The hope of a football game or the hope of stardom
Maybe our hopes are more realistic
The gospel provides us with hope
The people of Ezekiel's time seemed to be living with no hope
Cut off from the land we love
Cut off from God
Ezekiel has to minister to people that are overwhelmed by their disobedience
God is a God of true hope, of everlasting hope
The book of Ezekiel is pictures of hope
Glorious hope towards the end of Ezekiel
The glory of God returns to the temple
There was to be a king again
They could return to the land of promise
There is a river
The book of Ezekiel opens with the river Chebar
This river is symbolic of Israel's captivity
This new temple river is from God
It is the river of God
This river comes from the presence of God
In a symbolic way this river communicates the glory and the presence of God
The river is pictured in the Garden of Eden
God is eternal and everlasting
The river passes the altar
The altar is where the sacrifice is made
The altar is at the place of access to God
This river is going to communicate blessing
This river has a cleansing power
Idolatry has made the land unclean and cursed
God is gracious and merciful
You will not get what you deserve
I will give you water, I am the source
I am the God who will give you all you need
It is the river of life
Eternal life and everlasting life is in God
You cannot exist without water
There is growth (increase in depth) in the river from ankle deep to knee deep to waist deep to needing to swim
There is sufficient life
There is great amounts of water
There is fresh water
There is a great flow of water
There are many kinds of fish in the river (v9)
There are many trees planted in the river banks (v12)
Come to the place of life
It is the river of hope
Ezekiel begins with the river Chebar which is a symbol of bondage
The Israelites had a question: What river are you going to pin your hopes on?
The river out of Eden - Richard Dawkins
There is no real hope or future
There is no real purpose or destiny
This is not what the Bible and the book of Ezekiel tell us
Are you going to chose the Babylonian captivity or the river of God and where it takes you?
This river is part of prophetic symbolism and promise
This prophecy is answered in Jesus Christ
It is not answered in any of the rivers of the world
John 4:13-14 "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
This water is found only in Jesus
John 7:37-39 "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart 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."
Rev 22:1-2 "And he showed me a? pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations"
Rev 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come."
