Ezekiel 48:1

Ezekiel 48:1 says, Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.  God then began to specify what portion of the land the tribes would possess, starting with Dan.  The first seven tribes were to be located to the north of the temple.  The allotment of the other five tribes would be specified in the last few verses of the chapter.  I will simply list these allotments, but we as followers of Christ will not be divided in heaven.   

 Verse two adds, And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher.   

Verse three continues, And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali.  

Verse four states, And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh.   

Verse five adds, And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Ephraim.   

Verse six continues, And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Reuben.   

Verse seven says, And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah.   

Verse eight adds, And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.   

Ezekiel 47:21

Ezekiel 47:21 says, So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel.  God again stated that the land would be divided according to the tribes of Israel which had been done before according to God’s direction.  We will never take what God has given to someone else spiritually, and they will never take what He has given to us spiritually.  Therefore, we should be content with what He gives us and not covet what He has given someone else.  

Verse twenty-two adds, And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.  God also made allowance for the strangers who came into the land of Israel to live and have children there.  These people were to have an inheritance as well, though I believe that they would need to acknowledge God as their God.  As Gentiles, we would have been these strangers in Israel, but once we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we have an equal inheritance of everlasting life with all who believe in Him. 

Verse twenty-three continues, And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord God.  God said that whichever tribe the stranger came to live in that the people of that tribe were to give Him and inheritance.  As Christians, we should always be willing to welcome others into God’s kingdom and should be willing to share with them under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 47:13

Ezekiel 47:13 says, Thus saith the Lord God; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.  Next, God began to give the total size of all the land of the tribes of Israel, with the children of Joseph having two portions.   We today are not to be concerned with trying to give out spiritual blessings but are to ask God to reveal how and where He wants us to serve Him and to see ourselves as a unified kingdom of which God will set the borders.. 

Verse fourteen adds, And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance.  God said that the people of Israel were to inherit the land in accordance with how He had given it to their fathers.  Just because the people hadn’t possessed the land for a while didn’t change the way God had distributed it.  God had given the land, and even though there were differing numbers of the tribes who returned, they were all to be given their portion according to God’s promise and not according to their numbers.  We are all given an equal inheritance from God as followers of Christ, and that is everlasting life with God.  Just because there are greater numbers of Christians in one local fellowship doesn’t mean that they receive a greater blessing from God.  

Verse fifteen continues, 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;  The next several verses just give the borders of the land of Israel.  

Verse sixteen states, Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.  

Verse seventeen adds, And the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side.  

Verse eighteen continues, And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side.  

Verse nineteen says,  And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side southward.  

Verse twenty adds, The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.   God will always set the boundaries of His kingdom.  

Ezekiel 47:7

Ezekiel 47:7 says, Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Ezekiel said that when he returned to the bank, I believe, that he saw very many trees on both sides of the river.  The Living Water should bring good spiritual growth around those who have been washed clean by it.  

Verse eight adds, 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.  God said that these waters went toward the east and would join with the sea and the sea would be healed.   The Living Water can heal even the most corrupt person if they allow it to.  

Verse nine continues, 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 everything shall live whither the river cometh.  God said that these waters would be full of life, and when we are filled with the Living Water, our life should be spiritually full.  

Verse ten states, And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; 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.  I believe this refers to all people, wherever they are from, being made alive by the Living Water.  We as Christians are to lead the lost to this Living Water so that they might become spiritually alive.

Verse eleven adds, But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.  God also said that the miry and marshy places would not be healed but would be full of salt.  Matthew Henry says this refers to lost people who do not accept the Living Water when it flows but remain mired in their sins.  We cannot be saved by simply being near the Living Water but must spiritually live in the midst of it.  

Verse thirteen continues, And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.   God said that since this water flowed from the sanctuary it would be fruitful to help meet the needs of the people.  God’s gift of salvation brings us to the Living Water and there all our spiritual needs will be met if we drink of it.