Last week, in Lessons from Ezekiel’s Temple, Part 13B, we discovered that when we join together as one, the Spirit of the Lord can flow through us as a mighty torrent that will heal the dead world of sin, bringing life to the billions on this planet. But it all starts with each one of us! We must be willing to work together as “one”! Today’s lesson takes a look at the trees that grow along the banks of the river:
“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, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” (Ezek 47:12 NIV)
I have a number of fruit trees on my property. When we moved out here ten years ago, we decided to take advantage to having over an acre of land, and fulfill a dream that my husband and I had always shared: To be able to go out into the back yard and pick fresh fruit from our own trees. So we proceeded to plant apple trees, pear trees, peach trees, plum trees, and cherry trees, and we impatiently waited for those trees to reach maturity.
Something went wrong, however. What we didn’t know at the time is that our property is quite low, and it doesn’t drain properly. Other than the house and the septic bed, the rest of our property is often wet. Our poor fruit trees apparently don’t like to sit with their roots in water most of the year, and they haven’t done well. Oh, we’ve had the occasional knotty apple or pear, but the beautiful flowers that cover the trees every spring never develop into anything worthy of praise. In addition, the strong southerly winds that prevail across our property have caused most of the trees to grow at an angle, and believe me, it isn’t a 90° one! We were further saddened to learn last year that most of our beautiful fruit trees now are plagued with some kind of rot. It’s not surprising really, with their roots all the time in water.
But the fruit trees in our text are of a totally different kind. On the banks of the mighty river that we’ve been studying about, the same river that flows out of God’s throne in Ezekiel’s kingdom, there are groves of extraordinary fruit trees. Unlike the ones on our property, these trees will never wither, and they will always bear fruit, even during the winter!
Pretty remarkable trees, don’t you think?
It is also very interesting to see that a very similar passage appears in the description of the New Jerusalem (See Rev. 22:2). But what does this mean to me, today?
Isaiah tells us that we will be called “trees of righteousness, the plantings of the Lord” (see Is 61:3). David goes on to tell us that we will be planted by the rivers of water, the waters of the sanctuary (See Ps 1:3), and Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, reminds us that as Christians, we are to remain rooted in Christ (See Col 2:7)!
Friends, the trees in the vision of Ezekiel’s temple represent Christians! You and I are those trees! We are rooted and grounded in Christ, and He supplies the living water that we need to bear fruit! But not just any fruit. Fruit that will not rot: “I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” (John 15:16 NIV)
And just what is that fruit? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-24 NIV)
If you think about it, when we bear love, joy and peace, when we show patience, kindness and goodness, when we are faithful and gentle and we show self control, we make a difference in the world around us! We touch people’s lives , we help to restore joy, and we heal broken hearts. Our cheerfulness works like medicine, for ourselves, as well as for others!
But the best part is this: When we bear fruit for the Lord, and when we share freely of that fruit with those around us, when we keep ourselves rooted and grounded in Christ, we will never have to worry about suffering the afflictions of my poor fruit trees! We will truly be: “… like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever [we do] prospers.” (Ps. 1:3)
So what will it be, friends? Will you be like the poor trees on my property? Or will you be mighty trees of righteousness, rooted and grounded in Christ, bearing continually the Fruit of the Spirit for the healing of the nations?
Enough to ponder, but do ponder this: The trees planted by the waters that pour forth from Ezekiel’s temple are each and every Christian. As long as we remain rooted and grounded in Christ, we will bear fruit, and that fruit will be used for the healing of the nations!
Join us next week for the last another important lesson from Ezekiel’s temple: Lessons from Ezekiel’s Temple, Part 15: The Division of the Land.
God bless each of you as you seek to draw closer to Him!
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, www.scripturalnuggets.org , with Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org .
[1] from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, PC Study Bible Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All Rights reserved.
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