| << Ezek 45 | |
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| This is the New King James text of the passages. |
Ezekiel 46-48 Listen 
The Prince and the feasts (Ezekiel 46)
1 “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.
2 The prince shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway from the outside, and stand by the gatepost. The priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings. He shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening.
3 Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the entrance to this gateway before the LORD on the Sabbaths and the New Moons.
4 The burnt offering that the prince offers to the LORD on the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish;
5 and the grain offering shall be one ephah for a ram, and the grain offering for the lambs, as much as he wants to give, as well as a hin of oil with every ephah.
6 On the day of the New Moon it shall be a young bull without blemish, six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish.
7 He shall prepare a grain offering of an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, as much as he wants to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah.
8 When the prince enters, he shall go in by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way.
9 ¶ “But when the people of the land come before the LORD on the appointed feast days, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate; and whoever enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. He shall not return by way of the gate through which he came, but shall go out through the opposite gate.
10 The prince shall then be in their midst. When they go in, he shall go in; and when they go out, he shall go out.
11 At the festivals and the appointed feast days the grain offering shall be an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, as much as he wants to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah.
12 ¶ “Now when the prince makes a voluntary burnt offering or voluntary peace offering to the LORD, the gate that faces toward the east shall then be opened for him; and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he did on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he goes out the gate shall be shut.
13 ¶ “You shall daily make a burnt offering to the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish; you shall prepare it every morning.
14 And you shall prepare a grain offering with it every morning, a sixth of an ephah, and a third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour. This grain offering is a perpetual ordinance, to be made regularly to the LORD.
15 Thus they shall prepare the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil, as a regular burnt offering every morning.”
16 ¶ “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘If the prince gives a gift of some of his inheritance to any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance.
17 But if he gives a gift of some of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his until the year of liberty, after which it shall return to the prince. But his inheritance shall belong to his sons; it shall become theirs.
18 Moreover the prince shall not take any of the people’s inheritance by evicting them from their property; he shall provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people may be scattered from his property.” ’ ”
19 ¶ Now he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers of the priests which face toward the north; and there a place was situated at their extreme western end.
20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them out into the outer court to sanctify the people.”
21 ¶ Then he brought me out into the outer court and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and in fact, in every corner of the court there was another court.
22 In the four corners of the court were enclosed courts, forty cubits long and thirty wide; all four corners were the same size.
23 There was a row of building stones all around in them, all around the four of them; and cooking hearths were made under the rows of stones all around.
24 And he said to me, “These are the kitchens where the ministers of the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.”
This chapter contains some offering information that will take place during the millennium. Remember, it's a Jewish period on earth - Sabbath keeping, sacrifices - all in memorial. Just as these practices in the Old Testament looked forward to the finished work of Christ, these will be a memorial of that which has already been done. Do you recall all of the offerings specified in the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 1-7, see notes)? Well...they're back!
Here's more evidence demonstrating that the prince here serves under the Messiah and is not the Messiah, Jesus. Look at verses 16 and 18 with regard to the sons of the prince. Jesus, the Messiah, will not have sons. Also take note of the phrase in verse 18, "...the prince shall not take any of the people’s inheritance by evicting them from their property..." No such admonition is necessary for the Messiah, Jesus. Obviously this is a reference to a leader who will serve under the Messiah. (Click here to see the summary on Ezekiel 44:1-14 regarding this issue.) So, let's make certain we are clear here. The "prince" of the millennium is a man and not the Messiah. He may have children and he does take part in making sacrifices.
Take note of the following verses regarding the identity of this prince from Ezekiel 34 (see notes) and Ezekiel 37 (see notes):
Ezekiel 34:23 I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd.
Ezekiel 34:24 And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.
Ezekiel 37:24 “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them.
Ezekiel 37:25 Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.
It is a difficult concept, but David is referenced as the prince in the millennium according to Ezekiel's prophecy. Based upon what we know to be the Messiah's part in the millennium, we can only conclude that David serves under the Messiah. Now let's look at it from another perspective for a moment. Did Ezekiel know that David was dead when he wrote this prophecy? Of course he knew; David had been dead for some 400 years or so. Did Ezekiel mean David or a descendant of David? On this one, I can only tell you what he said...David himself. Like all Believers, David will have a resurrected body. As a matter of fact, I'm convinced that he does already. Click here to read the article, "Paradise Relocated" for details on this issue. However, we don't usually assume that resurrected bodies have progenitors as is indicated in verse 16. On this one, I guess we'll all have to just wait to see for ourselves.
