Ezekiel 47

Ezekiel 47:1

D. The Millennial Land (Chaps. 47, 48)1. The Healing of the Waters (47:1-12)Ezekiel saw in a vision a river flowing from the door of the temple, past the altar, through the wall south of the east Gate, and down to the Dead Sea. The waters of the sea . . . will be healed, and fish will abound in it. Yates writes: The water of life is a favorite figure in the Old Testament. Desert areas need water that life may be possible. This stream which Ezekiel sees flowing from the Temple makes its way toward the arid regions of the Arabah. In an ever deepening stream it goes on its way to bring life and health and abundant fruit wherever it goes. It is the one remedy that is needed. Jesus took that figure as a basis for his sermon to the woman at the well. (Cf. also Psa_1:3; Psa_46:4; Joe_3:18; Zec_14:8; Joh_4:7-15; Joh_7:38; Rev_22:1-2.) This stream (which will be an actual geographical river) is a striking figure of the blessing, widespread yet incomplete (v. 11), that will flow out during the Millennial Reign of Christ. God will dwell in the temple and therefore a stream of blessing, ever increasing, will go forth to other places. Today God does dwell in our bodies (1Co_6:19) and therefore a stream of blessing should be flowing to others around us (Joh_7:37-38). “If a man is filled with the Holy Spirit, and his life touches other lives, something happens for God.” What a challenge for us to meet the conditions that will produce a blessing! The river will bring life wherever it flowsa vivid picture of the life-giving ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 47:13

2. The Boundaries of the Land (47:13-23)47:13-20 The future borders and divisions of the land are next given. The boundaries are described here. Ezekiel’s mention of the Jordan River as a boundary of the land (v. 18) cannot be a mistake; he certainly knew that the land would stretch east to the Euphrates (Gen_15:18). Here he may be referring to a preliminary occupation of Palestine itself. Or he may be indicating that the Jordan formed only part of the eastern boundary, while the rest reached north-north-east as far as the Euphrates. The second explanation is less popular, but since Ezekiel’s description is so detailed and does not mention the Euphrates at all, it merits consideration. 47:21-23 Within each tribal portion, the land will be divided by lot, according to the tribes of Israel, but strangers will not be excluded from an inheritance.