I came across the description of two temples to be built in a future day — one in Jerusalem and one in Zion (New Jerusalem) — water proceeding from each of them. While watching a video about Jerusalem’s Holy Temple, the narrator shared the story from the book of Ezekiel, where Ezekiel relates his vision of seeing a stream of water proceeding from the future temple in Jerusalem.
At the time of his vision, Ezekiel was about 50 years old, in the 25th year of his prophetic calling, and the 14th year from the fall of Jerusalem, in the 25th year of their captivity. Ezekiel describes how the Lord brought him to Jerusalem in a vision and showed him many things about a future temple:
Ezekiel 47: 1-12 — The River From the Temple in Jerusalem:
The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.
As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[a] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”
Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.
Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.
Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
As I watched this video, I recalled another man’s vision of the temple to be built in the new Jerusalem — Zion here on the American continent:
Spencer — The River from the Temple in Zion:
During the construction of the temple in the New Jerusalem, we had uncovered a natural spring. When we consulted the plans, it was actually marked on the drawings, along with designs for tapping the water that flowed from it. When the temple was completed, the water flowed from under the temple and out into a beautiful fountain we called the “Fountain of Living Waters” just outside of the temple.
Near the fountain, a large and magnificent tree stood, which we called the “Tree of Life.” It had not grown there but had been transplanted fully grown from a terrestrial sphere. Such a tree had never grown on earth before. We just observed it there one day, and like all other living things in Zion, we understood its complete history and everything else about it. Until being transplanted into Zion, it had long been a feature of Enoch’s city.
The tree bore twelve kinds of fruit, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Each type of fruit had a unique healing and sanctifying property that we used in ways I no longer remember. I do remember looking at the tree for many hours, wondering and marveling that such a perfected living thing could now be on earth. Even the leaves had healing power. If a leaf or fruit was plucked from the tree, it almost immediately grew back. Taking a single leaf… Visions of Glory: One Man’s Astonishing Account of the Last Days (pp. 203-204). Cedar Fort, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
And then today, I read a blog where the author writes about another stream:
ANOTHER VISION
I don’t know that I have ever shared the following vision publicly, though I did make reference to it in the talk I gave in Colorado and have spoken privately with others about it. Zion will not appear out of nowhere one day. It will not consist of one large group that is directed to come together all at once. The Lord showed me in a day vision that Zion would form as a river does: First from small, almost imperceptible springs, converging into creeks, converging into tributaries, converging into a river. The flow of the water represents time. God will gather together small groups of like-minded and similarly prepared individuals. As a group, they will suffer through the experiences they need to overcome the specific weaknesses they possess. Over time, they will be led to combine with other groups with different strengths and weaknesses. Through the passage of time, there will be gathering and growth and unavoidable winnowing of those who choose not to learn what God is trying to teach them through the weaknesses and strengths of others. Gathering into a large group right away is a surefire recipe for disaster given the weaknesses endemic to modern people. The entire group will be immediately subjected to the weaknesses of the common denominators. Without sufficient charity, both the strong and the weak will fly to pieces, and Zion would be lost. (Upward Thought)