It is clear from this chapter that the Sabbath and the observance of the new moon will be part of the worship ritual during the millennium. Here we are given some detail regarding the role of the "prince" in these observances. And here's another mention of sacrifices being made. As explained in the summary of chapter 43, these sacrifices will be reflective of the finished work of Christ on the cross. You will notice in that summary references to other prophets who also spoke of the resumption of sacrifices during that period.
Is that a river coming out of the temple? (Ezekiel 47:1-12)
1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.
2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.
3 ¶ And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles.
4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist.
5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.
7 ¶ When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other.
8 Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed.
9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
10 It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many.
11 But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt.
12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
Here's the description of a river that originates from the temple and goes all the way east to the Dead Sea (verse 8). The Dead Sea won't be dead anymore; verse 8 goes on to say, "the waters are healed." That's because of the water supply that will then flow into it during the millennium, a river just beaming with life (verse 10). Then it'll be known as the "Living Sea" formerly known as the "Dead Sea"... I guess. One more thing...trees...healthy, thriving trees growing on the banks of this river - good for their fruit and even for medicinal purposes. And why is that you ask? Verse 12 says, "because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary."
Joel also mentions this river in Joel 3:18 (see notes), "And it will come to pass in that day That the mountains shall drip with new wine, The hills shall flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water; A fountain shall flow from the house of the LORD And water the Valley of Acacias." Zechariah 14:8 (see notes) says this about the river, "And in that day it shall be That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the eastern sea And half of them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur." Zechariah points out that the river actually runs both east and west out of the temple. Toward the west, it empties into the Mediterranean Sea.
It would appear that the water from this river adds longevity and health to life itself. Although this is not the same as the river found in Revelation 22, the similarity is worth noting. Revelation 22 speaks of the New Jerusalem, after the millennium, when there is no temple. But notice what is said in Revelation 22:1-2 (see notes), "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 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. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." So, it does seem as though this millennium river serves the same purpose as that which shall be located in the New Jerusalem...healing.
Land distribution (Ezekiel 47:13-23)
13 ¶ Thus says the Lord GOD: “These are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions.
14 You shall inherit it equally with one another; for I raised My hand in an oath to give it to your fathers, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance.
15 ¶ “This shall be the border of the land on the north: from the Great Sea, by the road to Hethlon, as one goes to Zedad,
16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazar Hatticon (which is on the border of Hauran).
17 Thus the boundary shall be from the Sea to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus; and as for the north, northward, it is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.
18 ¶ “On the east side you shall mark out the border from between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, along the Jordan, and along the eastern side of the sea. This is the east side.
19 ¶ “The south side, toward the South, shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea. This is the south side, toward the South.
20 ¶ “The west side shall be the Great Sea, from the southern boundary until one comes to a point opposite Hamath. This is the west side.
21 ¶ “Thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.
22 It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.
23 And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord GOD.
You will notice that the land distribution is not the same as that in Joshua. Click here to see the map of the Tribes of Israel after the lottery in Joshua 19. According to this passage, the boundaries described extend from the vicinity of Damascus on the north, just below the Dead Sea on the south, the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the Jordan River on the east. The tribes will have land allocations that go from the east to the west all the way across the land. According to verse 48:1, Israel's millennium occupation will extend all the way up into Syria, 170 miles or so north of the Sea of Galilee. Notice the map to the right to see the general land assignments as specified in this passage. You will notice between the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin is located a tribal-sized area for the prince, temple, priests and other Levites.
Verse 47:23 tells us that Gentiles in the millennium will receive a portion of land alongside Jews. While the tribal allocations are specified, the land within the tribal allotments will be divided by lot, just as it was in Joshua 19 (verse 47:22).
You will notice another commendation for Zadok in verse 11. Only his descendants are charged with the priesthood. The other Levites will do temple maintenance. This isn't actually unique to the millennium; the prophetic decree was originally issued back in I Samuel 2:27-36 (see notes) when Eli's boy's were killed by God. We don't see its implementation until Solomon becomes king in I Kings 2:27, 35 (see notes). That's when the priesthood was actually narrowed to only the descendants of Zadok, eliminating the descendants of Abiathar from that point forward. Technically, however, Abiathar's ancestors were to have already been eliminated from serving as priests all the way back to Numbers 25:11-13 (see notes) where it was decreed that priests from that time forward would come only from the line of Aaron's grandson, Phinehas. Not even Eli in I Samuel was a descendant of Phinehas; that prophecy took a long time before fulfillment, but it was fulfilled.
Land distribution to the Tribes of Israel (Ezekiel 48:1-29)
1 “Now these are the names of the tribes: From the northern border along the road to Hethlon at the entrance of Hamath, to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus northward, in the direction of Hamath, there shall be one section for Dan from its east to its west side;
2 by the border of Dan, from the east side to the west, one section for Asher;
3 by the border of Asher, from the east side to the west, one section for Naphtali;
4 by the border of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, one section for Manasseh;
5 by the border of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, one section for Ephraim;
6 by the border of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, one section for Reuben;
7 by the border of Reuben, from the east side to the west, one section for Judah;
8 by the border of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the district which you shall set apart, twenty-five thousand cubits in width, and in length the same as one of the other portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the center.
9 ¶ “The district that you shall set apart for the LORD shall be twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width.
10 To these—to the priests—the holy district shall belong: on the north twenty-five thousand cubits in length, on the west ten thousand in width, on the east ten thousand in width, and on the south twenty-five thousand in length. The sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the center.
11 It shall be for the priests of the sons of Zadok, who are sanctified, who have kept My charge, who did not go astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.
12 And this district of land that is set apart shall be to them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.
13 ¶ “Opposite the border of the priests, the Levites shall have an area twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width; its entire length shall be twenty-five thousand and its width ten thousand.
14 And they shall not sell or exchange any of it; they may not alienate this best part of the land, for it is holy to the LORD.
15 ¶ “The five thousand cubits in width that remain, along the edge of the twenty-five thousand, shall be for general use by the city, for dwellings and common-land; and the city shall be in the center.
16 These shall be its measurements: the north side four thousand five hundred cubits, the south side four thousand five hundred, the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four thousand five hundred.
17 The common-land of the city shall be: to the north two hundred and fifty cubits, to the south two hundred and fifty, to the east two hundred and fifty, and to the west two hundred and fifty.
18 The rest of the length, alongside the district of the holy section, shall be ten thousand cubits to the east and ten thousand to the west. It shall be adjacent to the district of the holy section, and its produce shall be food for the workers of the city.
19 The workers of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it.
20 The entire district shall be twenty-five thousand cubits by twenty-five thousand cubits, foursquare. You shall set apart the holy district with the property of the city.
21 ¶ “The rest shall belong to the prince, on one side and on the other of the holy district and of the city’s property, next to the twenty-five thousand cubits of the holy district as far as the eastern border, and westward next to the twenty-five thousand as far as the western border, adjacent to the tribal portions; it shall belong to the prince. It shall be the holy district, and the sanctuary of the temple shall be in the center.
22 Moreover, apart from the possession of the Levites and the possession of the city which are in the midst of what belongs to the prince, the area between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin shall belong to the prince.
23 ¶ “As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side to the west, Benjamin shall have one section;
24 by the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon shall have one section;
25 by the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar shall have one section;
26 by the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun shall have one section;
27 by the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad shall have one section;
28 by the border of Gad, on the south side, toward the South, the border shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea.
29 This is the land which you shall divide by lot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions,” says the Lord GOD.
There's just not much to add to this passage. Here we see slices of the land allocated to the Tribes of Israel...from one coast to the other.
Then there's the city (Ezekiel 48:30-35)
30 ¶ “These are the exits of the city. On the north side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits
31 (the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel), the three gates northward: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi;
32 on the east side, four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan;
33 on the south side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun;
34 on the west side, four thousand five hundred cubits with their three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali.
35 All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE Lord IS THERE.”
Not much detail is given here. It doesn't say that this city is Jerusalem - could be. The notable aspect of the description is the name given to this city - "The Lord is There." The city will have 12 gates, 3 on each side. These gates will bear the names of the twelve tribes of Israel as specified in verses 31-34. It certainly sounds like Jerusalem.
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