河的异象
以西结书四十七章1至12节
1他带我回到殿门，见殿的门槛下有水往东流出（原来殿面朝东）。这水从槛下，由殿的右边，在祭坛的南边往下流。
2他带我出北门，又领我从外边转到朝东的外门，见水从右边流出。
3他手拿准绳往东出去的时候，量了一千肘，使我蹚过水，水到踝子骨；
4他又量了一千肘，使我蹚过水，水就到膝。再量了一千肘，使我蹚过水，水便到腰。
5又量了一千肘，水便成了河，使我不能蹚过；因为水势涨起，成为可洑的水，不可蹚的河。
6他对我说：“人子啊，你看见了甚么？”他就带我回到河边。
7我回到河边的时候，见在河这边与那边的岸上有极多的树木。
8他对我说：“这水往东方流去，必下到亚拉巴，直到海。所发出来的水必流入盐海，使水变甜（注：原文作“得医治”。下同）。
9这河水所到之处，凡滋生的动物都必生活，并且因这流来的水必有极多的鱼，海水也变甜了。这河水所到之处，百物都必生活。
10必有渔夫站在河边，从隐基底直到隐以革莲，都作晒（注：或作“张”）网之处。那鱼各从其类，好像大海的鱼甚多。
11只是泥泞之地与洼湿之处不得治好，必为盐地。
12在河这边与那边的岸上必生长各类的树木。其果可作食物，叶子不枯干，果子不断绝。每月必结新果子，因为这水是从圣所流出来的。树上的果子必作食物，叶子乃为治病。”
信息分享
今天的经文让我们看见一个河的异象，它象征神的恩典和慈爱。本书最后九章经文，勾划了一幅神在祂百姓中间的图画；神在祂应许亚伯拉罕赐给祂子民的地上，住在一所庄严宏伟的圣殿之中。在本书的早前部分，主的荣耀曾经离开那地；但如今我们看见这荣耀已回到那里。
许多人相信这些异象会实实在在地应验；但不管作何解释，我们今天这段经文中出现的河流，是一幅温暖人心的画面，体现神的恩典。有些人将这段经文做喻意解释，认为到足踝的水是指产业，到膝盖的水是喻意祷告，水势上涨，直至淹没全人。河水当然是愈涨便流得愈远；就像我们经历神的恩典，也随着成长而日益加增。
这河流到哪里，就会在那里带来生命。异象中的河一直流到死海，把这个全无生命的海，变成一个美丽的湖泊，其中生长各种的鱼，沿岸绿树成荫。圣经常用带来生命的河流作为异象。诗人在诗篇四十六篇描述「有一道河，这河的分汊使神的城欢喜」。在启示录的最后一章，作者又再描述有一条河，让我们从中瞥见甚么是我们从未体验的完美。它被称为生命河，从神的宝座流出来。
神的宝座会倾流甚么给祂的儿女呢？正是祂那用之不竭的恩典、祂那无穷无尽的爱、祂的一切良善与恩慈。以西结看见它从圣殿──即神的居所流出。我们今天知道，借着耶稣基督和祂的工作，它又流向我们。我们将要为此而感谢祂，直到永永远远。
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.