What an interesting paragraph of Scripture!

Describing a (future) River, and it environs … Ezekiel 47:1-12.

But today (already having discussed the chapter’s first 5 verses) we notice verses 6-12. “And 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. ⁷ Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. ⁸ Then 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. ⁹ And 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. ¹⁰ And 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. ¹¹ But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. ¹² And 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.”

I have purposely left the verse markers in place, the numbers. (I don’t always do that.) But here they will help as I discuss the specifics of the Paragraph.

The pronoun “he” in verse 6 is merely the angel who has been showing Ezekiel much about the Millennial earth, especially its buildings and topography.

That this experience is a “vision” is clear. “And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? And the whole Event here is yet future. That’s specifically called a “prophetic vision.” (You can read the opening paragraph of Ezekiel 40 for the “context” of this ultra-long “vision.”)

The work “brink” is in Hebrew (“saphah”) a noun meaning “edge, bank, side,” but is linked to certain words for “speech,” being translated “language” 7 times in the Old Testament. (A River telling a story, giving a message?)

There Ezekiel sees “trees,” many trees in fact. (As in the Garden of Eden there were trees! As in New Jerusalem there will be trees! Perhaps even … as Christianity exists because of what Jesus did on a “Tree!” The Cross of Calvary.)

Verse 8 is astounding, describing the “flow” of the River. “These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down (south) into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.” Meandering straight toward the (once) Dead Sea! And it “heals” the (salty) waters of that body of water, producing teeming life! (That’s why I spoke of a changed topography for the Holy Land, during the glorious millennium.)

As is further illuminated in verse 9. “And 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.” That (once) dead sea is now a living sea! Notice also that apparently this river is now forking into other rivers, the plural (“rivers”) being used here in verse 9. Sounds like “life abundant!”

But verse 10 adds more about the “fish.” I am interested. “And 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.” Engedi and Eneglaim are both actually places (cities, oases) located near the Dead Sea of today. (Remember that much of the ocean/river life would have been destroyed during the tribulation. During all those seals and trumpets and vials of judgment!) But with Jesus having returned to earth … everything is back! He IS The Creator, you know.

All “kinds” of fish! Reminds me of us being “fishers of men.” Soul-winners! And of John 21:11, another Biblical “fishing” account! “Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an HUNDRED and FIFTY and THREE: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.” Many “kinds” of fishes! (I believe all this is emblematic of the fact that multitudes will be saved and found worshipping Jesus during the Millennium! “Seas” (oceans) in the Bible often represent the (once lost) “nations” of the world.

Wow!

Verse 11, a word about “salt.” There MUST be some, for the temple sacrifices (which most often included salt as a mandate). For cooking and eating as well. “But the miry places thereof and the marishes (meaning “pits”) thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to SALT.”

Remember Jesus once said, “Salt is good.” Luke 14:34, there’s a whole sermon there!

Then verse 12 … “And 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 (so much “fruit” that it could never be all 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.”

Trees whose “fruit” is edible and “leaves” medicinal. Bearing that fruit monthly! (And clearly described in terms similar to Psalm 1:3, another river! “And he (the godly man who loves the Word) shall be like a TREE planted by the RIVERS of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Wow!

Are you saved?

If so , during the Millennium maybe we can sit by that River and discuss today’s Lesson, in more detail!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yes, it’s time for another Ezekiel Lesson. “Every morning except Sunday,” or so it’s been for years.

But today, a Saturday, no Lesson.

We will be right back to it Monday, the Lord willing.

Today we drive from Tunnel Hill, Georgia, about 25 miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee … to Covington, Indiana … close to 500 miles. (And we are excited about the Revival beginning there tomorrow morning, at the Maranatha Baptist Church.)

Here we are ready to pack Thursday morning … in Pensacola, Florida. The Lord gave a sweet Meeting there last week, 5 verse-by-verse Sermons!

