Let Zion Rejoice

                                               Sunday School Lesson                                          

Lesson: Isaiah 52:1-2, 7-12                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isaiah 52:7).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  In this week’s lesson, we learn of a time in the future of God’s people when all the badness of this present world will be gone.  The joy expressed in God’s future kingdom will be pure and unadulterated.  It will be a perfect joy that comes from hearts that have been set free both physically and spiritually.
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  The Prophet Isaiah lived and ministered in Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah.  His ministry covered some fifty years, beginning in the year King Uzziah died (739 B.C.) and continued into the reign of King Manasseh (695-642 B.C.).  At the beginning of this period, both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah still existed, but as separate nations.  Assyria was the great power in the region, and Isaiah was an eyewitness to the Assyrians’ taking Israel, the Northern Kingdom into captivity in 722 B.C.  Isaiah also foresaw coming judgment on Judah because of her sins (see Isaiah chapters 1-39), but he also foresaw a future restoration to come (see Isaiah chapters 40-66).  He was God’s messenger for a great deal of truth concerning the Person, work, and kingdom of the coming Messiah.  Isaiah chapter 52 calls out to Zion (another name for Jerusalem and representing the nation of Judah as a whole) to recover from her captivity and rejoice in her God.  The closing verses of chapter 51 described Jerusalem as captive to her enemies.  Now in chapter 52 from which our lesson comes, God gives encouragement to a believing remnant of Jews, partially fulfilled with the return from Babylonian captivity, but to be completely fulfilled during the millennial reign of Christ.  The nation had suffered divine chastening for sin, but God had glorious plans for their future, and their city would be restored.
III. THE CITY RESTORED IN THE FUTURE (Isaiah 52:1-2)  
A. Jerusalem, wake up (Isaiah 52:1).  Our opening verse says “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.”  Through Isaiah, the city of Jerusalem, also called “Zion” is urged to “Awake, awake” (see Isaiah 51:9, 17).  In essence God was calling His people to wake up from the Babylonian punishment (which was still yet to come) as if it had been a bad dream, and to “put on thy strength, O Zion.”  In other words, they were to replace the clothes of captivity with God’s divine power that has always been available to them, but they hardly ever enjoyed because of their sin.  However, a day will come when a redeemed remnant from Israel can claim God’s strength for themselves.  In addition, the prophet said “put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city.”  The “beautiful garments” probably refer to a change in character for the redeemed of Israel.  After God’s people return to Jerusalem in the millennium, the city will once again have the political and spiritual preeminence that the Lord intended for her.  The reason why Jerusalem was to change her character from a captive people to a redeemed people was because “henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.”  In the kingdom reign of Christ, Jerusalem will never again be invaded by “the uncircumcised and the unclean.”  Most often in Scripture the term “uncircumcised” referred to non-Jews or Gentiles.  However, this promise does not teach that no Gentiles will enter Jerusalem because some will live among the Jews (see Ezekiel 47:22-23).   This promise refers specifically to any desecrations of the city by pagan conquerors as in Israel’s past.  In the future, a clean or holy people will inhabit Jerusalem making it “the holy city” that God intended it to be.
B. Jerusalem, proclaim the good news (Isaiah 52:2).  In this verse, the prophet continued to encourage the people saying “Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.”  When Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, it was a destroyed city lying in ruins.  Even though the Captivity was still future, Isaiah prophesied that Jerusalem would be set free resulting in the call to “Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down.”  Although this call may have an immediate reference to the Babylonian Captivity, it will be fulfilled in the kingdom reign of Christ.  At that time, Jerusalem will rise from the dust and take a position of authority and dignity as expressed by the words “arise, and sit down.”  Here Jerusalem is called the “captive daughter of Zion.”  It seems that Israel has always been captive to something or someone, but in the future reign of Messiah, Jerusalem will free herself from the “bands” or chains around her neck.  These bands or chains probably refer to the captivity, tyranny, and oppression the city has suffered over the centuries.  In the millennium, Jerusalem will no longer be subject to foreign control, because Messiah will rule. 
IV. THE RIGHTEOUS REJOICING IN THE FUTURE (Isaiah 52:7-10).   Verses 3-6 are not part of our lesson, but in those verses the Lord reminded Israel of the humiliation they suffered at the hands of the Egyptians (see Isaiah 52:3-4).  He also implied what would happen to them when they went into Babylonian Captivity (see Isaiah 52:5).  Then the Lord said that those who rule His people shout in exultation, and His name is constantly blasphemed day by day. As a result He will reveal His name to His people, and they shall know the power in that name. Then God says finally they will recognize that it is I, yes, I, who speaks to them (see Isaiah 52:6).  This is where the remainder of our lesson begins.
A. The spread of good news (Isaiah 52:7-8). 
1. (vs. 7).  In verse 6, God stated that His people will one day know His name.  Then in this verse the Lord tells how He will accomplish this.  God said “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”  The phrase “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings” refers to a messenger who ran from city to city, proclaiming glad tidings.  In this case, the Lord gives us a picture of a messenger running over the hill country in Israel toward Jerusalem bringing good news.  The runner’s feet are described as beautiful because the message that he brought was welcomed.  This good news would include several elements.  First, the runner “publisheth peace” or broadcasts a time of peace.  This “peace” will include the end of wars with other nations.  But more importantly, it refers to the peace God will make with His people after centuries of separation (see Isaiah 54:7-13).  This “peace” is purchased with the sacrifice of the suffering Messiah (see Isaiah 53:5).  In the future reign of Christ those who occupy Jerusalem will have complete peace: no oppressors and harmony with God.  Second, the good news will also include “good tidings of good.”  This means the news that is brought by the messenger will be of good things to come for Israel.  God has promised to bless Israel with a perfect government (see Isaiah 11:1-5), prosperity (see Amos 9:13-15), and also a changed creation (see Isaiah 11:6-9; 35:1-2).  Third, the messenger “publisheth salvation.”  In other words, the runner will carry a message of salvation for Israel.  This “salvation” will involve deliverance from Israel’s enemies but especially it includes spiritual deliverance from sin and judgment (see Isaiah 12:2-6; 51:6-8).  Since the Lord will do both, He is called Israel’s salvation (see Isaiah 33:2; 62:11).  This message of peace, goodness and salvation will be published in all of Israel during the millennium because God “saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”  This would remind Israel that God is in full control and that His kingdom is about to be established in all its glory.  “Zion” or Jerusalem will be the center of the Messiah’s rule. 
