EZEKIEL 47: 9-12 The stream will make the water of the Dead Sea fresh, and wherever it flows, it will bring life…there will be as many different kinds of fish there as there are in the Mediterranean Sea…On each bank of the stream all kinds of trees will grow to provide food. Their leaves will never wither, and they will never stop bearing fruit. They will have fresh fruit every month, because they are watered by the stream that flows from the Temple. The trees will provide food, and their leaves will be used for healing people. [Good New translation]
Summary
Ezekiel was an Old Testament priest. His calling/job was to speak the Word of GOD to a people that were in rebellion against GOD, a most difficult task indeed. But, GOD prepared Ezekiel for the job Ezekiel had to perform. Ezekiel’s preparation involved experiencing the SPIRIT of GOD through a number of visions. Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 contain a description of the millennial temple—the temple of the future; a temple like no other. In Ezekiel chapters 43-46, Ezekiel describes his vision of the worship. In Ezekiel 47 and 48, Ezekiel describes his prophetic vision of the land during the millennial Kingdom time. In verse 47:12, Ezekiel describes the trees, whose leaves will not wither and that bear fresh fruit every month.
Some commentaries* suggest the “many trees” and the fruit describe “our lives.” The “water” represents THE HOLY SPIRIT, bringing forth life, growth and fullness. Some of these commentaries note that “THE TEMPLE” is not a physical building, but GOD HIMSELF. See, Revelation chapters 20 and 21.
Ezekiel ends his description of the New Millennial (i.e., THE TEMPLE, the land, the city in Chapter 48 on a high note, proclaiming: “THE LORD IS THERE.”).
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
In 2013, Beth Hoffman made the following bold statement in an article in Forbes Magazine. “One Way to Be Healthier: Don’t Eat Like The Average American.”
According to Hoffman, the average American continued to overspend on sweets, fats, convenience foods and refined grains, and underspend on fruits vegetables, and whole grains. See, “One Way to Be Healthier: Don’t Eat Like The Average American,” by Beth Hoffman, March 18, 2013, www.forbes.com. Hoffman noted that according to a report released by the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
Regardless of race, income or educational levels, the average American spends only .5 percent of their food budget on green leafy vegetables while the USDA recommends more than 15 times that amount.
Emphasis added. See, “One Way to Be Healthier: Don’t Eat Like The Average American,” by Beth Hoffman, https://www.forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/2013/03/18/one-way-to-be-healthier-dont-eat-like-the-average-american/#1ebced012bd6.
Hoffman also noted that most Americans spend close to 14% of their food budget on sweets when they should be spending less than 1%.
So, Hoffman suggests: Don’t eat and buy like the average American. Instead, eat and buy more fresh fruits and vegetable. And, eat and buy fewer sweets.
In 2017, Jaime Ducharme reported in a Time magazine article: “About 90% of Americans Don’t Eat Enough Fruits and Vegetables” based on data from a 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just 12.2% of adult Americans were meeting the standards for fruit consumption and about 9.3% of adult Americans were meeting the standards for vegetable consumption.
On average Americans were eating fruit once per day and vegetables 1.7 times per day, with numbers varying state by state. It was important to get the numbers up because plant-heavy diets have been shown to reduce the risk of a number of diseases, from type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. See, “About 90% of Americans Don’t Eat Enough Fruits and Vegetables, by Jaime Ducharme, https://time.com/5029164/fruit-vegetable-diet/.
In 2018, the CDC reported that despite the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, Americans still were not consuming enough of them in their daily diet. Only 1 in 10 adult Americans ate the recommended amount of fruit or vegetables per day. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 1.5-2 cups of fruit per day and 2-3 cups of vegetables per day. American youth consumption was also low. Only 9% of high school students met the fruit recommendation and only 2% met the vegetable recommendation.
It was noted that educating Americans was important but access and affordability were equally important. Fruits and vegetables must be accessible and affordable in places where children and family spend their time—for example, at work sites, schools, neighborhood, hospitals and, we should add, their places of worship. See, https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/downloads/fruits-vegetables/2018/2018-fruit-vegetable-report-508.pdf .
Time for a Change: Envision Your Future
Ezekiel lived many years ago, around 595 B.C. But in a prophetic vision, he saw the future. He envisioned a new temple, a New Jerusalem, a new land, a different order. He envisioned a city, where THE LORD is there.
Today think about your last food shopping cart. What percentage of the items in your last food cart were sweet foods? What percentage of your bill or the items in your shopping cart were fresh fruits and vegetables?
If you have been eating like “the average American” or even worse, then close your eyes and envision yourself making a change! Envision your next grocery shopping cart or grocery bags filled with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Say a prayer. Invite the HOLY SPIRIT to wash away all unhealthy physical and spiritual desires. And, thank GOD for answering prayer. Then, the next time you go shopping, pack a lunch, cook, plan an outing, plan a church meal or snack, remember to set an example—especially for our youth. Cut down on purchasing sweets. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Claim the vision of your healthier self!
Today, pray GOD plant the right vision in every one of us. Remember, we are GOD’s temples. (1 Corinthians 6:19.) So glorify GOD in your body! (1 Corinthians 6:20.)
THE LORD IS THERE!
Envision a healthier you and BE BLESSED!
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*See for example, Thru The Bible Commentary Series, The Prophets, Ezekiel by J. Vernon McGee.
