Does Ezekiel conclude with re-division of the promised land, and a new name of the restored city? Let’s look at Ezekiel 48.
What was the first and northernmost land allotment for the restored twelve tribes of Israel?
Here is the list of the tribes of Israel and the territory each is to receive. The territory of Dan is in the extreme north. Its boundary line follows the Hethlon road to Lebo-hamath and then runs on to Hazar-enan on the border of Damascus, with Hamath to the north. Dan’s territory extends all the way across the land of Israel from east to west. (Ezek 48:1 NLT)
What were the allotments of northern tribes (Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben and Judah)?
By the border of Dan, from the east side to the west side, Asher, one portion. By the border of Asher, from the east side even to the west side, Naphtali, one portion. By the border of Naphtali, from the east side to the west side, Manasseh, one portion.
By the border of Manasseh, from the east side to the west side, Ephraim, one portion. By the border of Ephraim, from the east side even to the west side, Reuben, one portion. By the border of Reuben, from the east side to the west side, Judah, one portion. (Ezek 48:2-7 WEB)
Did God set apart a sacred, centralized district of land, placing the sanctuary and worship of God at the heart of the nation?
Adjoining the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the portion which you shall set apart, 25,000 cubits in breadth, and in length equal to one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the midst of it. The portion that you shall set apart for the Lord shall be 25,000 cubits in length, and 20,000 in breadth. (Ezek 48:8-9 ESV)
How does Ezekiel outline the special land portion set apart for the descendants of Zadok, the faithful priests?
The holy Terumah [portion] is to be reserved for these, the priests: Toward the north, 25,000 units in length; toward the west, 10,000 units in width; toward the east, 10,000 units in width; and toward the south, 25,000 units in length. The Lord’s sanctuary is to be in its midst.
It is to be for use by priests from the descendants of Zadok, who have observed the things with which I charged them and who did not wander astray when the Israelis went astray, just as the descendants of Levi wandered astray.
It is to be a Terumah for them from the allotment of the land, a Most Holy Place, adjoining the border of the descendants of Levi. (Ezek 48:10-12 ISV)
Did the specific land allotment for the Levites belong permanently to God and cannot be bought, sold, or traded?
And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand. And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the Lord. (Ezek 48:13-14 KJV)
Will there be common land and open spaces surrounding the city?
And the remainder, 5,000 cubits in width and 25,000 in length, shall be for common use for the city, for places of habitation, and for open spaces; and the city shall be in its midst.
And these shall be its measurements: the north side 4,500 cubits, the south side 4,500 cubits, the east side 4,500 cubits, and the west side 4,500 cubits.
And the city shall have open spaces: on the north 250 cubits, on the south 250 cubits, on the east 250 cubits, and on the west 250 cubits. (Ezek 48:15-17 LSB)
Was there agricultural land to feed the workers who serve the central city in Ezekiel’s vision?
The remainder of the length alongside the holy allotment shall be ten thousand cubits toward the east and ten thousand toward the west; and it shall be alongside the holy allotment. And its produce shall be food for the workers of the city.
And the workers of the city, out of all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it. The whole allotment shall be twenty-five thousand by twenty-five thousand cubits; you shall set apart the holy allotment, a square, with the property of the city. (Ezek 48:18-20 NASB)
What was the allocation of land for the leader of Israel flanking the central sacred district?
What remains on both sides of the area formed by the sacred portion and the property of the city will belong to the prince. It will extend eastward from the 25,000 cubits of the sacred portion to the eastern border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the western border. Both these areas running the length of the tribal portions will belong to the prince, and the sacred portion with the temple sanctuary will be in the center of them.
So the property of the Levites and the property of the city will lie in the center of the area that belongs to the prince. The area belonging to the prince will lie between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin. (Ezek 48:21-22 NIV)
What are the southern tribal land allotments (Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad) in Ezekiel’s vision?
As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side to the west, Benjamin shall have one section; by the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon shall have one section; by the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar shall have one section; by the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun shall have one section; by the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad shall have one section; 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.
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. (Ezek 48:23-29 NKJV)
Do we have Ezekiel’s final vision of a restored city where the twelve tribes of Israel are fully reconciled and God's presence dwells permanently among His people?
These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. On the east side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan.
On the south side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. On the west side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali. The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There [Yahweh-Shammah]. (Ezek 48:30-35 ESV)
Does this echo a prophecy recorded by John in the book of Revelation?
Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. (Rev 21:3 HCSB)
Does Ezekiel conclude with re-division of the promised land, and a new name of the restored city? You decide!
