Ezekiel 47

Ezekiel 47:1

Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

Afterward, this heavenly and divine guide of mine brought me back from this outer court, where were the boiling houses of the sacrifices, unto the door of the temple; and, behold, from under that door, by which the glory of God had formerly entered, and which was now shut, there issued a stream of waters; to signify the plenty of graces, which are derived from God to his Church; which are yet raised by degrees, and, from shallow and weak beginnings, arise to great height and perfection. So vs. 2, 3, 4, 5.

Ezekiel 47:7

Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

And, to shew the plentiful fruit that arises from these graces of his Church and Children, behold, upon the bank of this holy and spiritual stream, there were many and fruitful trees growing on both sides thereof.

Ezekiel 47:8

Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.

These waters shall pass through the whole land; for they shall flow towards the east country, which is the higher part of Judea, and from thence into the champaign country thereof; and so fall into the sea, whose unwholesome waters shall be therewith healed: even so shall the sanctifying graces of God’s Spirit be enlarged over his whole Church, throughthe world; and shall sweeten and season all the souls, that shall be therewith endued.

Ezekiel 47:9

And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed: and every thing shall live, whither the river cometh.

And it shall come to pass, that all those, which shall be partakers of these holy graces, shall live for ever; and there shall be very great increase of all good works and conscionable obedience, wheresoever they shall be found. So also verse 12.

Ezekiel 47:10

And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it, from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

And it shall come to pass, that my Church shall be plentifully stored with holy and able teachers, which are fishers of men; and they shall spread abroad their wholesome doctrines all over the earth; and they shall take large draughts of souls, which shall, by their ministry, be converted to me.

Ezekiel 47:11

But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed: they shall be given to salt.

But those, which are resolutely wicked, and given up to a reprobate sense, they shall not be reformed or bettered by these means of salvation; but shall be left to their wonted obduredness and corruption, and so to their final condemnation.

Ezekiel 47:15

And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad; &c.

And the extent of my Church shall be so enlarged, as that it shall reach all the world over, even from one end of the world to the other; which I would have to be figured, by the extending of the bounds of this re-promised land toward the north, from the Mediterranean Sea all along the coasts of the kingdom of Damascus. So also verses 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.