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.
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