The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1905-09-08
THE LlFE-GIVING
STREAM
Sunday School Lessonfor Sept.lo.l9o5
Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TExT.-Ezekie 47:1-12 Menu
DRY verses, 3-5.
GOLDEN TExT--''W hosoever will. let
him take the water Of life freely. Rev
22:17
TIME.-The lesson is part Of the prophecy
beginning at chapter 49, and was written
in the twenty-ffth year of Ezekiel's cap
tivity, IA years after the fall of Jerusa-
lem. Ezekiel was exlled in 3. G.. $50, and
began to prophesy b. c. 592.
PLACE.-The prophecy was written at
Tel-Abib, on the river Chebar, near Baby
Ion.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES. - Sur
roundings of Ezekiel's boyhood. 2 Kings
%. 20. Circumstances OF Ezekiel's exile
Kings "a. Ezekiel's call to prophecy.
Eek. 1-S. Compare the lesson with Gen
2:S-17; lisa. 11:9; Dan 2:34, Is; Zech 14:S;
Matt. 13:3i-33; John, 1919; Rev. 22:12
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
V. l. "He:" The visionary being who
was conducting Ezekiel around the
temple. Unto the door, He had
been examining the court of the tenn
pie, and now turned back to the door
of the edifice. Waters issued
eastward" The waters issued from
under the right side of the house,
which faced eastward, flowed around
the south side of the brazen altar of
sacrifice, which stood before the Holy
Place, then onward toward the east.
In reality fountain upon the hill Of
Jerusalem where the temple was built
sent forth small stream which
flowed eastward BY this natural
stream God typified the spiritual
stream of blessing and of influence
about which He wished to teach His
people.
V. 2 "Gate northward:" The east
ern gate was closed (46:1), hence
they passed out of the northern gate
around the outer WALL until they came
to the outer side of the eastern gate,
from which the waters flowed
V. 8. 1.-The line" The line with
which he measured. "Went forth east
ward" Followed the stream as it
flowed eastward "a thousand
cubits:" A cubit is about IS inches.
hence the distance was nearly one
third of mile - AM
VS.. 4, 5. At the first trial the water
had been only ankle deep, next it was
high enough to reach his knees, then
his hips, and at last became a river
that one must swim in order to cross
over. The rapid increase of the
river, without any streams flowing
into it from either SIDE shows it was
not natural river, but a symbolic
representation of the truth that God
bestows ever-increasing blessings upon
those into whose hearts He is admit
ted to dwell.
w. 6. Son of man." A title by
which this prophet often designates
himself. Hast thou SEEM" Have you
understood what you have thus far
seen?
Y. 7. very many trees" Where a
stream of water flows through bar
rel land vegetation quickly springs
up along its course. Where the river
of salvation flows, there springs up, in
the individual heart, or in the COM
munity or the nation, all that is
beautiful and fruitful. eve learn
more of these trees in V. 12.)
" s. Toward the east country"
To the Jordan river Into the
desert" The lower part of the Jor-
dan valley and the country surround
ing the Dead sea was very barren
region known as the Arabah. Into
the sea-" The Dead sea, whose wa
tiers are so salt that no fish can live
iE them "Shall be healed" Shall
hc restored to freshness like water Of
the flowing streams.
v. 9. Everything that liveth which
moveth:" All animal and vegetable
life Mans physical life, as well az
his spiritual nature. is invigorated by
Christianity. 1.-THE rivers" Literally.
the Two. rivers, perhaps referring to
the juncture with the Jordan
V. TO- From En-gedi to En-eglaim:"
From the western to the northern
shore of the Dead sea. The meaning
probably is that fishermens boats and
nets will be seen on all sid2s of the
sea, for wholesome. edible fish will be
as abundant as they are in "the great
sea'-the Mediterranean.
V. II. 'Miry places, marshes, not
healed" See Rev. Yer. The rocks
which surround the Dead sea have
become reservoirs Of salt. and in the
vision they remain so. Any spot that
the stream does not touch will remain
in it's former condition. So when the
river of salvation flows through a
church or community. individual
hearts that will not yield to God re-
main as hard and barren as ever.
v. II. The prophet now returns to
speak again of the trees growing upon
the bank He says they are fruitful.
no blight destroys their fruit, their
fruit is wholesome, and they bear
new fruit each month. They are ever
green and their leaves have medicinal
properties; and all this not because
of any peculiar properties in them
selves, but because the waters which
flow from the temple feed their roots.
John pictures a very similar tree.
which he styles "the tree of lffe."
growing upon the banks of the river
of life Grew. 22:1. %.
Practical Points.
v. 1. In the sacrifice of Christ Jesus
we see the convincing proof that God
loves and will release US from bond
age.--s Cor. ST..
Vs. 3, 4. From small beginnings the
kingdom of God grows nightly, in
the individual heart and in the
world-Ps. 1916.
v. s. No place, no heart, is so bar
rem but the grace of God can trans
&c.,.