teaching Points The Source of LifeJust as the river flows from the temple, true life and renewal come from God alone. We must seek Him as the source of our spiritual vitality. Transformation through God's PresenceThe river's ability to make salt water fresh illustrates how God's presence transforms barrenness into abundance. We should invite His transformative power into every area of our lives. Abundance in DiversityThe multitude of living creatures and fish signifies the richness and diversity of life that God brings. We should celebrate and embrace the diversity within the body of Christ. The Role of the Holy SpiritThe river symbolizes the Holy Spirit, who brings life and renewal. We should be open to the Spirit's work in us, allowing Him to flow through us to bring life to others. Hope for the FutureEzekiel's vision points to a future where God's presence brings complete restoration. We can live with hope, knowing that God's ultimate plan is to bring life and healing to all creation. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery of the river in Ezekiel 47:9 enhance your understanding of God's life-giving presence? 2. In what ways can you invite God's transformative power into areas of your life that feel barren or lifeless? 3. How does the diversity of life in Ezekiel's vision challenge you to appreciate and embrace diversity within your community or church? 4. Reflect on a time when you experienced the Holy Spirit's renewing work in your life. How can you remain open to His ongoing work? 5. How does the hope of future restoration in Ezekiel's vision encourage you in your current circumstances? How can you share this hope with others? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 2The river flowing out of Eden to water the garden parallels the life-giving river in Ezekiel's vision, emphasizing God's provision and sustenance. John 7Jesus speaks of living water flowing from within believers, connecting the life-giving river to the Holy Spirit's work in the New Testament. Revelation 22The river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb in the New Jerusalem echoes Ezekiel's vision, pointing to the ultimate fulfillment of God's life-giving presence. | Living Christianity | U. R. Thomas. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Fertilising River | W. H. Taylor. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Gospel River | J. Kirkwood. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Gospel River | E. Aubrey. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Healing and Life-Giving River | A. B. Davidson, D. D. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Healing Power of Christianity | J. G. Rogers. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Healing Waters | W. M. Punshon, D. D. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Healing Waters: Their Source and Stream | E. Lewis, B. A. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Influence of the Church of God | H. Johnson, D. D. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Life-Giving Flyer | J. Bolton, B. A. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Life-Giving River | J. Parker, D. D. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Living Waters | J. J. Wray. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Master-Force in Character and Civilisation | W. L. Watkinson. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Power of the Holy Ghost | F. B. Meyer, B. A. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Rise and Progress of the Gospel | T. C. Finlayson. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The River of Life | J. Wonnacott. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The River of Salvation | A. Maclaren, D. D. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The River Which Ezekiel Saw | D. Davies. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | The Vision of the Holy Waters | J. Bailey, Ph. D. | Ezekiel 47:9 | | Curious Things in Life | J. Parker, D. D. | Ezekiel 47:1-12 | | Sounding the Depth of Divine Things | | Ezekiel 47:1-12 | | The Holy Waters | J.R. Thomson | Ezekiel 47:1-12 | | The River of Life | W. Clarkson | Ezekiel 47:1-12 | | The River of Salvation | J.D. Davies | Ezekiel 47:1-12 |
People Amos, Enan, Ezekiel, Israelites, Joseph, TamarPlaces Arabah, Berothah, Brook of Egypt, Damascus, Eneglaim, Engedi, Gilead, Great Sea, Hamath, Hauran, Hazar-enan, Hazer-hatticon, Hethlon, Jordan River, Lebo-hamath, Meribah-kadesh, Most Holy Place, Sibraim, Tamar, ZedadTopics Abundance, Creature, Creatures, Double, Fish, Flows, Fresh, Goes, Healed, Large, Makes, Moveth, Moving, Multitude, Numbers, Pass, River, Rivers, Salt, Stream, Streams, Swarmeth, Swarms, Sweet, Teemeth, Thither, Waters, Wherever, Wherewith, Whither, WhithersoeverDictionary of Bible Themes Ezekiel 47:9 2378 kingdom of God, characteristics Ezekiel 47:1-12 3290 Holy Spirit, life-giver
