Fruit trees of all
kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither nor
will their fruit fall. Every month they will bear, because the water from the
sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing. Ezekiel 47: 12
This passage in Ezekiel 47 is one of my favourite passages
of Scripture. The river of God is the river of life because it flows from God’s
sanctuary. Everything about the river of God speaks of abundance. The river flows from ankle deep to so deep
that no one can even cross it (47: 5). A great number of trees (47:7) grow
along its banks. The life giving water turns salt water to fresh (47: 9). Swarms of living creatures will live wherever
the river flows with large numbers of fish. (47: 9). The river is so abundant
in life that fishermen will fish all along the banks of what is now the Dead
Sea.
Even the marshes and swamps, not touched by the river, will
be useful for salt. Finally abundant fruit will grow from the many trees growing
on both banks of the river. The trees are so healthy and full of life that
their leaves do not wither and their fruit doesn’t fall to the ground. In fact
the trees produce a fresh crop of fruit every month. Their fruit is picked for food and the leaves
of the tree are for healing. In Revelation 22:5 which also speaks of the river
of God, it says the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations.
What a wonderful picture this is of the life giving river of
God. It is full of hope for the believer that God wants to bring fullness in
every way to unpromising, barren situations. It speaks of the wonderful work of
the Holy Spirit who wants to flow through our lives, our churches and nations
bringing his life giving abundance to all he touches.
How we need that work through the life flow of the Holy
Spirit. In particular we need the healing of the nations. The planet is full of
wars and disputes. Nation is rising up against nation and there is hatred
everywhere. There is so much entrenched racialism and bitter hostility often
going back centuries that needs the restoring work of the Holy Spirit.
In eternity Nation
will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore
(Isaiah 2:4). Jesus died for everyone and in heaven there will be a great multitude that no one could count from every
nation, tribe, people and language standing before the throne and in front of
the Lamb (Revelation 7:9).
I believe though God wants churches to be places not just of
healing from sickness and disease but also healing and restoring relationships
between people including healing between nationalities from racialism and prejudices - now. The Church
can be a picture of genuine love and fellowship between people from all nations
that provides a picture to unbelievers of God’s love for his world. Nowhere else can there be genuine love between
people of all nationalities than in the Church where God’s river flows.
