Welcome to the Promised Land
Text Ezekiel 46-48 Time 22/02/09 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church
I want us to look this morning at the three final chapters of the prophecy of Ezekiel where Ezekiel's vision of a new Temple and of a new Promised Land comes to its climax. We have already acknowledged that these are difficult chapters to read and understand. We did make the point though that you don't need to understand them in order to be saved. Salvation itself is very easy to understand – turn from your sins to Christ - trust in him and all will be well. That's why even children can be saved. There is a depth and a wisdom in Christ, however, and here we have one of the deeper parts of Scripture. If we have been Christians any length of time we should be ready to consider its lessons. All Scripture is to be studied and learned from, however, and it is right that we give attention to Ezekiel's vision.
Another point we have already made is that one of our difficulties here is that Ezekiel writes very much in Old Testament terms, terms that we are often not familiar with. However, his vision is of the future, a now partly present future, one that we can know today.
I don't know if you're thinking about taking a holiday next summer. When planning such things people often look at tourist brochures and books describing the place they might go to. We can think of these chapters (40-48) as being something like that. Here is a description of a wonderful land, a land that you can come to and indeed live in. Some of you live in that land. Some of you don't. I want to say welcome to that land today – Welcome to the Promised Land!
So far we've considered Chapters 40-45. In those chapters Ezekiel has described the Temple area and the new Temple itself and the return of God's once departed glory to the Temple, never to leave again. We've also had the restoration of the altar and the priesthood and the offerings. In Chapter 44 he begins to describe the allotment of the new Promised Land but only gets as far as describing the central portion of the Land which is to be a sacred district. We then learn about the restoration of the offerings, which continues into Chapter 46. In Chapter 47 we learn about the river of life that flows from the Temple and the boundaries of the new land. Then in Chapter 48 he describes the distribution of the land among the tribes and the new city with its 12 gates.
The vision then is of a new land, a land for God's own people. It speaks ultimately of heaven but also of a wonderful land that is already here. The language is highly symbolic and it's clear that what is envisaged is not a place as such but God's spiritual kingdom. There are at least five things to say then
1. Welcome to a land where God is worshipped
Another point we have already made is that one of our difficulties here is that Ezekiel writes very much in Old Testament terms, terms that we are often not familiar with. However, his vision is of the future, a now partly present future, one that we can know today.
I don't know if you're thinking about taking a holiday next summer. When planning such things people often look at tourist brochures and books describing the place they might go to. We can think of these chapters (40-48) as being something like that. Here is a description of a wonderful land, a land that you can come to and indeed live in. Some of you live in that land. Some of you don't. I want to say welcome to that land today – Welcome to the Promised Land!
So far we've considered Chapters 40-45. In those chapters Ezekiel has described the Temple area and the new Temple itself and the return of God's once departed glory to the Temple, never to leave again. We've also had the restoration of the altar and the priesthood and the offerings. In Chapter 44 he begins to describe the allotment of the new Promised Land but only gets as far as describing the central portion of the Land which is to be a sacred district. We then learn about the restoration of the offerings, which continues into Chapter 46. In Chapter 47 we learn about the river of life that flows from the Temple and the boundaries of the new land. Then in Chapter 48 he describes the distribution of the land among the tribes and the new city with its 12 gates.
The vision then is of a new land, a land for God's own people. It speaks ultimately of heaven but also of a wonderful land that is already here. The language is highly symbolic and it's clear that what is envisaged is not a place as such but God's spiritual kingdom. There are at least five things to say then
1. Welcome to a land where God is worshipped
As we've said Chapter 46 really carries on from where Chapter 45 leaves off. We made the point last week that the worship of God must be taken seriously. In kingdom terms we can speak of a land where God is worshipped. Again it is put in Old Testament terms. Chapter 45 speaks of various offerings including Passover and Tabernacles. Here we come on to Sabbaths, New Moons and other offerings. So we say welcome to a land
1. Where God is worshipped regularly
1. Where God is worshipped regularly
In verse 1 God says of the Temple The gate of the inner court facing east (not the outer gate that was permanently closed – Chapter 44 – but the inner one) is to be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon it is to be opened. We're told that The prince (2, 3) who we've identified with the Messiah or Christ is to enter from the outside through the portico of the gateway and stand by the gatepost. The priests are to sacrifice his burnt offering and his fellowship offerings. He is to worship at the threshold of the gateway and then go out, but the gate will not be shut until evening. On the Sabbaths and New Moons the people of the land are to worship in the presence of the LORD at the entrance to that gateway. In verses 4-7 the burnt offerings the prince is to bring to the LORD on the Sabbath day and the day of the New Moon are itemised - 6 male lambs and a ram, all without defect and grain offerings each Sabbath and a young bull, 6 lambs and a ram, all without defect with grain offerings once a month. We are presented then with a Temple where Prince and people are regularly worshipping God. This is how it should be with us. Every morning, every evening, weekly, monthly – giving praise to God led by Christ himself.
2. Where the Prince is with his people
2. Where the Prince is with his people
Verse 10 is interesting The prince is to be among them, going in when they go in and going out when they go out. The prince is their leader and yet he worships with them. You remember how Jesus spoke to his disciples after his resurrection of ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God. When we meet together in Jesus' name we worship Christ and yet he is also with us as we worship God. Indeed it is through him that we come to God.
There is a further note in verse 11 before we go on to more detail about offerings in verses 12 and on. We read that When the prince provides a freewill offering to the LORD of any sort the gate facing east is to be opened for him. He shall offer his burnt offering or his fellowship offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out, the gate will be shut. Verse 13 Every day you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the LORD; morning by morning you shall provide it. