河的異象
以西結書四十七章1至12節
1他帶我回到殿門，見殿的門檻下有水往東流出（原來殿面朝東）。這水從檻下，由殿的右邊，在祭壇的南邊往下流。
2他帶我出北門，又領我從外邊轉到朝東的外門，見水從右邊流出。
3他手拿準繩往東出去的時候，量了一千肘，使我蹚過水，水到踝子骨；
4他又量了一千肘，使我蹚過水，水就到膝。再量了一千肘，使我蹚過水，水便到腰。
5又量了一千肘，水便成了河，使我不能蹚過；因為水勢漲起，成為可洑的水，不可蹚的河。
6他對我說：“人子啊，你看見了甚麼？”他就帶我回到河邊。
7我回到河邊的時候，見在河這邊與那邊的岸上有極多的樹木。
8他對我說：“這水往東方流去，必下到亞拉巴，直到海。所發出來的水必流入鹽海，使水變甜（註：原文作“得醫治”。下同）。
9這河水所到之處，凡滋生的動物都必生活，並且因這流來的水必有極多的魚，海水也變甜了。這河水所到之處，百物都必生活。
10必有漁夫站在河邊，從隱基底直到隱以革蓮，都作曬（註：或作“張”）網之處。那魚各從其類，好像大海的魚甚多。
11只是泥濘之地與窪濕之處不得治好，必為鹽地。
12在河這邊與那邊的岸上必生長各類的樹木。其果可作食物，葉子不枯乾，果子不斷絕。每月必結新果子，因為這水是從聖所流出來的。樹上的果子必作食物，葉子乃為治病。”
信息分享
今天的經文讓我們看見一個河的異象，它象徵神的恩典和慈愛。本書最後九章經文，勾劃了一幅神在祂百姓中間的圖畫；神在祂應許亞伯拉罕賜給祂子民的地上，住在一所莊嚴宏偉的聖殿之中。在本書的早前部分，主的榮耀曾經離開那地；但如今我們看見這榮耀已回到那裡。
許多人相信這些異象會實實在在地應驗；但不管作何解釋，我們今天這段經文中出現的河流，是一幅溫暖人心的畫面，體現神的恩典。有些人將這段經文做喻意解釋，認為到足踝的水是指產業，到膝蓋的水是喻意禱告，水勢上漲，直至淹沒全人。河水當然是愈漲便流得愈遠；就像我們經歷神的恩典，也隨著成長而日益加增。
這河流到哪裡，就會在那裡帶來生命。異象中的河一直流到死海，把這個全無生命的海，變成一個美麗的湖泊，其中生長各種的魚，沿岸綠樹成蔭。聖經常用帶來生命的河流作為異象。詩人在詩篇四十六篇描述「有一道河，這河的分汊使神的城歡喜」。在啟示錄的最後一章，作者又再描述有一條河，讓我們從中瞥見甚麼是我們從未體驗的完美。它被稱為生命河，從神的寶座流出來。
神的寶座會傾流甚麼給祂的兒女呢？正是祂那用之不竭的恩典、祂那無窮無盡的愛、祂的一切良善與恩慈。以西結看見它從聖殿──即神的居所流出。我們今天知道，藉著耶穌基督和祂的工作，它又流向我們。我們將要為此而感謝祂，直到永永遠遠。
THE VISION OF THE RIVER
Ezekiel 47:1-12
1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.
2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.
3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles.
4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist.
5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.
7 When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other.
8 Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed.
9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
10 It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many.
11 But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt.
12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
Message
Today’s reading brings us a vision of a river which symbolizes the grace and love of God. The last nine chapters of this book deal with a picture of God among His people, dwelling in a magnificent temple in the land that God had promised Abraham His people should possess. Earlier in this book the glory of the Lord had departed. Now we see that it has returned.
Many believe these visions will be literally fulfilled, but whatever the interpretation is, this river in our reading today is a heart warming picture of the grace of God. Some see it as an analogy with the water to the ankles speaking of possession, the water to the knees speaking of prayer, and finally so deep that it covers the person completely. The river certainly expands as it flows, as our experience of the grace of God should expand as we grow.
Wherever this river flows it brings life. In the vision it flows into the Dead Sea, a place where nothing can live, and turns it into a beautiful lake filled with fish and with trees on either side. God’s Word often uses the picture of a river which brings life. In Psalm 46, the writer describes a river which “makes glad the city of God”. In the last chapter of Revelation, again a river is seen giving a glimpse of perfection such as we have never known. It is called the river of life and flows from the throne of God.
What comes from the throne of God for His children? All of His inexhaustible grace, all of His boundless love, all of His goodness and kindness. Ezekiel saw it coming from the temple, the place where God dwelt. We know it today coming to us in the person and from the work of Jesus Christ. It will take Eternity to thank Him for all of this.