Scripture Reading: Psa. 36:8; 46:4; Ezek. 47:1-12
Ⅰ
In the Scriptures the concept of the unique flow of life, the divine stream, is crucial—Gen. 2:10-14; Psa. 46:4; John 7:37-39; Rev. 22:1:
A
The Bible reveals the flowing Triune God—the Father as the fountain of life, the Son as the spring of life, and the Spirit as the river of life—John 4:14b; 7:37-39; Psa. 36:8-9; 46:4; Rev. 22:1.
B
The Bible tells us the story of God's flowing; the source of the flow is the throne of God and of the Lamb—Rev. 22:1.
C
In the Scriptures there is only one flow, only one divine stream; the divine stream, which has been flowing throughout the generations, is uniquely one—Gen. 2:10-14; Rev. 22:1.
D
The issue of our experience of the flowing Triune God is that we become God's ultimate building, the New Jerusalem—21:2.
E
The destination of the flowing Triune God is the New Jerusalem—John 4:14; Rev. 21:10-11; 22:1.
Ⅱ
The Bible describes the experience of the water of life both before and after the building of the house and city of God:
A
Before the building of the house of God, the Bible speaks of the springs of water (Exo. 15:22-27), the water out of the cleft rock (17:6; Num. 20:11; 1 Cor. 10:4), and the water from the well (Num. 21:16-17).
B
After the building of the house of God, the Bible speaks of the river of God's pleas-ures (Psa. 36:8b), the river whose streams gladden the city of God (46:4), a foun-tain going forth from the house of Jehovah (Joel 3:18), and living waters going forth from Jerusalem (Zech. 14:8).
C
On the one hand, the flow of life produces precious materials for God's building (Gen. 2:9-12, 22); on the other hand, the flow of life depends on God's build-ing (Ezek. 47:1a).
D
Wherever a group of believers is built up in oneness as described by Ezekiel, there will be the flowing of the river, the one divine stream of the Lord's move, out of the building—cf. Acts 1:14.
Ⅲ
The flow of life is in God's building—Psa. 36:8-9; 46:4:
A
The water of life is related to God's house and God's city—36:8-9; 46:4:
１
The river of the divine pleasures refers to the Spirit as the river of water of life—36:8; John 7:37-39; Rev. 22:1.
２
The river that gladdens the city of God signifies the flowing of the Triune God in Christ through the Spirit as life to His people—Psa. 46:4; Rev. 22:1.
B
God in Christ is the fountain, the source, of living water in the church, the house of God—Ezek. 47:1; Psa. 36:8; 46:4:
１
The water is flowing from within the house because the fountain is in the house; the water now flows within and out of the house of God.
２
God in Christ is within the house as the fountain, the source, of living water; out of Him the living water flows.
C
In God's building, the living water flows not instantly and occasionally but con-stantly and eternally—Num. 20:11; Rev. 22:1.
Ⅳ
The flow of life comes out from God's building, God's house—Ezek. 47:1-12:
A
We need to experience the flowing of the living water out of the house of God— vv. 1-5.
B
We may be in a local church, yet the water of life may not be deep.
C
For the increase of the flow of life, we need to be measured by the Lord as the man of bronze—40:3; 47:2-6; Rev. 1:15; cf. John 7:37-39:
１
In the house the water is flowing constantly, but the depth of the water de-pends on measuring—Ezek. 47:3-5:
ａ
The main point for us in Ezekiel 47 is that we need to be willing to be measured.
ｂ
To measure is to test, examine, judge, and possess—42:20.
２
The four measurings, each of a thousand cubits, which is a complete unit (cf. Psa. 84:10), indicate that as creatures, we need to be thoroughly measured by the Lord so that He may take over and thoroughly possess our entire being— Ezek. 47:3-5.
３
The more we allow the Lord to test, examine, and judge us to possess us, the deeper the flow becomes; the depth of the flow depends on how much we have been measured by the Lord.
４
The more we are measured by the Lord, the more we are restricted and lim-ited by the flowing of the grace of life until we are eventually lost in and carried along by the flowing Triune God as a river in which to swim; in one sense, we lose all our freedom, but in another sense, we are really free— vv. 5-6a.
D
The Lord is not content with only a flow of living water; He desires a river be-cause the river waters, heals, and produces—vv. 7-12:
１
If we are willing to be built up as the house of the Lord, we will have God in Christ within us as the fountain, the source, of the living water.
２
If we are willing to be measured again and again in order to be completely possessed by the Lord, there will be a river to swim in, a river that cannot be crossed, a river that will carry us on toward God's goal—Rev. 21:2.