The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." The Spirit is dwelling in the Bride and has dug the wells of salvation in her. The river of eternal life will flow to the nations from the members of the Body of Christ, from nowhere else. We are ready to participate in the parousia only after Christ has entered us in the spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament feast of Tabernacles (John 14:18-23). Then we are able to draw waters from the well of salvation that is in us.

Ezekiel, Chapter 47 gives a clear picture of the creating of the life-giving spirits (I Corinthians 15:45) and the resulting raising into life of the spiritually-dead peoples of the earth.

The chapter tells us of the "man that had the line in his hand" and of our entering increasing depths of water (Ezekiel 47:3-5).

The "water" represents the Holy Spirit. The water issues out from "under the threshold of the house eastward." This means that the Holy Spirit will flow from Christ, who is the "threshold" of the Temple of God, and He (the Spirit) will do so at the time of the dawning of the Day of the Lord, as symbolized by the expression "toward the east" (verse 1).

The "gate northward" (verse 2) brings to mind that Mount Zion, the place of God's throne, is "on the sides of the north" (Psalms 48:2). The parousia is the entering of the Throne of God into the earth, in Christ and His saints. The throne (Heaven) is joined to the footstool (earth) when those in whom God is dwelling and ruling appear before the nations.

The man with the line in his hand portrays the four judgments through which each saint must pass if he would participate in the parousia.

The first judgment typifies our death to the world.

The second measuring typifies our death to sin.

The third judgment speaks of our death to self-will and self-seeking.

The first measuring (judgment) brings us through the waters to the level of our ankles. We are referring to this as our salvation experience, our first coming to Christ to obtain forgiveness and eternal life. We are to repent of our former life lived in the malice and uncleanness of the world. Our baptism in water signifies we have entered the death of Christ on the cross and have also entered the life of the risen Christ who now is in Heaven at the right hand of God.

The second measuring brings us through the waters of life to the level of our knees. We are comparing this to our walk in the Holy Spirit. Our walk in the Spirit results in putting to death the sins that are in our flesh and our environment.

The Holy Spirit guides us in the work of sanctification. The Spirit provides the wisdom and power that are necessary if we are to be successful in overcoming the lusts of our flesh.

The third judgment brings us through the waters to the level of our loins. This is our decision to forsake our life and follow Christ wherever He leads us. It is the place of death to our life, our goals and ambitions.

To be continued.