Ezekiel 47:1-9,12
John 5:1-3, 5-16
Along the river, on either bank, will grow every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; they will bear new fruit every month, because this water comes from the sanctuary. And their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal.
This passage from Ezekiel comes towards the end of a long and complicated vision of the new Temple. Beginning at Ch 40, Ezekiel’s vision fills seven chapters and its details can be hard to follow. By the time we get to Ch 47 there is a change and the mood is one of hope and healing. Water flows out from the Temple and wherever the water flows there is life.
The idea of a tree that can both provide something good to eat and be medicinal is a very comforting image. We’ve largely lost the practice of turning to nature for our healing.
After our experience in the pandemic of having to consider the life and death implications of everything that makes up our daily lives, we need Ezekiel’s message of hope more than ever.
Where do you look for healing?