THE HOLYWATER AND THE HOLY LAND After mentioning some of the statutes concerning the new temple, he talked about: 1- The holy waters 1-12. 2- The holy land 13-23. 1- THE HOLY WATERS In the minds of the prophets of the Old Testament, the era of the Messiah is the golden era, for which the world has long awaited. They described it as an era rich in abundant waters. We have already dealt with this issue1. The prophet Zechariah sees in this water the source of purity of the people (Zech 13:1); the prophet Joel sees in it the secret of its sanctification (Joel 3:18); the prophet Isaiah, sees in it the secret of the transformation of the wilderness into flowering pasture (Is 44:3). As to the prophet Ezekiel, he believes that the Lord has cleansed humanity, and purified it from its abominations; saying: “I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil” (Ez 16:9). He ends his talk about the new temple, by describing the holy waters that flows from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar (Ez 47:1-12). In this talk we notice the following: a- The prophet Ezekiel saw the 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” (Ez 47:1). What is this temple facing east, but the Church of the New Testament, that faces toward the Lord Christ - her East; and embraces the holy altar, on which the sacrifice of the New Testament is offered. The holy water that flows from under its threshold, is the ‘Holy Baptism,’ without which no one can enter into fellowship in the Church of Christ. This water draws its power through the sacrifice; according to the words of the apostle John: “There are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one” (1 John 5:8). This is the Christian Baptism, which is the action of the Holy Spirit that works in it through the blood of the Lord Christ. This water purifies the world; and as St. Jerome says: [As the world falls into sin, nothing can purify it once again, except that fountain of water2.] b- The prophet Ezekiel saw a man who measured 1000 cubits, then brought him through the water; measured another 1000 cubits, then a third; At the fourth, “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. He said to me: ‘Son of Adam, have you seen this?.’ Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river”(Ez 47:5-6). What is this scene, but bringing the prophet Ezekiel to the sacrament of Baptism?! We know that the figure 1000 refers to the heavenly life; as one day for the Lord is like a 1000 years. It is as though the prophet Ezekiel has entered into the heavenly life through Baptism. Repeating the 1000 four times, is because the work of Baptism embraces the inhabitants of the world, peoples and nations, who come from everywhere (East, west, north, and south). For the believers everywhere to get a heavenly Baptism. There the prophet Ezekiel 1 ا رجع كتابنا : الروح القدس بین المیلاد الجدید والتجدید المستمر، الباب الأول. 2 Epist. 69:6. 5 contemplated on the sacrament of Baptism to find it surpassing any human consideration. He saw it as a river that could not be crossed; and had to return to the bank to contemplate on God’s work with people, through the holy waters. c- Addressing the prophet by the phrase: “Son of Adam, have you seen this?,” reminds us of God’s call to Adam, saying: “Where are you?.” If Adam has lost the splendor of his nature and glories in Paradise, now he is gaining what is lost. That is the cause of this exclamation question! d- Returning to the bank, there, along its banks the prophet saw: “very many trees on one side and the other” (Ez 47:7). It is a symbolic portrait of the believers, “planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth their fruits in its season; whose leaves shall not wither, and whatever they do shall prosper” (Ps 1:3). These are the believers, on whom the Holy Spirit descended, to turn them into exceedingly many trees in the paradise of God. e- He also saw: “a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes” (Ez 47:9). He saw “fish of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea; exceedingly many” (Ez 47:10). And as the trees refer to the believers, likening the Lord Christ, the ‘Tree of Life;’ so also the fish, they refer to the believers, likening the Lord Christ, the ‘Fish (Ichsus);’ they live in the water of Baptism. Origen says: [Christ allegorically, is called ‘the Fish1.’] And Tertullian says: [We are the small fish; according to our fish Jesus Christ, we were born in the water; and shall never be safe, except by staying always there2.] f- He speaks about the sanctification of the water, saying: “Because their water flows from the sanctuary” (Ez 47:12). 2- THE HOLY LAND After talking about the holy temple and the holy city, He started to designate the holy land that He promised His people, and to distribute it among them. Here we notice: a- He says: “I lifted My hand in an oath to give it to your fathers, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance” (Ez 47:14). As though He is confirming to them that He will not break the oath that He gave to their fathers (by lifting His hands). He stays honest despite the dishonesty of man. b- The Lord Himself fixes the location of the whole land on all directions. He cares for His children, for the sake of their comfort. c- The Lord gave two portions to the tribe of Joseph (Ez 47:13), in order to divide the land into 12 portions - as the tribe of Levi has no portion of its own in the land, the Lord Himself is his portion. The division is to be by lot, to avoid any chance for personal factors to interfere with the fairness of allotting a portion to each tribe (Ez 47:22). d- He gave the strangers who sojourn among them, the right to have an inheritance among the tribes of Israel (Ez 47:22, 23); a reference to the entrance of the Gentiles into the eternal inheritance, through the preaching of the gospel; All will be one in Christ without distinction (Rom 10:12). 1 On Matt., 5. .314- 2 عن المعمودیة: ا رجع للمؤلف الكنیسة بیت اللّه، 1979 ، ص 311 6 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF E ZEKIEL 47 HOWGREAT IS BAPTISM! In Your water, Your prophet Zechariah saw purification; Joel saw sanctification; Isaiah saw fruition; as my wilderness would be transformed into a Paradise of Yours; And Ezekiel saw cleansing and purification from our abominations, and a renewal of our nature! How great is Baptism! It is the cleansing, the sanctification, the fruition, and the enlightenment. On its banks are holy trees; a divine Paradise. In it, there is a great multitude of fish! Grant me to live in the water of Your Baptism, to live and grow all the time! Do not deprive me of the portion You prepared for me; in the new land. Your Baptism will bring me into the inheritance of Your glory; O You, the amazing in greatness.
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