The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-09-14
THE lLIFE.ClvlNG
STREAM
Sunday sehoerl rlss,sssss ssssv,. S.isss


GOLDEN TEXT osoever will, let
him take tbs water Of life freely. Rev.
22.17.
TIME.-The lesson Is part of the prophecy
beginning at chapter 40, and was written
N the twenty-fifth year Of Ezekiel's cap
uvity, IA years after the fall Of Jerusa-
,em. Ezekiel was exiied In b. C. 597, and
began to prophesy b. G. 592
PLACE.-The prophecy was written an
Tel-Abib. on the river Chebar. near Baby
Ion.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES. = Sue.
roundings Of Exekiers boyhood, 2 King,
~. 2a Circumstances of Ezekieis exile
Kings "a Ezekiel's call to prophecy.
Ezek. l-S. Compare the lesson with Gen
2s-f7: lisa. ms; Dan. asa Is; Zech TAB:
Matt 1881 John, 7:37-a9; Rev. at
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Y. I. AHe:" 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 ediflce. Waters isstfed :.
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 q fountain upon the hill Of
Jerusalem where the temple was built
sent forth a small stream which
flowed eastward BY this natural
stream God typifed 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:D. 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. "The line:" The line with
which he measured. went forth east
ward" Followed the stream as Il
flowed eastward. "A thousand
cubits:" A cubit Is about 1s inches
hence the distance was nearly one
third Of mile. A~--
VS.. 4, s. At the firSt trial the wate
had been only ankle deep. next 1t wa
high enough to reach his knees, thel
his hips, and q last became . rive
that one, must awim In order to eros
over. The rapid inosease Of tn
! river. without any streams nowinl
into II from either side, shows II wa
not q natusai river, but . symbol
Representatives OF the truth that Go
/. bsstows svsr.increasing blessings upol
J. those isto whose hearts He is admit
2 ted to dwell .-S'---
!. v. 8. "Sen Of man" A title b
a which this prophet often designate
b himself. Hast thou SEEM" Have yo
o Understood what you have thus IA
}. seeni Enzla s!.. slss Z
.l y Z. Very many trees" Where
= stream OF water flows through a bal
y re1 land vegetation quickly spring
a up along its course. Where the rive
: Of salvation flows, there springs up, 4
J. the individual heart, or in the CON
= munity or the nation, all that |
g beautiful and fruitful. 1--WE lear
= more Of these trees IN v. 12.)
8 v. g. Toward the east country:
& To the Jordan river. Into tn
4 DESERT" The lower part of the Jol
n dan valley and the country surrount
= ing the Dead sea was very barre
i region known as the ATabah. "Int
n the sea-" The Dead sea, whose We
ters are 30 salt that no fish 6an liv
In them. Shall be healed" Shai
be restored to freshness like water
the flowing streams.
q v. 9. Everything that liveth whic
moveth:" All animal and vegetabl
life. Mans physical life, as we'll a
his spiritual nature. is invigorated b
Z Christianity. "The rivers" Literally
Q the two rivers. perhaps referring t
t the Juncture with the Jordan
Q v. 10. From En.gedi to En.eglaim:
From the western to the northern
shore Of the Dead sea- The meanin
probably is that fishermen's boats an
nets will be seen on all sides of tn
sea, for wholesome, edible fish will b
as abundant as they are In "the grea
sea"-the Mediterranean.
v. II. "Miry places. marshes, no
. healed" See Rev. Yer. The rock
Q which surround the Dead sea hav
Q become reservoirs Of salt, and In tn
Q vision they remain so. Any spot tina
}. the stream does not touch will remail
b In its former condition. So when tn
y river OF salvation flows through
Q church or community. individua
Q hearts that will not yield to God re
{ main as hard and barren as ever.
v. IL. The prophet now returns b
speak again Of the trees growing upol
the bank. He says they are fruitful
no blight destroys their fruit, thei
fruit Is wholesome. and they bea
new fruit each month. They are ever
green and their leaves have medicina
properties; and all this not becaus
). OF any peculiar properties in them
selves, but because the waters whicl
= flow from the temple feed their roots
John pictures very similar tree
which he styles "the tree of life,
3 growing upon the banks Of the rive
= = of life (Rev. 22:l. %.
Practical Points.
,,| " I. In the sacrifice of Christ Jesu
we see the convincing proof that Go,
= loves and will release us from bond
|. age.-1 Cor. ST.
!, VS.. 3, 4. From small beginnings tn,
q kingdom Of God grows nightly, IL
;. the individual heart and In tn,
r world.-Ps. 72:16.
q v. 8. No place. no heart. Is so bar
a rem but the grace of God can trans
4 form tt-Isa. 51:3.
a v. II. He who does not personally
d accept Jesus will be left cold and bar
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