...have any of you ran across this calculation?.....   I was looking at Ezekiel 47:1 and following of how a trickle would issue from the Eastern Gate, and of how roughly every quarter mile the tickle would double in size heading to the Dead Sea, southeast of Jerusalem.... anyway the distance is some 35 miles to the point of Engedi....   thusly the stream would grow by a magitude of 2 to the 140th power,....   now 2 to the 100th power exceeds the limits of the Cosmos, estimated at 13.5 billion light years( if one began with the thickness of a piece of paper)....  thusly the River of Gods mercy flowing from beneath the Door (figerative of the Christ and His wound on the Cross, the Water) would on reaching the Dead Sea, be unimaginablely larger than the Cosmos and the "Heaven of Heavens"...."Will God dwell on earth? Behold, the earth and heaven of heaven of heavens cannot contain your Glory" ( this is a paraquote from I think 1 Kings...( don't have a Bible here)...   and thats just that measurement of the River of the Spirit, assumimg all the dimensions again of God, from that short flow....

again have any of you encountered this interpetation? ..... I presented it to my Sunday School class, and was well somewhat accused of "philosophy"......it the Stream/River is a humble River, for it follows on the earth downward to the lowest , deadliest place on Earth...and is so exalted because it humbles Itself, as the Christ, who humbled Himself being of no reputation...

Hey Leight,

Haven't shared with you for a while.  I confess I had never been drawn to that passage for study, but now is as good a time as any.

From what I gather the water is the spreading gospel to come.  It will originate in Zion as a trickle and so when the first disciples began to preach the gospel at Pentecost they are resembled here.  Then Paul got involved and began to preach the message in various cities and nations around Israel and with the help of more disciples the gospel message spread as waist high.  Today the gospel is a broad flowing river covering the whole of the earth and everywhere that it is spread fisherman spread their nets and this is in keeping with Jesus' explanation to the first disciples that he would make them fishers of men.  Furthermore, the desert would be the dry and parched earth filled with unbelievers and the river would flow through those places until it would reach the sea where many would be believers.  This is why the river continues to grow.  More and more people are added to the 'river' by the preaching of the gospel and then those who believe going out and preaching the gospel.  It is an ever increasing abundance of preachers and believers who make up this river as it runs to the sea.

So, I'm not sure that it is representative of God's mercy as that seems to me to have always been of great abundance, but it may well help explain how great and wide and deep is the Father's love for us.

Just my thoughts, but I also find agreement in Matthew Henry's commentary.

God bless.

In Christ, Ted.

...Sherrimunnerlynn....   you are so right, every contemplation of the Christ, brings rest, rest as we are bore along upon His Streams in the desert...  entering into His rest...   lulled...

I lately have because I teach Sunday School, have had the task of studying the Acension....  and there is a real rest in understanding the Scriptures....   Our Lord is there, high above everything, ruling everything, calling us "brothers" and putting our/HIS enemies under our/HIS feet!!!!

    I'm going through a trial of sorts, but with this undergirding of Scripture, concerning His Lordship, and care of me,....I am at rest!!!  Resting upon His Word, a Rock Solid River....(molten lava?; just a thought, but we are children of the consuming fire...)

Hi Leight,

Here's a wonderful, short, very practical commentary on this from a favorite teacher of mine:

  "Have you seen this?" The Lord asks us the same question because that's the order of what happens in our walk. We're walking with Jesus and we get our feet wet up to our ankles. "This is great," we say. "I'm on solid ground. I'm standing in the Lord. I'm born again. My sins are forgiven. I'm on my way to heaven!" Then the Lord says, "Let's go a little deeper."

So He takes us down river a thousand cubits and says, "Go in again." This time, we go up to our knees. "I want you to learn what it means to pray-not only to stand, but now to pray because you're aware of the challenges and problems and struggles of life." Then the Lord says, "We're going deeper still." So we walk in up to our loins-the place of reproduction. As we grow in the knowledge of God, as we stay in His Word, as we learn how to pray, we're going to reproduce spiritually. If a congregation is healthy, it will naturally grow because healthy sheep naturally reproduce. It's inevitable.

Then the Lord says, "There's one more stop. This time you're going over your head in water so deep you can swim in it. You can be refreshed by it, but you can no longer control it. You're over your head." Praying in the Spirit, dying to self, worshiping with consistency, walking in power-have you seen this?

Where are you? Are you up to your ankles? Have you just begun your walk with Jesus? If you have, that's great-but move on. Get on your knees. Learn how to intercede, to pray and to be faithful in your devotional life. Are you a prayer warrior? Great, then start reproducing. Start witnessing and sharing. But if you're still desiring more, take the plunge today. Step in deeper still to the place where you want to be used by the Lord no matter the price.

Where are you now? Where do you desire to be? The Lord will take you as far down the river as you want to go."

Blessings to you in Christ's love,

Called2serv

 C2S Wrote: Here's a wonderful, short, very practical commentary on this from a favorite teacher of mine:

Where are you? 

Where are you now? Where do you desire to be? The Lord will take you as far down the river as you want to go."<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

It reminds me of God's question to Adam in the Garden of Eden.  HE knew where Adam was and what had transpired, but the Question was more for Adam to acknowledge "Where he was" in relationship to GOD----as is seen in the answers given. The plan of Salvation was spelled out to Adam as seen in the "slain animal to 'cloth' the pair.(And is why Cain's sacrifice was rejected)".

Jesus spoke about one's lost condition in the three parables---"lost coin"(didn't know it was lost, but the owner did and sought it.)------"Lost sheep"(knew it was lost, but didn't know the way back to the fold)-----"Prodigal son"(knew he had departed and returned.) In all three the "Father" sought for the "lost". The Father kept vigil for the returning son. (The son had intelligence which was lacking in the coin and sheep).   Therefore, "Where do you desire to be? The answer will depend upon whether one acknowledges their lost condition and the choice they make in wanting to correct it.  The "beatitudes" gives the phases a repentant sinner will go through in reaching for that waiting Father.

First he will recognize that his "spirit" is in not in a right relationship. And in so doing will mourn to be comforted. and in meekness will acknowledge that he has no strength to overcome this condition of his. It is then that he hungers and thirsts for the righteousness, which isn't found in a survival of the fittest attitude, but in meekness and loving attitude to one's fellow man from a pure heart and a spirit of reconciling all men as a peacemaker,. However, this will put him at odds with the sinners who will persecute him for leaving their ranks. However the rewards for doing so is the kingdom of heaven.

Where? Hopefully, all will find themselves at the foot of the cross, or having confessed their sins, repented of them, submitted their will to the Father's and accepted the Atoning Blood which blots out one's sins.(Born-again)