2. (vs. 8).  The prophecy continues as this verse says “Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.”  In ancient times, “watchmen” were situated on the walls of a city or in elevated towers and would announce the coming of any messenger to pass on the news that he brought (see Isaiah 21:5-9; Habakkuk 2:1).  In this verse, the watchmen in Jerusalem or Zion will receive the message from the runner and “shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing.”  All the watchmen will raise their voices in song together while passing the message of good tidings on to those in the city.  The phrase “for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion” simply means that right before their eyes these watchmen will see the Lord God restore his people back to Jerusalem. 
B. The reason for rejoicing (Isaiah 52:9-10).
1. (vs. 9).  In this verse the Lord commands Jerusalem to “Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.”  Because the Lord has restored His people to their land, He calls on the “waste places of Jerusalem” to “Break forth into joy, sing together.”  The “waste places” refer to the ruins of the city after Jerusalem has been destroyed.  In Isaiah’s time, Jerusalem was still standing and hadn’t been destroyed by the Babylonians.  Isaiah’s prophecy looks beyond the Babylonian Captivity and all later destructions of the city.  God commands the city ruins to shout expressions of joy.  All parts of Jerusalem, for it was all in ruins, and even those parts that seemed to lie most desolate shall share in the joy.  The ruins of the city can rejoice because “the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.”  The comfort that God brings to His people is redemption.  To redeem is to do the part of a close relative in freeing one’s relative or kin from hardship or danger by avenging or paying a ransom (see Leviticus 25:27, 48-49; Ruth 3:12-13; Ruth 4:4-6; Jeremiah 50:34).  God is Israel’s Redeemer (see Isaiah 49:7) who has and will deliver Jerusalem from the oppression the city has suffered at the hands of foreigners (see Isaiah 48:20), and her inhabitants will be delivered or freed from the power of sin that has led to Israel suffering oppression (see Isaiah 44:22-23).  
2. (vs. 10).  In this verse, the prophet continued to say “The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”  The phrase “The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations” likens the Lord to a warrior in battle who bared his arm so that he could use his weapon without any hindrances.  God’s “holy arm” used to deliver Israel from her enemies will be seen by “all nations” (see Isaiah 40:10).  As a result, “all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”  The “salvation of our God” will be two-fold.  Israel will be delivered physically from her enemies and also delivered from her sin.  All of this will be seen by the peoples of “all the ends of the earth.  The peoples of the earth first saw God’s physical salvation or deliverance of Israel when they returned from Babylon.  However, the peoples of the earth will see it again when Israel is restored during the millennial reign of Christ.  The wonderful thing about this is that not only will Jesus Christ’s deliverance from sin extend to Israel; it will extend to the ends of the earth (see Isaiah 45:22; 49:6).
V. THE EXILES RETURNING (Isaiah 52:11-12)
A. The call to return (Isaiah 52:11).  In this verse the Lord continues to speak through the prophet saying “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.”  This verse is directed to the returning captives from Babylon, although the Captivity was still in the future.  However, in God’s timing it was right around the corner.  As if they were already in captivity, the Lord commanded them to “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence.”  Again this was a call for God’s people to leave Babylon.  No doubt after being captive for 70 years many would become accustomed to Babylon.  But when they would be released and allowed to return to Judah by Cyrus, king of Persia (see Ezra 1:1-4), God’s people were to leave Babylon.  At the time the Jews were released from captivity, the Persians ruled Babylon.  In addition, now that God makes bare his holy arm for Israel they are to leave and never again “touch no unclean thing.”  In other words, once God had delivered them from their slavery they were to be holy as He is holy, and keep themselves from every wicked thing (see Isaiah 1:16-17).  When they came out of Egypt they brought with them the idolatrous customs of Egypt (see Ezekiel 23:1-8), which led to their ruin (Exodus 32:4).  They were not to do the same thing now that they have come out of Babylon.  Upon their return to Judah, the Lord had wonderful blessings awaiting them, but they needed to leave everything else behind.  The last phrase in this verse continues the theme of cleanliness and holiness, but applies it to the priests.  God said “be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.”  Since the priest would be the ones carrying “the vessels of the Lord” as they returned to Jerusalem, it was extremely important that they cleanse themselves.  They were to purify themselves for the service of bearing the “the vessels of the Lord” meaning all the items that had been taken from the temple by Nebuchadnezzar, but were returned by Cyrus (see II Chronicles 36:18; Ezra 1:5-11).  Note:  The prophecy revealed in this verse also has a future fulfillment when a believing remnant of Israel is finally re-gathered from all the ends of the earth.  At that time, the believing remnant will be called upon to leave behind anything that will take their focus off the Lord and cleanse themselves in order to inhabit the Jerusalem of the millennium.  This verse also has a spiritual application for believers of every generation.  We are to depart from our Babylon or whatever has us captive, and enter into the full blessings of Christ’s salvation (see II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Revelation 18:4).  In addition, for believers this verse is a call to all those who are yet in the bondage of sin and Satan to make use of the liberty which Christ has proclaimed to them.  And, if the Son make them free, they shall be free indeed (see John 8:36).
B. The manner of the return (Isaiah 52:12).  In Our final verse, God continues to say “For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.”   The phrase “For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight” means that when the Jews left Babylon, they were to go with a diligent haste, not to lose time, nor linger as Lot did in Sodom (see Genesis 19:15-16).  They were not to go with a distrustful haste, as if they were afraid of being pursued like when they came out of Egypt.  The Egyptians forced them out and they left in a hurry.   This verse has its complete fulfillment in the millennium when Jews will make their final return to Israel.  They will have no fear or anxiety, only dignity, confidence and joy.  The reason why this remnant will return to Zion with joy is because the prophet declared “for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.”  The word “rereward” means “rear guard.”  Therefore, when the remnant of believing Jews return to Jerusalem, the Lord will go before them and after them guarding them in all directions.     