Now here we are this morning, ready to pack for the trip northward. Pray with us please that God will grant us a safe journey. We enjoy the traveling.

The drive home Thursday was rainy, at times anyway. Still, (before the rain started) I made this photo out the car window and thought of Nahum 1:3. “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the CLOUDS are the DUST of his feet.”

The Lord is good.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Talk to you via the printed page Monday morning, Lord willing.

 

Yes, in that Millennial Temple (from it) flows a river!

“Afterward he (the Prophet’s angelic guide) brought me again unto the door of the house (the Temple); and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront (face) 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. Then 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. And when the man (an angelic surveyor) 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. Again 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. Afterward 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.” Ezekiel 47:1-5

Wow!

Let me first remind you that everywhere God lives … there will be a river flowing therefrom!

There was in Eden!

There will be in this Millennial Temple!

And … there will also be a River in New Jerusalem!

Plus … out of the heart of every Believer in Jesus there flows a (spiritual) River! “Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow RIVERS of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive, the Holy Ghost ….” John 7:37-39

Wow!

But this Ezekiel 47 River is unique.

The further it flows (with absolutely no “hint” of a  tributary feeding it, not a shred of evidence) … the deeper it becomes!

Ankles, knees, waists, then “waters to swim in!”

What is the implication here?

The River is flowing toward the desert!

Toward the Dead Sea!

Where the land is arid, the crops nonexistent, the wildlife struggling!

So … as the River gets further and further into that desolate environment … the more abundant becomes the supply of its life-giving power!

Wow!

And so is it with Jesus our Lord!

The longer I serve Him … the sweeter He grows!

Every day with Jesus IS sweeter than the day before!

And the longer I study my Bible … the deeper and deeper its truths become, truly over my head! Waters to (delightfully) swim in … from here to eternity!

And the more wicked this world becomes … the greater God’s ability to save! At least the deeper Holy Spirit conviction can become!

None ever worry about exhausting the Supply of Almighty God!

(Astronomers tell us the universe is expanding daily! More and more rapidly! Well, so is the River of Life Ezekiel has so gracefully depicted this morning.)

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

How “deep” are you today, my friend?

Knee deep?

Or in “over your head?”

By the way, the verb used in verse 2 of this River (where the waters first “ran out”), at its very source, is “pakah” in Hebrew. It means “to trickle!” But by the time we are waist deep (and more) the waters are “issuing” forth! Flowing abundantly!

Often with God … “trickles” become “floods!”

Hallelujah!

 

Today … one more Lesson from Ezekiel 46, this being the fourth in a row! (I would have never thought so, not even a week ago, when I first read this chapter in preparation for this Series of Articles.)

Remembering that the “prince” (mentioned 8 times in Ezekiel 46, more than in any other chapter in the whole Book) is some sort of good, governmental leader … verses 16 and 17 give us an interesting “rule” concerning “family status,” not only in ancient Israel, but the future earth, during the Millennium.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his SONS, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons’; it shall be their possession by inheritance. But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his SERVANTS, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after (that) it shall return to the prince. But his inheritance shall be his sons’ for them.” Ezekiel 46:16-17

Here’s the “gist” of this law. (Remember how Ezekiel is FULL of legislation, much like the Book of Exodus, or even the whole Pentateuch. And that in well over a dozen ways Ezekiel seems to be much like Moses!)

If the prince gives something to one of his servants … the “gift” is “temporary!” A servant can never possess anything more than forty-nine years and eleven months or so. (Because the year of liberty occurred every fifty years, also called the year of jubilee in Scripture. And when that year arrived … all “gifted” things returned to their original owner!)

So favors (gifts) for slaves are to be relatively short lived, certainly not permanent! They ultimately revert to the prince’s ownership … because in time … those sons inherit it all!

Yes … to a son, it’s different! “If the prince give a gift unto any of his SONS, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons’. Perpetually!

Wow!

