Читать книгу Christian Zionism ... Enraptured Around a Golden Calf - Abraham A. van Kempen - Страница 25

Jesus says that the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit is like a spring of water, welling up to eternal life, enabling worship in Spirit and truth (John 4: 13, 21-24; 7: 37-39; see also John Chapters 14-16). Passages from Isaiah, Zechariah, and Joel speaks of refreshing waters. Jesus' reference to ‘living water' is Ezekiel's river flowing from the temple (John 7: 38-39; Ezekiel Chapter 47). Ezekiel envisions a river of water flowing from the temple. The farther the river goes from the temple, the deeper it becomes (Ezekiel 47: 306); and, wherever the river goes, it brings life. It flows southward into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea, making the salty water fresh, bringing life to the fish – "so where the river flows everything will live (Ezekiel 47: 9)."

The symbolism of the Dead Sea indicates a spiritual life that flows from Israel to the nations, bringing spiritual life to the Gentiles. Jesus as the fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophetic vision, speaks of the gift of the Spirit that His disciples will later receive to accomplish Jesus' mission to the world. At Pentecost, Jesus' disciples have become "temples of the Holy Spirit" (II Corinthians 6: 16); and, the spiritual life of God has flown from the new inclusive 'Israel of Christians,' bringing spiritual life far beyond themselves.

John's use of the words of Jesus from the prophet Ezekiel is a pointed reminder to his contemporary audience that the nation of Israel has failed at this universal mission in the Old Testament.⁷ Today, Ezekiel's words reflect modern Israel's failures as it is still in search of itself to becoming "… [from] where [Israel] the river flows everything will live" (Ezekiel 47: 9). In short, Modern Israel is still God's biggest headache.

The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel, among others, focus on Israel's failure 'to bear fruit' as the people of God (Isaiah 5; Ezekiel 15). The Israelites do not fulfill God's purpose for which God has 'planted' the vine/nation ... to become an exemplary people of God, the Light Among Nations. The Sacred Texts of the ancient faith reveal a spiritual kingdom (Jeremiah 31: 31-34; Isaiah 53; Joel 2: 28-29), including prophecies indicating a Gentile mission; and, of Israel's responsibility as a nation to ‘foreigners and aliens' living among them. Though Jesus condemns corrupt Judaism, He upholds the law and the ancient faith of Israel.