3. Why did the Jews of ancient times not understand Ezekiel’s vision of a river to be literal?

³ The Jews of ancient times surely did not understand the visionary river to be literal. Rather, this passage of Scripture likely reminded them of another inspired restoration prophecy, one recorded perhaps more than two centuries earlier by the prophet Joel. (Read Joel 3:18.) When the Jewish exiles read Joel’s inspired words, they did not expect the mountains literally to “drip with sweet wine” or the hills to “flow with milk”; nor did they expect a spring to flow “out of the house of Jehovah.” Similarly, fellow Jews likely understood that the message of the prophet Ezekiel’s vision was not about a literal river.a So, what message was Jehovah conveying? The Scriptures offer strong indications about the meaning of some parts of this picture. In general, though, we will consider three clear, loving assurances that may be drawn from this prophetic passage.

JOEL 3:18 This prophecy shows a spring emanating from the temple sanctuary. It flows out to irrigate the dry “Valley of the Acacia Trees.” So both Joel and Ezekiel see a river bringing life to a barren place. In both cases, the river comes from Jehovah’s house, or temple.