                           

VI. Conclusion.  Zion, or Jerusalem, over many centuries has consistently been besieged, plundered, dominated by foreigners and even destroyed.  However, when the Messiah sets up His kingdom, Jerusalem will finally be clothed with glory, welcome home her exiles and fulfill her mission. Israel will finally assume her role in the future kingdom as God’s nation of priestly messengers (see Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 43:10).

      

           

                              
    














                                                                                                 

Transformed Inheritance

                                                                                  Sunday School Lesson                                         

Lesson: Ezekiel 47:13-23                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord God” (Ezekiel 47:23).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  During the course of history, the boundaries of many nations have changed.  Ancient empires like Assyria, Babylon, Persia and Macedonia conquered or replaced one another and changed the boundaries of those lands.  Today there is hardly any trace of the original boundaries of those nations.  The Promised Land is a critical part of God’s program for Israel.  It was originally promised to Abraham and his descendents in the Abrahamic covenant (see Genesis 12:1-3; 15:7, 18-21; 17:8).  In this week’s lesson, we will see that unlike many ancient lands whose boundaries no longer exist, the land of Canaan which God promised to Abraham and his descendents will once again be occupied in the millennial kingdom by the Jewish tribes to whom it was originally given. 
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  Up to this point in our study of Ezekiel, in his vision of the future messianic kingdom, the prophet saw the new temple, the return of God’s glory, the worship that will take place in the new temple, and the life-giving stream that flowed from the temple which concluded our previous lesson.  Our lesson this week is a continuation of last week’s lesson as Ezekiel is given the boundaries of the land that the repentant and restored Israelites will inhabit during the millennial reign of Christ.  The details of the land given in this lesson confirm that God will literally fulfill this prophecy and His promise to Abraham and his descendents.
III. A DECLARATION OF ISRAEL’S INHERITANCE (Ezekiel 47:13-14)
A.  God declares the future borders of Israel (Ezekiel 47:13).  Our first verse 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.”  The prophet made it very clear that the message he was about to give came directly from God as he said “Thus saith the Lord God.”   The Lord was about to describe “the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel.”  In other words, God would tell Ezekiel how He was going to divide the land promised to Israel as an inheritance during the kingdom yet to come, the millennium.  The land will be divided among “the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.”  When the land was originally divided among the twelve tribes, because of his faithfulness, Joseph was given two portions of territory.  However, Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh would have those two portions, one replacing Joseph and one replacing the tribe of Levi. This would keep the total allotment to twelve tribes.  The tribe of Levi was the priestly tribe and they were given territory within the borders of the other tribes (see Genesis 48:5-6, 22; Joshua 14:4).  In the future kingdom, the land will again be divided among the twelve tribes, but the priests and Levites will have special lands around the temple (see Ezekiel 45:1-6; 48:8-14).  As before, the Levites will have no land allotments for their tribe.
B. God declares the distribution of the land (Ezekiel 47:14).  In this verse, the Lord continued to say “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.”  In that future day, Israel will “inherit” or gain possession of the land “one as well as another” meaning that the land is to be divided equally among each tribe.  The phrase “concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers” means that God swore to give it to Israel’s forefathers.  To lift up one’s hand means to take a solemn oath.  Since God took a solemn oath to give the land to Abraham and his descendents, Israel’s future inheritance of the land is certain.  The last phrase “and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance” is further confirmation from the Lord that the twelve tribes of Israel will possess all the land that God intended.  The Lord originally promised the land of Canaan to Abraham (see Genesis 15:7, 13-21; 17:8) but later gave the actual borders of the land to Moses (see Numbers 34:1-12).  

