THE HOLY SPIRIT - THE RIVER FROM THE TEMPLE (2026)
THE HOLY SPIRIT – THE RIVER FROM THE TEMPLE
Pentecost Sunday
May 24, 2026
Throughout the Holy Bible, the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is symbolically described by at least eleven symbols:
1. Oil – Anointing and Empowerment
2. Dew and Rain – Refreshing – Renewal
3. Rivers and Water – Source of Life
4. Fire – Purifying and Energizing
5. Dove – Purity, peace, hope, holiness, gentleness.
6. Clothing – Clothed upon with Jesus.
7. Wind – (Four winds – Holy Spirit in Power).
8. Gifts – Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Working of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of spirits, Tongues, Interpretation of tongues.
9. Seal and Earnest – 2 Co. 1:21-22: Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us in God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
10.Glory and Light – Radiant Presence
11. Wine – Intoxicating influence.
I am blessed to preach, teach, and by experience declare to you that the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit in all the above is real.
The Holy Spirit is further revealed to us in His seven-fold Spirits: Wisdom, Understanding. Counsel, Might, Knowledge, the Fear of the LORD, and our delight in the fear of the LORD. (Isa. 11:2-3.)
Keith Miller, The Seven-Fold Spirit of God – page 195: “The spiritual dynamic of the river of the presence of the Holy Spirit that flows into us daily is the witness to humanity of the reality of the Holy Spirit’s power. The river of the Spirit is widening the banks of spiritual realities and creating a tremendous overflow that will extend into the marketplaces of the world… the more we live in the multiple dimensions of the seven-fold flow of the Holy Spirit, the more we will have the same effect as Jesus did on the world around us.”
This past Tuesday, we completed our study on the Book of Ezekiel with the River from the Sanctuary. The closing chapters deal with the Temple and God’s glorious house. Ezekiel’s book begins with a vision of God’s glory and concludes with the vision of the same. Ezekiel sees the temple filled with the Glory of God. After he patiently surveyed the temple of God, he is honored with a sight of the glories of Heaven.
Chapter 47 deals with the River from the Sanctuary.
This River speaks of the Life-Giving flow of the Holy Ghost from the Church. John 7: 37-39: In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the scriptures has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke He of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified).
This same River flows throughout the Word of God and is the same River mentioned in the book of Revelation. The primary principle is the out-flowing of God, the Living Word. Psalm 36:8-9: They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and you shall make them drink of the river of your pleasure. For with you is the fountain of life…
John 4:14: But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman said unto him, “Sir give me this water.”
It is interesting that almost all commentaries agree that The River of Ezekiel 47 is spiritual and symbolic of the Holy Spirit. They may not all agree Ezekiel’s Temple is spiritual, but all agree on the River. There is no other way to interpret it.
In Christian sense, Ezekiel’s river thus serves as an apt symbol of that life in the Spirit which the gospel holds forth as God’s free gift to all believers.
It is the revelation of the glory of the overcoming Gospel Church when the Glory of God covers the whole earth. As we are all expecting a great revival, a great outpouring of the Spirit of God, Ezekiel sees this glorious end-time move of the Holy Spirit in the metaphor of a mighty river.
47:8-9: These waters flow out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. It shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
This healing is a restoration. Verse 9 reveals a great multitude of fish (evangelization of the nations) brought to life by this river. It brings life (a quickening spirit) to everything it touches. This is the power of an endless life. Heb. 7:16: Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. Everything that moves (“swarms”) shall live. The fishers of Verse 10 are Kingdom evangelists: It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to en Eglaim, they will be places for spreading their nets. The fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great sea, exceedingly many.
This river is not peculiar to Ezekiel. Joel 3:18: … In that day, the mountains shall drip with new wine. The hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water. A fountain shall flow from the house of the LORD and water the Valley of Acacias.
Revelation 22: 1-3: He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
The concept of the Tree of Life speaks of the appropriation of Christ’s Life, but the concept of the River of Life speaks of the dispensing of His Life.
Bro. Bill Britton shares his thoughts about this river of life (Ez. 47):
1. The river flows from the Temple which we are.
2. The river heals as it flows.
3. The water to the ankles deals with our walk on earth among men. Our relationship with others.
4. The water to the knees deals with our walk before the Lord, our relationship with God.
5. The water to the loins speaks of our new life in Christ. It takes two to produce, so we need one another. We must gird up the loins of our mind and receive only the life and the thoughts of God.
6. The waters to swim in speak of a realm of no limitation, which cannot be passed over. We are cut loose from the earth and cannot touch bottom. There is no longer the support of earthly things, and we will be totally dependent upon the Holy Spirit.
Number 6 is the “Plan” and “Vision” for Eastgate Ministries Church
Note The Pattern:
1. The River out of the Belly – The Prophet (Jn. 7: 37-39)
2. The River out of the Temple – The Priest (Ezekiel 47)
3. The River out of the Throne – the King (Rev. 22)
The water to the ankles speaks of waters to splash in as a child. The water to the knees will affect our prayer life and our devotion and loyalty to the Lord. The water to the loins will then affect everything that we produce. In the waters to swim in, we will lose control of our lives and let Him be Lord!
Many years ago, I had a vision that I was swimming in this golden river. I was holding on to one small twig on the riverbank. When I let go, I was free from everything that was holding me back.
Then Ezekiel returned to the brink of the river.
(V. 7) There were many trees on the one side and on the other.
Jesus the Tree becomes a timber or a forest of life, confirming the sight that Ezekiel saw in the many trees (many sons).
Rev. 22:1-2: And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life.
“If you follow the River, it will lead you to the SOURCE. And a river went out of Eden to water the Garden. The Old Testament source is Eden, the Garden of God. The New Testament source is the THRONE of God and the Lamb. Rev. 22:1: He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Both are in an elevated place (ZION). 21:10: He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God. For the River flows down from the heavenlies, the River will lead you to the Lamb upon the Throne.” (P.P.T.K.V.)
Jesus Christ, the Firstborn Son among many brethren, is the reservoir of this divine water. And the Holy Spirit flowing through the Body of Christ, the corporate Son, is the living stream, flowing all the time.
ISAIAH 51:3 tells us there is a people who are being comforted and brought back to a life or existence known as Eden, the Garden of God. “For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
In the closing verses 48:30-35, Ezekiel again measures the gates of the city and their names after the twelve tribes of Israel. We can compare the gates of verses 31-34 with the gates of Nehemiah.
In verse 35, Ezekiel; names the city, THE LORD IS THERE.
Ezekiel perhaps deliberately, refrains from calling the new city Jerusalem. The name of the city from that time on will be Yahweh-Shammah, The Lord is There. —and that is adequate reason for calling it the holy city.
Rev. 21:1-3: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away; and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with man and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God.
Blessed Be The Lord God Almighty.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church, 10115 West Hidden Lakes Lane, Richmond, TX
Scripture quotes from K.J.V. and N.K.J.V, F.F. Bruce Bible Commentary, Bill Britton, Dr. C. R. Oliver; Principles of Present Truth and Matthew Henry. Quote from Keith Miller, Spirit of God. The vision and comments were given to me by the Lord.