Introduction

Distribution of the tribes in the holy land. Ezekiel 47-48
The temple’s river. Ezekiel 47:1-12
Equal division of the land. Ezekiel 47:13-14
Outer boundaries. Ezekiel 47:15-20
Inheritance of aliens. Ezekiel 47:21-23

THE TEMPLE’S RIVER

‘The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side. As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.’ Ezekiel 47:1-5

This is the last element in restoring their Mosaic system; this is the final comfort to the remnant. It is done in a perfect picture.

THE HEALING RIVER

Ezekiel’s guide now takes him to the entrance of the temple, which can be translated as house, and he sees water, lots of water. The origin of the river is from the Holy of Holies, Ezekiel 47:1-2 / Joel 3:18 / Zechariah 14:8.

There is no tributary, but the river gets bigger and deeper as it flows out of the south side of the sanctuary. The man now measures 1,750 feet east from the wall along the watercourse. Ezekiel is led through the water, which is ankle deep, Ezekiel 47:3.

He is led further, and it measured 1,750 feet and its knee-deep, Ezekiel 47:4. Ezekiel is led a little further and the man measures again, it measured 1,750 feet which was waist deep, Ezekiel 47:4.

The man measures again, and once more it is 1,750 feet and because it was a river, it’s too deep to walk in, but deep enough to swim in but couldn’t be crossed, Ezekiel 47:5.

Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The waters seem to have been at first in small quantity; for the words imply that they oozed or dropped out. They were at first so small that they came, drop by drop; but they increased.’

Alexander, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The variance between Ezekiel’s account of this river and that of John in the Revelation centres on the river’s source. God is the source of both rivers, but Ezekiel saw the river issuing from the temple, whereas John saw the river coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb (a temple not existing according to Revelation 21:22).’

‘He asked me, ‘Son of man, do you see this?’ Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, ‘This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so, where the river flows, everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim, there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month, they will bear fruit because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.’ Ezekiel 47:6-12

The man now asks Ezekiel if he sees this, and was led back to the riverbank, Ezekiel 47:6. The blessing that came from the waters was that everything it touched would have life.

When Ezekiel came to the banks of the river, it had caused the growth of many trees, Ezekiel 47:7. The river turns east and flows to the Dead Sea, Ezekiel 47:8. As it flows, it provides every kind of need the people might have, including making the Dead Sea’s seawater fresh, Ezekiel 47:8. From 80% saltwater to freshwater.

The east country would be a reference to the desert valley of the Jordan River east of the temple, Ezekiel 47:8. The waters from the Sea of Galilee empty into the Jordan River, which river eventually empties into the Salt Sea, the Dead Sea, Ezekiel 47:8.

Dyer, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The Dead Sea today is a symbol of barren desolation. This future change is a visible reminder that God can turn death to life. Our God specialises in changing the unchangeable!’

Note the KJV says, ‘the waters shall be healed’, Ezekiel 47:8.

Block, in his commentary, says the following.

‘Its waters are miraculously healed, rapa normally refers to the healing of a diseased body, but in this case the miracle involves neutralising the baneful chemicals in the water, so it becomes fresh.’

The water of this river is going to give life to all the creatures which gather in swarms along its banks and to the fish that would swim in it, only because of this river flowing from the Holy of Holies, Ezekiel 47:9.

The fishermen are drawn to the river because all the necessities for life are provided by the river. Ezekiel 47:10. The fish are like those you find in the Mediterranean Sea, Ezekiel 47:10. However, swamp and marsh areas will not become fresh but will be left for salt, Ezekiel 47:11.

Salt was important and commanded by God to be included in the sacrifices and represented God’s unchanging covenant, Exodus 30:35 / Leviticus 2:13 / Numbers 18:19 / 2 Chronicles 13:5 / Ezekiel 43:24.

Block, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The preservation of some pockets of saltiness is intentional, recognising the economic benefit of the minerals found in and around the Dead Sea. Salt (melah) is not only a valuable seasoning and preserving agent; the word functions generically for a wide range of chemicals extracted from the sea.’

Here is a river providing what the people of the land need. Fruit trees will grow in abundance, every month they will bear fruit, and it clearly originates from God, the Holy of Holies, Ezekiel 47:12.

Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing, Ezekiel 47:12. The apocalyptic symbols portray a garden of Eden environment that is captivating those wandering in the desert, Ezekiel 36:35 / Isaiah 35:1-2 / Isaiah 35:6-7 / Joel 3:18 / John 7:37-39 / Revelation 22:1-2.

THE BOUNDARIES OF THE LAND

‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘These are the boundaries of the land that you will divide among the twelve tribes of Israel as their inheritance, with two portions for Joseph. You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your ancestors, this land will become your inheritance. ‘This is to be the boundary of the land: ‘On the north side, it will run from the Mediterranean Sea by the Hethlon road past Lebo Hamath to Zedad, Berothah and Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. The boundary will extend from the sea to Hazar Enan, along the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary. ‘On the east side, the boundary will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the Dead Sea and as far as Tamar. This will be the eastern boundary. ‘On the south side, it will run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah Kadesh, then along the Wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. This will be the southern boundary. ‘On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo Hamath. This will be the western boundary.’ Ezekiel 47:13-20

God now instructs His people concerning the boundaries of the land. The land was to be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel as their inheritance, Ezekiel 47:13. Joseph would have two portions, Ezekiel 47:13, for from Joseph came the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, Genesis 48:5-6 / Genesis 48:22.

In Joshua’s day, the inheritance was divided in proportion to the size of the tribe, Numbers 26:53-54. Here, however, however that this inheritance will be divided equally because God said that He would give it to their ancestors as an inheritance, Ezekiel 47:14 / Genesis 13:15 / Genesis 15:18 / Genesis 26:3 / Genesis 28:13.

God now sets the boundary lines, Ezekiel 47:15 / Numbers 34:3-12 / 1 Kings 8:65. The limits of the borders would begin with Damascus in the north, Ezekiel 47:16-17.

On the east, the border would extend through Gilead along the Jordan River to the east side of the Dead Sea, Ezekiel 47:18. To the south, the border would go west through Kadesh and then to the Mediterranean Sea, Ezekiel 47:19. The Mediterranean coast would be the border on the west, Ezekiel 47:20.

Alexander, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The western boundary was the Great Sea, Ezekiel 47:20 / Numbers 34:6. In contrast, the land of God’s people in the eternal state will have no sea since the sea will no longer exist, Revelation 21:1.’

There should never be any discussion concerning the restoration of a remnant of all twelve tribes of Israel to the land after the captivity. Even in apocalyptic language, the metaphor of the restoration of the twelve tribes would mean nothing if a remnant of the twelve tribes did not literally return to Palestine after the Babylonian captivity.

Ezekiel takes the minds of the people, who were at the time in captivity, beyond the hope of their restoration to the land, the rebuilding of the temple, and resettlement in the land. He wrote a prophecy of the Messianic age that they would not fully understand until its fulfilment, Hebrews 9:15 / 1 Peter 1:10-12.

However, the returnees knew enough about the symbolism of the prophecy to understand that its fulfilment could not be in the restoration of the people to the land and the rebuilding of the temple.

The prophecy was clear enough to generate anticipation as to things that would come, but cryptic enough to stimulate hope for another restoration yet in the future.

INHERITANCE OF FOREIGNERS

‘You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. You are to allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners residing among you, and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you, they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe a foreigner resides, there you are to give them their inheritance,’ declares the Sovereign LORD.’ Ezekiel 47:21-23

God’s people are to divide the land among themselves according to the twelve tribes of Israel, Ezekiel 47:21. This would be done by lot, Ezekiel 45:1. Notice that the land wasn’t only an inheritance for Israel but also for any foreigners who lived among them who had children, Ezekiel 47:22. The foreigners were proselytes to the Israelite faith, Ezekiel 47:22.

In preparation for the Messianic age, these instructions were given to the Jews in order that they would allow proselytes to be assimilated into the nation. Proselytes were to be given possession of land and thus have inheritance rights among the people.

These proselytes are to inherit portions of land just like the Israelites who lived there, Ezekiel 47:23 / Ezekiel 14:7 / Ezekiel 22:7 / Leviticus 19:34 / Leviticus 24:22 / Numbers 15:29 / Isaiah 56:3-8.

Go To Ezekiel 48