IV. THE BORDERS OF THE LAND (Ezekiel 47:15-21)      

A. The northern boundary (Ezekiel 47:15-17). 
1. (vs. 15).  Now the Lord says “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.”   God begins giving the boundaries of the land starting with the north side and continuing clockwise.  The northern side begins “from the great sea” which refers to the Mediterranean Sea.  However, we are not told exactly where along the shoreline of the Mediterranean.  In the original lay of the land in Numbers 34:7, this northern beginning point appears to be a location north of Tyre and Sidon near Mount Hor which is just north of the port city of Byblos. From this northern point, the border goes “the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad.”  Although no one is sure, but it’s believed that “Hethlon” may be just north of the Lebanon mountains near Mount Hor.  It’s also believed that “Zedad” may be located northeast of Damascus, Syria.  
2. (vs. 16).  This verse continues describing the northern border including “Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.”  The three places mentioned here “Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim” also lie along the northern border already described in the previous verse 15.  In the Old Testament, “Hamath” was the area just north of Israel’s original designated border (see Numbers 13:21; 34:8; Joshua 13:5).  “Berothah” is considered to be the same as Berothai, which was a city David conquered from the king of Zobah (see II Samuel 8:8).  It is north of Damascus and today it’s called Bereitan.  The exact location of “Sibraim” isn’t known, but is thought to be the same place as Ziphron (see Numbers 34:9) and is said to be “between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath.”  Another location on the northern border is “Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.”  The exact location of “Hazarhatticon” is not known, but it is “by the coast of Hauran” which is just south of Damascus.
3. (vs. 17).  In this verse, God summarizes the northern boundary of the future land of Israel.  He said “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.”  In other words, the “north side” or northern boundary will extend from the Mediterranean Sea to Hazarenan which will be the northeast corner, and then go along the northern border of Damascus with the boundary of Hamath to the north.        
B. The eastern boundary (Ezekiel 47:18).
1. (vs. 18).  This verse says “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.”  This means that the eastern boundary starts with the northeastern corner at Hazarenan (see verse 17) and proceeds south westward between the territory of Damascus and that of Hauran, with the Jordan River forming the boundary between the land of Israel on the west and Gilead on the east, as far as “the east sea” or the Dead Sea.  “Hauran,” called Bashan in the Old Testament is the area between Damascus on the north and Gilead on the south. This area was east of Israel and in ancient times it was occupied by the tribe of Manasseh (see Deuteronomy 3:13; Joshua 13:29-31).
C. The southern boundary (Ezekiel 47:19).  This verse 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.”  The southern boundary of future Israel starts at “Tamar” which will be just southwest of the Dead Sea and continues “to the waters of strife in Kadesh” which refers to Kadesh-barnea where Moses struck the rock to get water for the Israelites (see Numbers 20:1-13; 27:14).  The southern boundary will then continue to “the river” which is the Wadi el Arish.  This is a stream that flows along the coast of Egypt and empties into “the great sea” or the Mediterranean Sea.  God then summarizes saying “And this is the south side southward” or the southern border.  In essence, the southern border of Israel will go southwestward from Tamar, then westward and then northwesterly from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean.  This is basically the same southern border described by Moses of Old Testament Israel (see Numbers 34:3-5).
D. The western boundary (Ezekiel 47:20).  This verse says “The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.”  The western border of future Israel will be “the great sea” or the Mediterranean Sea.  This boundary will continue along the Mediterranean until it reaches “Hamath” which is in the extreme north.  So Israel will possess all the land along its coast between the river Wadi el Arish to a point near “Hamath.”  This description of the western boundary is the same as the boundary described for Old Testament Israel (see Numbers 34:6).  In ancient Israel, the Philistines controlled the southern part of the western boundary, and the Phoenicians controlled the northern part.  In the millennial reign of Christ, Israel will possess and control all of it.
E. A summary (Ezekiel 47:21).  In this verse the Lord said “So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel.”  God ended His description of the boundaries of future Israel by simply saying according to the boundary instructions, the land is to be divided among the twelve tribes.  In the millennial kingdom, Israel will once again become a unified nation, but the tribal divisions will also be recognized.  The way the land will be divided is given in Ezekiel 48:1-29 and will be very different from the divisions in ancient Israel.
V.  THE PLACE OF STRANGERS IN THE LAND (Ezekiel 47:22-23)
A. The rights of strangers (Ezekiel 47:22).  The Lord continued to say in this verse, “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.”   As future Israel divided the land, God said “ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you.”  The land is to be divided as an inheritance not only for the Israelites, but for any “strangers that sojourn among you.” The Hebrew word for “strangers” refers to foreigners who lived among the Israelites or resident aliens.  Although under the Mosaic Law strangers were to be treated with respect, their status was different from the Israelites.  Under the old covenant relationship between God and His people, “strangers” or non-Jewish people didn’t have any right of inheritance to any portion of the land.  In the millennium, an inheritance will be given to strangers that live among the Jews and also “beget children among you (the Jews).”  In other words, non-Jewish people, along with their natural-born children would be entitled to settle in the Promised Land.  The sojourners or strangers “shall have inheritance with you (the Jews) among the tribes of Israel.”   These strangers or sojourners will be Gentiles or non-Jews living among the Jews in future Israel.  They will have the same privileges that were once reserved for Jews alone.
B. The location of strangers (Ezekiel 47:23).  In our final verse God says “And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord God.”  This means that wherever non-Jewish people associated themselves with specific tribal communities in Israel, they would have an inheritance in that portion of the land.  The territories will have the names of the tribes, but there will be no social distinctions made between Jews of that tribal ancestry and Gentiles who live among them.  Everyone will equally enjoy the political and spiritual benefits of the messiah’s rule.  As a result, the millennium will be a time of fulfillment not only for the remnant of a restored and reconciled Israel, but also for believing Gentiles coming out of the Great Tribulation (see Revelation 7:9-17).
                                    