That’s why I entitled today’s little lesson … “The Privileges of Sonship!”

Now to apply this spiritually.

I once was a slave … to sin.

I now am set free (via redemption) by the Blood of Jesus Christ!

And I have been “adopted” into His Family, the Family of God!

That makes me a “son” of God, through my relationship with Jesus.

I have/enjoy things (“gifts” innumerable) now (having been made an heir of God, a joint-heir with Jesus Christ) forevermore!

First John 3:1 captures this truth well, expressing it like this: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the SONS of God.”

Wow!

Ladies (who are saved) … you are “in” too!

“Sons” and “Daughters” of God, His little “Children!”

First John 3:2 may even be better: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

Eternity!

What “gifts” He bestows … forever!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Ezekiel 46 is replete with information/instructions about the many “sacrifices” that will be offered (to the Lord) during the Millennium. (These are not redemptive in nature, but serve as a “memorial” of the Lamb of God, Jesus the Son of God, His Death on the Cross. Sort of like “The Lord’s Supper” does today.)

In noticing these sacrifices, offerings, I spotted a truth. An exciting one! Let me share it with you this Wednesday morning.

The word “morning” occurs in Ezekiel chapter 46 three times. Consecutively in verses 13 and 14 and 15. In fact, the word occurs in this chapter of Ezekiel more than anywhere else in his whole Book, in all 48 chapters!

Here are all three:

“Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every MORNING.” Verse 13, the daily morning sacrifice, no doubt. Really, Israel was supposed to have been practicing this ritual since the days of Moses!

“And thou shalt prepare a meat offering for it every MORNING, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper with the fine flour; a meat offering continually by a perpetual ordinance unto the LORD.” Verse 14, the meal offering, every MORNING!

Then verse 15: “Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every MORNING for a continual burnt offering.” Repetitious perhaps, but summarizing the whole scheme.

“EVERY MORNING,” we can’t miss that, can we?

But now notice this. Not a single “hint” at an evening sacrifice!

An evening sacrifice that was equally binding under the Law of Moses!

(As in Exodus 29:39-41 … “The one lamb thou shalt offer in the MORNING; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at EVEN: and with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. And the other lamb thou shalt offer at EVEN (EVENING), and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.” Word for word, King James Version. If the morning offering was given … so would the evening offering follow near sunset!

Amazing!

So, clearly … in the Millennium, the morning offering continues.

Yet in the same Millennium, the evening sacrifice does not continue! It’s not mentioned anywhere in the Book, that I can find anyway. And I have looked diligently.

WHY?

Here’s the reason.

Although a limited form (or at least a different form … than Moses’ Law … at least in some ways) of sacrifice is instituted for the 1,000 year Millennium … NO EVENING SACRIFCES WILL BE HELD … because that’s precisely when Jesus paid for our sin debt on Calvary!

Yes, Jesus died on Calvary at the very hour the “evening sacrifice” would have been prepared and offered! “And about the NINTH HOUR Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 … around 3:00 pm, the very time of the “evening sacrifice!”

Mark 15:34 agrees. “And at the NINTH HOUR Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Wow!

Let’s read Mark 15:34-38. To get the whole context. “And at the ninth hour (time of evening sacrifice) Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost (exhaled His last Breath). And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.”

Jesus died (exactly) at the time of the evening sacrifice, folks!

And the (unbelieving) Jewish priests on duty (at the Temple) the day our Lord died … would have been near that Veil (some of the priests, anyway) when it “was rent (torn) in twain!”

What a testimony to Jesus’ Deity, Power, Efficacious Sacrifice … they would have witnessed!

So I believe there will be not evening sacrifices during the Millennium because the Real Evening Sacrifice has already been offered, Jesus Christ my Saviour!

Anyone alive then, during the Millennium … instead of going to an altar (no matter how special) … can just walk over to the Throne Room and look at the (still scarred) Saviour. Who became our Evening Sacrifice on Calvary!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell