Alive from the Dead

Can you imagine inheriting lake front property, but with one caveat? The lake is dead. There is not an ounce of life in it. What’s more, the lake is so dense with salt and mud that your body can float on top of it. Something is seriously wrong with this lake. Fresh water flows into it, but it is dead. Can you guess where this lake front property is?

It is in Israel! It’s the Dead Sea or Yam Hamelakh (The Salt Sea). The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth, roughly 1,300 feet below sea level. It is thirty-four miles long and varies from two and eleven miles wide. The water is 1,400 feet deep. It is fed by the Jordan River but has no outlet. You cannot catch a fish in it. It has no plant life.

God told Ezekiel that the Dead Sea will live. God uses the metaphor of a resurrected sea to assure His displaced people that one day Israel will become a nation again and they will return to their land, and they will be a people that are ALIVE TO HIM.

God showed Ezekiel water flowing from under the south side of the temple; south of the altar. Ezekiel exited the north gate and saw water trickling out. A man led Ezekiel eastward. He measured the length of the river. During the first 1500 feet of their walk, the water was ankle deep. 1,500 feet later, the water was knee deep. 1,500 feet later, the water was waist deep. 1,500 feet later, over a mile out now, the water was too deep to walk in. Ezekiel had to swim. The man asked Ezekiel, “Son of man, do you see this?” Then, he led Ezekiel to the riverbank where he saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. The water was flowing eastward towards the desert, where it entered the Dead Sea. This river that flowed out from the temple, turned the Dead Sea into the Living Sea. It gives life wherever it goes. It is a river of life. It produces swarms of living creatures and multitudes of fish. People will fish the Dead Sea from En Gedi to En Eglaim or from one end to the other. There will be many kinds of fish. Swamps and marshes will become fresh. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on its banks. Every month they will bear fruit and their leaves will bring healing, thanks to the Lord. [1]

God told Ezekiel how the land would be divided among the tribes. He uses names of places to identify the boundary lines. God revealed this while the tribes were still in exile. He described where the north, east, south, and west boundary lines would fall. A portion of the land will be for foreigners living among them. In the center of the land will be the sanctuary of the Lord. The sanctuary is consecrated for the Zadokites who were faithful to serve the Lord and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray. It is a gift to them. [2]

The gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. Three gates on each side of the city! And the name of the city from that time on will be: “The Lord is there.” [3]

The vision that God gave Prophet Ezekiel is similar to one He gave to Apostle John’s in Revelation 21-22. These prophecies shall be fulfilled. The Lord keeps His promises.

The river that proceeds from God’s temple heals people. They are made alive to God. They want to be where His glory dwells. They want to keep the Sabbath. They want to honor God not self! This is the revival we need! A revival of people glorifying God!

Prophecies of restoration are relevant for us because in some ways WE HAVE BEEN displaced. Christianity no longer enjoys the place it once did in the western world. The Bible, USED to be highly respected. God is saying to us through His prophets not to give up. Do not think the battle is lost. It’s not. If God can make a Dead Sea LIVE, He can raise a dead nation to life as well.

[1] Ezekiel 47:1-12
[2] Ezekiel 47:13-48:12
[3] Ezekiel 48:30-34