VI. Conclusion.  The land was part of God’s original promise to Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel.  It played a central role in God’s dealings with Israel throughout the Old Testament.  Because of Israel’s consistent unfaithfulness to her God, she was exiled from the land.  But despite that unfaithfulness, God’s purpose is not thwarted.  In accordance with His original plan, God will restore His people and the aliens or Gentiles who reside with them, to the land that He promised.  Once restored and reconciled to their God, they will dwell there in peace and prosperity in accordance with His covenant promises.

      

           

 







 

A Transforming Stream

                                         Sunday School Lesson
                                            

Lesson: Ezekiel 47:1, 3-12
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “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” (Ezekiel 47:9).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  Part of the vision of the temple that Ezekiel saw included a river coming from the temple that produced a transforming stream of water to sustain all life during the millennial reign of Christ. This fascinating river will flow through the land of Israel from the temple to the Dead Sea. It’s God’s life-giving source of blessing, which will never end and will always produce safe, cool, and good tasting water. 
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  In Ezekiel chapters 40-48, the prophet’s vision covers the future messianic kingdom.  Those chapters reveal a description of the new temple (see Ezekiel 40:1-42:20), the return of God’s glory to the temple (see Ezekiel 43:1-12) and ordinances governing worship in the temple (see Ezekiel 43:13-46:24).  Our lesson passage for this week comes next and is followed by a description of the future divisions of the land in Israel and Jerusalem (see Ezekiel 47:13-48:35) which brings this book to an end.
III. THE SOURCE OF THE STREAM (Ezekiel 47:1).   In our first verse, Ezekiel says “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.”  The pronoun “he” refers to the angel who was giving Ezekiel the tour of the future temple in his vision (see Ezekiel 40:3).  The phrase “Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house” means that just before this verse, Ezekiel had been in the outer court of the temple where the angel showed him the kitchens where the sacrificial offerings would be served (see Ezekiel 46:19-24).  Now the angel brought him back to the inner court and to the “door” or entrance to the temple on the eastern side.  While there, Ezekiel saw “waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward.”  In other words, the prophet saw water flowing toward the east coming from under the door of the temple.  The waters originated in the temple in God’s presence and flowed “down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.”   The right side of the “house” or temple was the south side.  The waters flowed from the right or south side of the door and crossed the court south of the altar of sacrifice continuing toward the east.  The phrase “for the forefront of the house stood toward the east” simply means that the front entrance of the temple faced the east.  Verse 2 is not part of our text, but it tells us that the angel led Ezekiel out of the north gate of the city of Jerusalem around the outside to the outer gate that faced eastward.  There Ezekiel saw that the water was running out of the city on the south side.  At this point, the water flow was just a stream.
IV. THE EXPANSION OF THE STREAM (Ezekiel 47:3-5)      
A. The water reaches ankle depth (Ezekiel 47:3).  In this verse Ezekiel continued to say “And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.”   As we have seen, there was no river or tributary supplying the waters, yet the waters began to get deeper and wider.  Ezekiel stated that “the man” or angel led him through the waters for about “a thousand cubits” or about 1500ft.  At this point Ezekiel said that “the waters were to the ankles” meaning that the stream had risen from a trickle to around the prophet’s ankles. 
B. The water reaches knee and loin depth (Ezekiel 47:4).  Ezekiel went on to say in this verse “Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.”  The prophet said that the angel measured another thousand cubits (about 1500ft) distance as they walked and the waters came up around Ezekiel’s knees.  The angel led Ezekiel another thousand cubits or 1500ft through the waters and “the waters were to the loins.”  The word “loins” probably refers to Ezekiel’s waist.
C. The stream become a river (Ezekiel 47:5).  Here Ezekiel said “Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.”  After travelling another thousand cubits the prophet said the waters had become “a river that I could not pass over.”  In other words, the waters had risen so high and so wide that Ezekiel couldn’t get across.  The prophet stated that the small stream had risen so high that one could swim in it.  That was the only way to cross it.  
V. THE BLESSINGS OF THE STREAM (Ezekiel 47:6-12) A   A. The growth of trees (Ezekiel 47:6-7).
1. (vs. 6).  In this verse Ezekiel said “And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.”  The angel who was guiding Ezekiel spoke to the prophet and asked him “Son of man, hast thou seen this?”  In other words, he was asking Ezekiel if he was paying attention to what was happening with the water that began to flow from the temple and now was a river.  It was an amazing and miraculous site!  At that point, Ezekiel said “he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.”  Since the waters were now so deep, the angel brought Ezekiel back along the bank of the river.
2. (vs. 7).  Here Ezekiel said “Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.”  When the prophet returned, on the bank of the river he saw “very many trees on the one side and on the other.”  In other words, both sides of the river were covered with trees.  God’s miraculous waters had changed the area from being unproductive, except by irrigation, to an area covered with fruit trees as we shall see later in verse 12.
B. Freshening the sea (Ezekiel 47:8).  In this verse Ezekiel said “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.”  The angelic guide now tells the prophet where the waters are headed as well as their purpose.  The angel said that the waters or river “issue out” or flow toward the eastern region of Israel and then proceed “down into the desert.”  The word translated “desert” here is Arabah which means “arid” or a dry wasteland.  In ancient times, the Arabah or desert referred to the entire valley south of the Sea of Galilee, but today it refers only to the area south of the Dead Sea.  The soil in this area is fertile, but can only produce through irrigation.  As the waters flowed into the desert they continued “into the sea.”  The “sea” here is the Dead Sea, or Salt Sea and is also called the “east sea” (see Ezekiel 47:18) to distinguish it from the Mediterranean Sea which is often called the “great sea” (see Numbers 34: 2, 6; Ezekiel 47:10, 20).  The last phrase of this verse says that when the waters that Ezekiel saw turn into a river “which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.”  In other words during the millennial kingdom when the divine waters empty into the Dead Sea, it’s waters will become clean, pure and fresh.  The word “healed” here means that the salty Dead Sea will for the first time be able to sustain life because of the power of God’s life changing waters.
C. Increase of marine life (Ezekiel 47:9-11).
1. (vs. 9).  The angel who guided Ezekiel continued to say “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.”  Today, nothing can live in the Dead Sea, but there will come a time when “every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live.”  During the millennium, wherever God’s waters flow life will come forth.This verse also says “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.”  In other words, there will be large numbers of fish in the Dead Sea because the divine waters will flow into it and the salt water will become fresh water, and wherever the river flows everything will live.
2. (vs. 10).  The angel went on to say “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.”  When the divine stream of waters cleanse the Dead Sea, “the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim.”  The word “fishers” refers to fishermen who will stand on the banks of the Dead Sea fishing in a sea that once was dead to fishing.  But in a future time, fishermen will fish in the Dead Sea from “Engedi even unto Eneglaim.”  Both “Engedi” and “Eneglaim” will be areas where fishing will thrive.  “Engedi” which means “spring of the wild goats” is an oasis on the west bank of the Dead Sea.  When David fled from Saul, he hid at “Engedi” (see I Samuel 23:29-24:2) and later Jehoshaphat held off an invasion there (see II Chronicles 20:2).  Today, “Engedi” is known for its lush vegetation although it is surrounded by barren hills.  But in the future, “Engedi” fishing will be abundant.  The other area that will thrive with fishermen is “Eneglaim.”  It means “spring of the two calves.”  It’s not certain just where this particular area is in Israel, but many scholars believe it lies at the northern end of the Dead Sea about thirty miles from Engedi.  Both “Engedi” and “Eneglaim” according to Ezekiel’s angelic guide “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.”  In other words along the shore of these two areas, fisherman will spread their nets and catch fish of all kinds just like the ones in the “great sea” or the Mediterranean Sea.
3. (vs. 11).  In contrast to the flourishing of fish in the Dead Sea, the angel said “But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.”  One would think that all the areas around the Dead Sea will be prosperous, but the angel declared that “the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed.”  The “miry places” and “the marshes” refer to the current low areas around the Dead Sea that are left with a thick crust of salt on them after they are flooded during the rainy season.  In the future, the divine stream will not change these areas.  Instead, “they shall be given to salt” meaning that those areas that are full of salt will remain that way in order to supply salt for Israel just as they do today.

D. The production of fruit (Ezekiel 47:12).  Our final verse says “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.”  The angel now describes four things about the trees he mentioned in verse 7.  First, on both sides of the river banks “shall grow all trees for meat.”  This means that all the trees will supply food for Israel.  Second, the “leaf shall not fade” meaning that the trees shall be permanent.  Third, “neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed.”  This means that the fruit produced by the trees will never run out.  Fourth, the fruit will never run out because the trees “shall bring forth new fruit according to his months.”  In other words, the trees will bear fruit every month.  All of this will happen “because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary” meaning that the waters that supply them comes from God’s temple.  Finally the angel said that “the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.”  In other words, the fruit from the trees will serve for food and the leaves will have healing powers, able to eliminate sickness. 

