River of Life
“‘Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.’”
Today’s Text: Ezekiel 47:1-12 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
However a person might understand this vision, one thing is for certain: It is God’s desire and God’s plan to restore this earth to Eden and to bless all of humanity.
We get a fuller version of this vision in the Book of Revelation:
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. 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. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
— Revelation 22:1-3
As I come to understand the Bible more and more, I know that everything God does is for His glory. At the same time, everything God does is for the blessing of His people. The blessing of God’s people reveals the glory of God. But in this broken world, we still need to fight through the brokenness of sin to experience God’s glory and God’s blessing. But when Christ returns, we won’t have to fight through the brokenness of sin anymore. We will experience God’s glory and God’s blessing without any hindrance.
And so I’m reminded of something I read in a commentary about the return of Christ. The commentator said, “When this desire [for Christ’s return] is no longer present in the heart of the believing community, … then it no longer loves God with all its heart, soul, strength, and mind” (Robert Stein).
In many ways, I think Stein is right. But with respect to my personal desire for Christ to return, what difference does it really make in this world and in my life? And does my desire for Christ to return have any impact on Christ actually returning?
The Bible makes it clear that Christ’s return is in the hands of the Father (Mark 13:32). At the same time, the Bible also says that we have a part to play in terms of when He returns.
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
— Matthew 24:14
Not every Christian is called to be a preacher or a missionary. But every Christian is called to do our part to help the Great Commission reach its fulfillment.
Father, You are glorious, holy, righteous. You pour out Your love, mercy, and grace through Your Spirit. May I receive Your Spirit without hindrance. Let nothing quench the Spirit in my. And may I never quench the Spirit in others. Come, Lord Jesus, come. In Your precious name. Amen.
