Originally posted October 27, 2014 by Beth Snodderly

This Reflection is part of the Scripture as International Development series.

The word pictures of leaves that do not wither and that give healing are one of the ways the Old and New Testaments describe YAH’s will for all people. The presence of YAH in a society or individual life makes a crucial difference in their level of development The current Ebola crisis and many plagues throughout history have at their root a lack of good sanitation which would be present in any society following the principles of YAH’s Word. The Old Testament is full of instructions to Israel for national development—personal, societal, health, sanitation, spiritual, etc. The principles from YAH’s instructions to Israel can help any society figure out how to start getting things right—international development. Being right with YAH is at the root of the solution in every case, including fighting disease.

Before the first coming of Yahusha, the Temple represented the presence of YAH. In Ezekiel chapters 46–47, a river flows out eastward from the presence of the Master יהוה. “And by the bank of the stream, on both sides, grow all kinds of trees used for food, whose leaves do not wither and fruit do not fail. They bear fruit every new [moon], because their water flows from the set-apart place. And their fruit shall be for food, and their leaves for healing.” TS2009 (Ezek. 47:12).

As Israel was returning to its land and receiving instructions for developing it into a fruitful and peaceful place to live, Ezekiel’s prophecy would have given comfort and encouragement to the people. Ezekiel’s word picture would have reminded them of the psalmist’s similar promise that the person “But his delight is in the Torah of יהוה, And he meditates in His Torah day and night. For he shall be as a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That yields its fruit in its season, And whose leaf does not wither, And whatever he does prospers. TS2009” (Psalm 1:2, 3)—international development!

After the second coming of Yahusha, there is no need for a Temple, “for יהוה Ěl Shaddai is its Dwelling Place, and the Lamb. TS2009” (Rev. 21:22). In addition, the glory of Yah gives the new City its light and the nations will walk according to this light. “23 And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine in it, for the esteem of Elohim lightened it, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 And the nations, of those who are saved, shall walk in its light, and the sovereigns of the earth bring their esteem into it. 25 And its gates shall not be shut at all by day, for night shall not be there. 26 And they shall bring the esteem and the appreciation of the nations into it. 27 And there shall by no means enter into it whatever is unclean, neither anyone doing abomination and falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. TS2009” (Rev. 21:23-27).

This is a picture of a fully “developed” world. In this world, as in Ezekiel’s prophetic foretaste, a river flows out from the presence of Yah and “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. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. TS2009” (Rev. 22:2).

*Scripture verses changed to The Scriptures 2009 (TS2009) from theWord Free Bible Software https://theWord.net

Adapted from: https://wciujournal.wciu.edu/health-and-disease/2019/10/17/reflection-scripture-as-international-development-ezekiel-47-psalm-1-and-revelation-22-leaves-for-healing