SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Aug 30, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 35.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS

LESSON II.—SEPTEMBER 10.—THE LIFE-GIVING STREAM.

Lesson Scripture, Eze. 47:1-12, A. R. V.

(1) "And he brought me back unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward (for the forefront of the house was toward the east); and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, on the south of the altar. (2) Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me round by the way without unto the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looketh toward the east; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

(3) "When the man went forth eastward with the line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles. (4) Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the loins. (5) Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through; for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.

(6) "And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the bank of the river. (7) Now when I had returned, behold, upon the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. (8) Then said he unto me, These waters issue forth toward the eastern region, and shall go down into the Arabah; and they shall go toward the sea; into the sea shall the waters go which were made to issue forth; and the waters shall be healed. (9) And it shall come to pass, that every living creature which swarmeth, in every place whither the rivers come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters are come thither, and the waters of the sea shall be healed, and everything shall live whithersoever the river cometh. (10) And it shall come to pass, that fishers shall stand by it; from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim shall be a place for the spreading of nets; their fish shall be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. (11) But the miry places thereof, and the marshes thereof, shall not be healed; they shall be given up to salt. (12) And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall the fruit thereof fail; it shall bring forth new fruit every month, because the waters thereof issue out of the sanctuary; and the fruit thereof shall be for food, and the leaf thereof for healing."

Golden Text.—"Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Rev. 22:17.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) What was shown to Ezekiel in vision, as recorded in chapters 40-48? Note 1. After this general view, where was the prophet taken? What did he there behold? Verse 1. (2) Then where was he brought? And what did he behold there? Verse 2. (3) Then what did the prophet's guide do? And what did he cause the prophet to do? Verse 3. Note 2. (4) What action was then repeated? What is said of the increase of the waters? After measuring another distance, what is said of the waters? Verse 4. (5) Measuring again a thousand cubits, how high were the waters risen? Verse 5. Note 3. (6) Then what question was asked? After this, in what way was the prophet led? Verse 6. Note 4. (7) On returning along the river, what was especially noted? Verse 7. (8) What information was given concerning the waters? Verse 8. Note 5. (9) What effect would the waters have? Verse 9. Note 6. (10) What great change would be noted in the desert region? Verse 10. Note 7. (11) What is said about certain "miry places" and "marshes"? Verse 11. Note 8. (12) What should grow upon the banks of the river? What is said of the fruit of these trees? Verse 12. Note 9.

NOTES.

1. In the last nine chapters of Ezekiel we have a vision of the future kingdom of God. It was written during the captivity in Babylon, twenty-five years after Ezekiel himself was taken to Babylon, and fourteen years after the destruction of Jerusalem and the final carrying away of people and treasure. Daniel had been in Babylon about thirty-four years, and was occupying high position in the kingdom. This vision was evidently given for the encouragement of the captive Jews. Israel might have had a more glorious position, a more extensive city, and a more magnificent sanctuary after the captivity than before, if the people had believed the word of the Lord, and stepped out by faith in His promises when the opportunity was given to them to return. But their failure to do so resulted in a far inferior city and temple, together with many difficulties in securing what they did afterward enjoy. The house referred to in verse 1 is the temple previously described, and the pronoun "he" stands for the one who had been giving the prophet instruction. The "waters" indicate the blessings that should flow out from the house of God; or, perhaps, the growth of the kingdom of God.

2. The man with a line in his hand is the being mentioned in chapter 40:3-5. He is the representative of God.

3. Note particularly the increase in the volume of the stream of water. It starts out from the house, or throne, of God only ankle deep (verse 3), then it is knee-deep, and soon it is up to the loins (verse 4); then, a little further along, one would have to swim in it. In all this time there were no apparent tributaries emptying into the stream; all the water came from the one fountain. We might compare the mustard seed and the leaven of Matthew 13, and the stone cut out of the mountain and filling the whole earth (Daniel 2); also Isaiah's vision of an earth "full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isa. 11:9.

4. In verse 6 the expression, "return to the bank of the river," is sometimes rendered "along the bank," etc. Evidently the prophet had not been away from the river. The "Pulpit Commentary" says: "As the prophet had been led along or on the river's bank to see the increasing breadth and depth of the water, so was he now caused to return on or along the same bank to note the abundance of the foliage with which it was adorned."

5. "Arabah" means "desert," as in the A. V. The desert region from Jerusalem to, and including, the Dead Sea is evidently used by way of illustration.

6. Verse 9 implies a striking contrast. The waters of Jordan, on emptying into the Dead Sea, become salty and unfruitful. But wherever the waters of this river from the house of God shall flow, the result shall be life.

7. En-gedi and En-eglaim were fountains and fertile spots near the Dead Sea, some miles apart, between which was desert. Fish could not live in that sea; but the encouraging vision shows that even such waters would be made to produce life and prosperity.

8. "The miry places" represent the people who do not accept the truth, and therefore do not become fruitful, even tho the blessings of the Gospel be poured out upon them. "The marshes."—There are around the Dead Sea depressions which were filled when the waters overflowed, and in which, when the waters evaporated, there was left salt and other sediment.

9. The ultimate significance of the vision is summed up in verse 12, and the scene of complete fulfilment is carried over to the new earth. This is made clear by comparison with Rev. 22:12. All blessing to the world must come from the sanctuary, or throne, of God as the great fountain head, and it must be dispensed by the Spirit which flows out to all parts through the channel of His Word. There is no other source of reform for this sin-cursed world.