                                    

VI. Conclusion.  What can be considered salt water in the Christian’s life?  Bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy, malice, anger, depression and the list could go on.  As we allow the living waters, God’s Holy Spirit, to rise within us and heal us of those issues, we become the means by which God heals others.  When we get rid of our bitterness, others are more attracted to us.  Ezekiel saw many fish of various kinds swimming in the Dead Sea and a great number of fishermen spreading their nets.  We are called to be fishers of men, but first we have to allow the living, healing waters of God to flow through us (see John 4:10, 13-14).


      

           

 

 

The Altar, a Sign of Hope

                                                      Sunday School Lesson

                                            

Lesson: Ezekiel 43:13-21
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord God; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon” (Ezekiel 43:18).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  As a result of God’s people worshipping pagan gods and sinning against God without repentance, the Lord sent the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem---the temple in particular---and to take the people into Captivity.  During the Exile, Ezekiel saw the rebuilt future temple in a vision.  In this week’s lesson, we will learn of the future reestablishment of the temple altar and sacrifices during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on the earth.  Although this portion of Scripture is difficult to understand, we must know that the millennial sacrifices will be memorial remembrances of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice at the cross.
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  In Ezekiel chapters 40-43, the details of the future temple are given and conclude with a description of the altar of sacrifice.  But in the description of the future temple no pieces of furniture for the sanctuary are mentioned except an “altar of wood,” or “table that is before the Lord” (see Ezekiel 41:22).  However, we are not told what that altar would be used for.  Both in the tabernacle in the wilderness and in Solomon’s temple there was a lamp stand, a table of showbread, a bronze laver and the Ark of the Covenant.  But none of those pieces of furniture are present in the description of the future temple.  Jeremiah did prophesy that in the last days the Ark of the Covenant with the cherubim and mercy seat would not even be remembered.  The altar of sacrifice is the one piece of furniture that will be restored in the future temple and it will have massive dimensions.  Last week’s lesson ended with the Lord commanding Ezekiel to share everything he had seen regarding the future temple with His people which should cause them to be ashamed of their sinful behavior (see Ezekiel 43:11).  Then the Lord said that the whole mountain on which the temple will stand shall be holy (see Ezekiel 43:12).  This week’s lesson continues with verse 13 as the Lord gives Ezekiel the measurements of the altar of sacrifice.
III. THE DIMENSIONS OF THE ALTAR (Ezekiel 43:13-17) 
A. The base of the altar (Ezekiel 43:13).  In this verse God said to Ezekiel “And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits: The cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span: and this shall be the higher place of the altar.”   The Lord stated first that the altar would be measured in “cubits.”  God defined the “cubit” as “a cubit and an hand breadth.”  The regular Hebrew “cubit” was the length from the point of a person’s elbow to the tip of the middle finger which is about 18 inches.  But this temple’s measurement was to be what was known as the long cubit.  This measurement added a “hand breath” or the length across the base of four fingers.  This would make the total length of “a cubit and an hand breadth” to be about 21inches.  The Lord described the altar from the bottom up saying “even the bottom shall be a cubit” or 21 inches.  The “bottom” was the base of the altar surrounded by a rim around the outside.  It supported the whole structure.  The “breadth” of the base, or “bottom” was also to be “a cubit.”  The “breadth” is the distance which the base sticks out beyond the next level on each side.  The “border” is the rim that runs around the base.  It was to go upward and was to be a “span” which is half a cubit or about nine inches.  The phrase “and this shall be the higher place of the altar” can be translated as “and this is the height of the altar” which is given in the next verse.  The Living Bible has a good translation of this verse putting the measurements in feet. It says “And these are the measurements of the altar: The base is 21 inches high, with a 9-inch rim around its edge, and it extends 21 inches beyond the altar on all sides.”
B. The graduations of the sides (Ezekiel 43:14-15).  
1. (vs. 14).  In this verse, God continues to describe the dimensions of the altar.  He said “And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle even to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the breadth one cubit.”  The phrase “And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits” means that the distance from the bottom of the base which was on the ground to the “lower settle” is to be 3.5 ft. high. It was the first level of the altar from the bottom upward.  The altar is to have 3 levels or platforms.  The term “settle” in Hebrew refers to ledge or border.  It’s “breadth” or width was to be “one cubit” or about 21in (Remember the cubit measurement used for the altar was not the normal cubit of 18 in. but was the long cubit of about 21in. See verse 13).   The distance from the “lesser settle” or the lower platform to the “greater settle” which was the next platform, was to be “four cubits” or 7 ft. high (To get the number of feet multiply 4x21in=84 inches: then divide 84 inches 12 inches=7ft).  The “breadth” or width of the “greater settle” or the next level of the altar was also to be “one cubit” or about 21in.  The Living Bible translates this verse as “The first stage of the altar is a stone platform 3½ feet high. This platform is 21 inches narrower than the base block on all sides. Rising from this is a narrower platform, 21 inches narrower on all sides, and 7 feet high.”
2. (vs. 15).  The Lord continued to say “So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.”  This sounds as if the entire altar was to be “four cubits” or 7ft high, but we have already determined that the upper platform was itself 7ft.  This verse is referring to the “hearth” of the altar where the animal sacrifices are to be burned.  The hearth therefore was to be 7ft high just as the second platform.  Projecting from the hearth upward “shall be four horns.”  On each corner of the altar hearth (the top of the altar) there are four horns.

