Where the River Flows by Larry W Peebles November 2, 2018 18.32
I grew up in the State of Texas, having spent most of my formative years in the central part of the state. The land was known as the Blacklands region of the state, famous for the rich black soil used for farming and pasture for cattle. Many emigrant farmers from Europe settled in the state after Texas won its independence from Mexico. They came because of the soil. They found relatively flat land with native grasses stretching for miles. The land required little clearing in order to farm, mostly brush and cactus. My grandfather owned two farms in the area– the one where he was born, lived, and died, and another he leased to someone else to farm on a shared-crop basis.
The soil contained some clay, but not enough to keep it from being good farm land. In the heat of summer, the clay would dry and shrink, causing the soil to develop gaping cracks. Other times of the year, the rains would reverse the process. The clay would absorb the moisture, and swell until the cracks closed. The soil would certainly support planted trees, but they required supplemental water until they were established with deeper roots. With one notable exception, these grassy plains with gentle rolling hills had few native trees.
This notable exception occurred along the creeks and rivers. With a continual source of water, the native trees could live and grow. If one were to examine an aerial map of the land, the location of the existing trees followed the route of the rivers and creeks. Huge old elm, pecan, cottonwood, and live oak trees can be found in abundance along the rivers of central Texas. Where the river flows, the native trees live.
This observation from the natural world leads to a revelation in the spiritual realm. In the 47th Chapter of the Book of Ezekiel, this Old Testament prophet recorded a vision of heaven. Specifically, he saw the living water of God flowing from the throne of God. The water formed a river that flowed through the city of God and stretched down to earth. He wrote of a number of things he saw in the vision (verses 1-12), but this article will focus on Ezekiel 47:9, where we read- “And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live….everything will live wherever the river goes.” The disciple John also saw an almost identical vision, and wrote of it in the Book of Revelation, Chapter 22.
To relate this to the spiritual realm, we need to understand that the living water Ezekiel (and John) saw was the Holy Spirit. Jesus made this clear in John 7:37-39- “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart [belly] will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” We know this prophetic statement by Jesus was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon and into the hearts of believers following Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. Jesus had also prophesied that when He was gone, the Holy Spirit would come. (John 16:7). The Spirit remains in the earth today, moving among us in power to counsel, help, and heal.
Jesus is the Creator and Giver of life (Colossians 1:16; Genesis 2:7; Psalm 36:9; John 11:25). All life emanates from Him. There is no life without Him. Indeed, He said “I am the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6). He did not just create and give life—He is life. He is also Lord—defined as “the title for a person or diety who has authority, control, or power over others acting like a master, a chief, or a ruler, and to whom service and obedience is due” (Merriam-Webster). Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the World is Lord of all, and that includes life (Acts 10:36). He proved that by raising Lazarus from the dead after he was already in the grave for four days. Jesus proved it again once and for all by rising from the dead after He had been in the grave three days. Both life and death are subject to Him. If we are alive in Christ, and His Spirit lives in us (we are “born again”), then we are truly alive, even into all eternity (John3:3). If we are alive in this earthly life, but are living without Jesus and the indwelling of His Spirit, then we are among the walking dead, and are doomed unto an eternal torment.
Now we see how the puzzle fits together. All life comes from Jesus. When man sinned, he introduced death into the world. Jesus covered and atoned for that mistake by His own death and resurrection. When His work on earth was done, He returned to the Father in Heaven, and sent the Holy Spirit to be with us. The Holy Spirit comes like a river of living water stretching from the throne of God to man. Where that river of the Holy Spirit flows, everything lives. Death is defeated. Not only is man forgiven, he can live forever.
Jesus said in John 11:25-26- “I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. He who does not believe in Jesus, and does not have His Holy Spirit living in him, shall never truly live. Life in this realm without Jesus is not really living, and there is no hope for eternal life. Without the living water, we not only shrink and crack as we become dry, we also cannot bear fruit. Our lives are not productive.
When we live a life filled with the Holy Spirit, the overflow comes out of our heart/belly/inner being and affects those around us. Wherever we walk or speak, we are to bring words that give life. These would be words of hope, help, wisdom, and encouragement. We are to speak of Jesus, so that our words produce fruit in the form of changed lives around us. We are to spread around the Spirit within us. We are to be in the water distribution business—living water, that is.
The power of this living water, the Holy Spirit we are to receive and carry, is such that it does just produce life. It produces an abundant life. Jesus said in John 10:10- “The thief (devil) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that more abundantly.” Jesus presents a clear contrast between the purpose of the devil- to kill, steal, and destroy, and His purpose-to bring life in abundance.
Since all life comes from Jesus, it stands to reason that the presence of His Holy Spirit, the living water of God, would produce life. We can expect no less than a full and victorious life when we stand in the flow of the Holy Ghost.
There is a contemporary worship song that provides a fitting end to this article- Jesus Christ My Living Hope-B. Johnson, Bethel:
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
His buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence the roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me.
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my Living Hope.
When we know Jesus, we can be filled with His Holy Spirit. We can have life and hope. Where the river (living water) goes, everything lives.
