Has a more inspiring description of worship ever been conceived than Ezekiel 47:1-12?
Water flows from under the altar, out of the temple, increasing exponentially until it is a great river. It flows eastward into the Dead Sea, transforming the brine into freshwater. (Interestingly, the marshes are left salty; presumably as a source of preservative and seasoning.)
The formerly “dead” sea becomes as full of fish as the Mediterranean. The riverbanks are lined with trees bearing nutritional and medicinal fruit. The picture is of lavish abundance – of fullness and healing.
This transformative power floods from the temple - the iconic center of worship in Ezekiel’s culture. He’s portraying a world profoundly changed by, and a way of life instigated and sustained by worship.
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3 comments:
Well actually, yes... the "description of worship" contained within the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell classic "Ain't Nothin' Like The Real Thing" flows like a river, brings healing and life AND definitely has better "beat" than Ezekiel's passage... although he's not a bad lyricist, given that he had the Holy Spirit as a writing collaborator... which is in MOST cases better than having Berry Gordy.
Welcome back, Rev-BW -- it’s been a while… You are putting me in an awkward position because it’s downright unsanctified to argue against Motown. On the other hand, Ezekiel was a rock star persona of the highest magnitude. He was like a combination of Jimi Hendricks, Phil Ochs, Jack Kerouac, and Vincent Van Gogh – but without the absinthe and psychedelic chemicals! He was in touch with the deep stuff, and all he was using was fasting, sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, and nakedness. The beat of a different drummer…
Well.... from your description I would have to say that "Zeke the Freak" (The stage name he used on the "Barren Places Tour") certainly must have appeared to LOOK like a "rock star" of the first order!
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