Ezekiel 47:12, commentary and pictures

By the sanctuary a small stream of pure living water flows eastward from beneath the threshold and deepens from ankles to knees to loins until it becomes an impassable river, and on both its banks grow every kind of food tree whose leaf never withers and whose fruit is never exhausted, bearing anew each month for food and for healing because the waters come from the sanctuary and give life wherever they reach. This will be literally fulfilled in the holy city, where real trees stand on either side of the river and the tree of life bears beautiful fruit for the redeemed to eat freely while its leaves heal the nations in a land of unfailing abundance. The river is the gospel of Christ and present truth to be given in purity to prepare the way of the Lord, beginning in a small way at Jerusalem and growing deeper and wider as it extends east and west and northward to the islands of the sea and all parts of the world until the whole earth is warned. It flows as spiritual blessing and healing through people in whom Christ dwells, who receive grace from the Saviour to impart to others, and medical missionary work and sanitariums are ordained to be such a river with medicinal power for the physical and spiritual infirmities of sin-sick humanity. God's kingdom is not a stagnant pool but a constantly flowing river whose people and homes become its channels and fruitful trees with unfading leaves, and nature itself holds a health-restoring blessing that physicians should use by keeping patients in open air among beautiful growing things to uplift soul and relieve body and mind.

River and Fruitful Trees

The waters issue out of the sanctuary, proceeding as pure living water clear as crystal from a glorious throne. They begin as a very small rivulet from under the threshold of the house eastward at the south side of the altar. As the stream flows it deepens from ankles to knees to loins until it becomes a river that cannot be passed over.

On both banks of the river grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaf does not fade or wither and their fruit is never consumed. They bring forth new fruit every month, with the fruit for meat and the leaf for medicine, because their waters issue out of the sanctuary. Wherever the river comes everything lives and the waters are healed.

The scene will be literally fulfilled in the holy city, where real trees stand on both banks of the river. On each side stands the tree of life bearing most beautiful fruit, with other beautiful trees along the banks bearing fruit good for food. Jesus himself will lead the redeemed to eat freely and declare the leaves are for the healing of the nations. In this fulfillment the verse pictures an immortal land of unfailing abundance.

Gospel Spreading Worldwide

The river is the gospel of Christ and the present truth for this time, received as a stream of living water and to be given in its purity in clear, unmistakable language to prepare the way of the Lord under the overruling guidance of the Holy Spirit. The gifts and power of the Holy Spirit accompany the Word and cause it to yield great results, so that wherever the river comes there is life and healing, with trees for food on both banks whose leaf never fades and whose fruit is never consumed, bringing forth new fruit every month for meat with leaves for medicine because their waters issue out of the sanctuary. The deepening and widening of the stream in its course is the appointed way for the truth for this time to go.

The waters rising from ankles to knees to loins to a river that cannot be passed over mean a work that begins in a very small way as a rivulet from under the threshold of the house eastward at the south side of the altar and then grows into a large work, larger and deeper and wider as it flows. Going forth from Jerusalem, it extends eastward and westward and northward, to the islands of the sea, to fields nigh and afar off and to all parts of the world and all countries. It heals all waters where they come and gives life to everything they reach, reaching many souls and bearing much fruit until the message is heard and understood and the whole earth has been warned, and then the end comes.

This spread comes not through display nor through any devising of man and not by centering the work in any one place, but because of the working of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of human agencies. Christ worked in this way, and when His methods become the methods of His followers His blessing will attend their labors, without display or human devising. Each institution is to remain independent working out God's plan under His direction, while the message is carried by men called from the plow and from common commercial vocations and educated with men of experience to proclaim the truth with power. Through divine providence mountains of difficulty are removed and cast into the sea, and the work advances onward and still onward, and the work at Madison shows this pattern of a work begun in a small way growing large for carrying the message in many places.

Channels of Healing Life

The river of life and healing flowing from the sanctuary pictures spiritual blessing sent through people in whom Christ dwells for the good of the world and the healing of body and soul. As Joseph was made a fountain of life to preserve Egypt and Daniel saved the life of all the wise men of Babylon, so connection with God brings spiritual blessing to the world. Everyone in whose heart Christ abides receives grace from the Saviour to impart to others, becoming a worker together with God for the blessing of humanity until a tide of spiritual life flows forth from the whole being. On both banks grow all kinds of food trees whose leaves never fade and whose fruit is never consumed but brings forth new fruit every month for food, with leaves for medicine, because the waters issue out of the sanctuary, and wherever the rivers come everything lives and the waters are healed.

Medical missionary work is that river whose waters issue out of the sanctuary, bringing life to everything whithersoever it comes. Sanitariums are designed to be such a river from the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, carrying medicinal power that heals both the physical and spiritual infirmities of sin-sick suffering humanity. Every worker in whom Christ abides works together with Christ the Great Physician to impart received grace and let the tide of spiritual life flow forth for the blessing of the world.

God's chosen kingdom is not a stagnant pool but a river constantly flowing and growing deeper and wider as it advances until its life-giving waters are spread over all the earth. The waters are the gospel of God received, whose grace heals the maladies sin has produced, giving sanctification, comfort, victory over the world, light, strength, and refreshing to those who look to God and walk humbly with contrition. The trees with unfading leaves and new fruit in season are God's people bearing good fruit that witnesses to a work of righteousness, with healing like the Sun of righteousness arising with healing in His beams. Homes that welcome divine principles become channels of this life-giving influence, bringing healing, life, beauty, and fruitfulness where there was barrenness.

A health-restoring blessing is placed in nature, where the fruit of trees is for meat and the leaf is for medicine, and all physicians should be wise to learn this lesson for restoring health to the sick. Physicians should prescribe open-air life as a beneficial, life-giving necessity, keeping the sick outdoors as long as possible and surrounding them with the beautiful things of nature where they can see flowers growing and hear birds singing. Patients should be encouraged to tend flowers and do light pleasant work outdoors. This draws the mind from self, makes patients cheerful and hopeful, uplifts the soul, and brings relief to body and mind, a return to God's original design infinitely better than drug medication.