5059 rest, eternal Ezekiel 47:6-11 4306 minerals Ezekiel 47:7-9 4357 salt Ezekiel 47:8-9 9411 heaven Library The River of Life
Waters issued out from under the threshold of the house ... EZEKIEL xlvii. 1. Unlike most great cities, Jerusalem was not situated on a great river. True, the inconsiderable waters of Siloam--'which flow softly' because they were so inconsiderable--rose from a crevice in the Temple rock, and beneath that rock stretched the valley of the Kedron, dry and bleached in the summer, and a rainy torrent during the rainy seasons; but that was all. So, many of the prophets, who looked forward to the better …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture"And the Redeemer Shall Come unto Zion, and unto them that Turn,"
Isaiah lix. 20.--"And the Redeemer shall come unto Zion, and unto them that turn," &c. Doctrines, as things, have their seasons and times. Every thing is beautiful in its season. So there is no word of truth, but it hath a season and time in which it is beautiful. And indeed that is a great part of wisdom, to bring forth everything in its season, to discern when and where, and to whom it is pertinent and edifying, to speak such and such truths. But there is one doctrine that is never out of season, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning The Coast of the Asphaltites, the Essenes. En-Gedi.
"On the western shore" (of the Asphaltites) "dwell the Essenes; whom persons, guilty of any crimes, fly from on every side. A nation it is that lives alone, and of all other nations in the whole world, most to be admired; they are without any woman; all lust banished, &c. Below these, was the town Engadda, the next to Jerusalem for fruitfulness, and groves of palm-trees, now another burying-place. From thence stands Massada, a castle in a rock, and this castle not far from the Asphaltites." Solinus, …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Fresh Supplies of Power.
"As the Dew." There is another very important bit needed to complete the circle of truth we are going over together in these quiet talks. Namely, the daily life after the act of surrender and all that comes with that act. The steady pull day by day. After the eagle-flight up into highest air, and the hundred yards dash, or even the mile run, comes the steady, steady walking mile after mile. The real test of life is here. And the highest victories are here, too. I recall the remark made by a friend …
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH, TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY OF ALL UNFOLDED. AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED. 'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.'-Psalm 87:3 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35 London: Printed in the year 1665 …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 The Iranian Conquest
Drawn by Boudier, from the engraving in Coste and Flandin. The vignette, drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a statuette in terra-cotta, found in Southern Russia, represents a young Scythian. The Iranian religions--Cyrus in Lydia and at Babylon: Cambyses in Egypt --Darius and the organisation of the empire. The Median empire is the least known of all those which held sway for a time over the destinies of a portion of Western Asia. The reason of this is not to be ascribed to the shortness of its duration: …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9 The Gospel Feast
"When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?"--John vi. 5. After these words the Evangelist adds, "And this He said to prove him, for He Himself knew what He would do." Thus, you see, our Lord had secret meanings when He spoke, and did not bring forth openly all His divine sense at once. He knew what He was about to do from the first, but He wished to lead forward His disciples, and to arrest and …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII Kadesh. Rekam, and that Double. Inquiry is Made, Whether the Doubling it in the Maps is Well Done.
The readers of the eastern interpreters will observe, that Kadesh is rendered by all Rekam, or in a sound very near it. In the Chaldee, it is 'Rekam': in the Syriac, 'Rekem': in the Arabic, 'Rakim'... There are two places noted by the name Rekam in the very bounds of the land,--to wit, the southern and eastern: that is, a double Kadesh. I. Of Kadesh, or Rekam, in the south part, there is no doubt. II. Of it, in the eastern part, there is this mention: "From Rekam to the east, and Rekam is as the …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Ezekiel 47:9 NIVEzekiel 47:9 NLTEzekiel 47:9 ESVEzekiel 47:9 NASBEzekiel 47:9 KJV
Ezekiel 47:9 Commentaries
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