Terry Dashner…………Faith Fellowship Church PO Box 1586 Broken Arrow, OK 74013

Ezekiel sees a river that has unusual properties. In Chapter 47 of Ezekiel, a body of water is seen as a stream that develops into a river that cannot be forded. What is unusual about this stream is that it enlarges into a great flowing river without any tributaries adding to it. The water has life-generating properties that cause it to increase without additional sources. You might say that it has a life of its own.

Does Bible say more about this river of living water? Yes, it does. The beginning pages of Bible speak about a river flowing from Garden of Eden. The closing chapters of Bible end story of man on earth and open a door to world beyond by describing, in detail, river flowing from Throne of God, throughout Eternal City.

Is there anything worth noting about this river? I think so. I want to share some of more important properties about river of God. To do this, I want to seek answers to four questions about river. First, I want to identify river. Second, I want to locate its origin. Third, I want list its various properties. And, finally, I want to state its relationship to us, Church. So, here I go.

What is river in question? Revelation 22: 1-2 says, “Then angel showed me river of water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from throne of God and of Lamb down middle of great street of city. On each side of river stood tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And leaves of tree are for healing of nations.” (NIV) The river is river of life. It’s a river that has properties of life. Its properties of life sustain tree of life, producing a crop of fruit every month and yielding leaves that heal nations. There is a river of life.

Revelation 21:6 says, “…To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from spring of water of life.” (NIV) The river is also called a spring. Ezekiel saw it as a spring that developed into a river without tributaries. The Bible says that anyone may drink from spring, but only to thirsty will water be given. Are you thirsty for river of life? Jesus said that He is water of Life. If you are thirsty, come to Jesus. He, only He alone, can quench your thirst for life.

“The soul who had to sympathize with whole world was thus prepared that drop of that poison which always produces contempt, resentment and ill feeling against another was destroyed first. So many talk about purification of heart, and so few really know what it is. Some say to be pure means to be free from all evil thought, but there is no evil thought. Call it evil or call it devil, if there is any such thought it is thought of bitterness against another. No one with sense and understanding would like to retain a single drop of poison in his body. And how ignorant it is on part of man when he keeps and cherishes a bitter thought against another in his heart. If a drop of poison can cause death of body, it is equal to a thousand deaths when heart retains smallest thought of bitterness." (56)