In his great prophetic vision, did Ezekiel see the river of life and the extent of Israel’s land? Let’s look at Ezekiel 47.
Was there a prophetic vision in which Ezekiel saw water flowing out from beneath the restored temple in Jerusalem?
When he brought me back to the temple’s entrance, I noticed that water was flowing toward the east from under the temple’s threshold (the temple faced east). The water was going out from under the temple’s facade toward the south, south of the altar.
He led me out through the north gate and around the outside to the outer east gate, where the water flowed out under the facade on the south side. (Ezek 47:1-2 CEB)
Was the prophet Ezekiel led through a miraculous, steadily deepening river that flows out from the Temple of God?
Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep.
Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” (Ezek 47:3-6 ESV)
Does the miraculous river flow from the Temple to the Dead Sea, turning salt water fresh and bring life and fish as it goes?
As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.
And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. (Ezek 47:7-9 ESV)
Is this a miraculous millennial transformation of the dead, salty Judean wilderness into a thriving ecosystem teeming with fish and fruit-bearing trees through a life-giving river flowing from the Temple of God?
Fishermen will stand beside it from En-gedi to En-eglaim. These will become places where nets are spread out to dry. Their fish will consist of many different kinds, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. Yet its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be left for salt.
All kinds of trees providing food will grow along both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fresh fruit because the water comes from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for medicine. (Ezek 47:10-12 HCSB)
Is the land once again to be divided among the twelve tribes?
This is what the Lord God says: “This is to be the territorial border by which you apportion the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel, with Joseph double-portioned.
Apportion it for their inheritances, distributing everything equally as if you were distributing things to your own brother, which is how I promised to give it to your ancestors. This way, the land will fall to you as an inheritance. (Ezek 47:13-14 ISV)
What is the northern boundary of the restored promised land in the mysterious vision of the temple and kingdom?
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; Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran. 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. (Ezek 47:15-17 KJV)
What are the eastern, southern and western boundaries of the restored promised land?
And the east side, from between Hauran, Damascus, Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border to the eastern sea you shall measure. This is the east side.
And the south side toward the south shall extend from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the brook of Egypt and to the Great Sea. This is the south side toward the south.
And the west side shall be the Great Sea, from the south border to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the west side. (Ezek 47:18-20 LSB)
Are non-Israelites (sojourners or foreigners) who live and raise families among the tribes of Israel to be granted an equal inheritance of land, treated just like native-born Israelites? Is that different to modern immigration in many countries?
“So you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance among yourselves and among the strangers who stay in your midst, who bring forth sons in your midst.
And they shall be to you as the native-born among the sons of Israel; they shall be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. And in the tribe with which the stranger resides, there you shall give him his inheritance,” declares the Lord God. (Ezek 47:21-23 NASB)
Did John also see a similar vision of the river of the water of life, lending credence to a possible millennial interpretation of Ezekiel’s vision?
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Rev 22:1–2 NIV)
In his great prophetic vision, did Ezekiel see the river of life and the extent of Israel’s land? You decide!