 C. The overall perimeter of the altar (Ezekiel 43:16-17).

1. (vs. 16).  In this verse God said “And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof.”  The phrase “the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad” means that each of the four sides of the altar hearth was to be twelve cubits long.  In other words, the altar hearth was to have 4 equal sides, each side was to be “twelve cubits” or 21ft.
2. (vs. 17).  Here God says “And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about; and his stairs shall look toward the east.”  The altar hearth is to sit on a “settle,” a platform or ledge and it is to be “fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof.”  In other words, each side of the platform that the altar hearth sets on will be 24.5ft.  In addition, “the border about it shall be half a cubit.”  The altar hearth has a “border” or rim around it that’s “half a cubit” or 10.5 in.  The phrase “the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about” means that the bottom or ledge that the altar hearth sits on extends 21inches on all four sides.  The last part of this verse says “and his stairs shall look toward the east.”  In other words on the east side of the altar there will be stairs to climb to get to the top of the altar.
IV.THE CONSECRATION OF THE ALTAR (Ezekiel 43:18-21)      
A. The role of the priests (Ezekiel 43:18-19). 
1(vs. 18).  This verse says “And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord God; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.”  As He did in Ezekiel 43:7, the Lord God referred to the prophet as “Son of man” which describes Ezekiel as a human and how far he was from being divine.  The “ordinances of the altar” refers to a ceremonial consecration to be held for the millennial altar just like there was for the tabernacle (see Exodus 40:10, 29) and Solomon’s temple (see II Chronicles 7:7-9).  However, here the “ordinances of the altar” refers only to the first day of the ceremony.  In verses 18-27 we are told that the ceremony would last seven days.  Here in verse 18 the first day of the consecration ceremony is described as “the day when they shall make it” or the day when the altar is finished.  On that first day the priests (see verse 19) will “offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.”  After the altar is constructed, it must be ceremonially cleansed with the blood of animals.  This particular ordinance will only take place on the day the altar is completed and is not to be part of daily worship.    2. (vs. 19).  Still speaking of the sacrifices, in this verse God said “And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord God, a young bullock for a sin offering.”  The offerings will be given to “the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok.”  Zadok was a descendent of Aaron, a Levite through Phineas, with whom the Lord made an everlasting covenant regarding the priesthood (see Numbers 25:1-13; I Chronicles 6:1-8).The last part of this verse says that the priest will approach God or the altar and “minister” or offer “a young bullock for a sin offering.”  On this first day of the consecration ceremony the sin offering is to be a young bullock or ox.  A “sin offering” was normally required for someone who sinned unintentionally (see Leviticus chapter 4).
B. The offering of the sacrifice (Ezekiel 43:20-21).
1. (vs. 20).  In this verse, God continued to say “And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.”  The priests are to take the blood from the sacrifice and put it on certain parts of the altar.  The priests are to first “put it (blood) on the four horns of it (the altar).”  These are the four horns at the top of the altar (see the diagram above).  Second, the blood was put “on the four corners of the settle.”  As noted in verse 14, “the settle” refers to the three platforms of the altar.  Each platform has four corners and blood is to be applied to all four corners.  Finally, the blood is to be applied “upon the border round about.”  Again, as noted in verse 17, “the border” refers to the rim around the base of the altar (see diagram above).  The last phrase of this verse tells us the purpose of the sin offering.  It was to “cleanse and purge it.”  In other words, the blood from the young bullock or ox is put on parts of the altar to purify it from any defilement caused by human contact.  This consecration would set the altar apart for holy use.
2. (vs. 21).  In our final verse, God said “Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.”  The last action that the priests were to take on this first day of the consecration of the altar is to take the remains of the ox that has been sacrificed and then burn them in a prescribed place set aside for this purpose.  That place for burning the remains of the sacrifice was to be “without the sanctuary” meaning outside of the temple building, but still inside its courts.  The Mosaic Law also commanded that the burning of the remains of the sacrificial animal should be done outside the camp (see Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 8:17).  Note:   As Christians our sacrifices are not animal, grain, or drink offerings but rather spiritual offerings of praise (see Hebrews 13:15).  This includes our bodies for service (see Romans 12:1-2) and our gift offerings in support of the church and its work (see Philippians 4:15-18).
                       
V. Conclusion.  In Israel’s past, the altar was the place where sin offerings were brought and atonement for sin was made.  The appearance of the new altar in Ezekiel’s vision was necessary because in the millennial temple, God’s glory will once again dwell among His people, requiring holiness in the temple complex and in those who enter it.  Therefore, the altar is a significant sign of hope that Israel will be restored after centuries of exile.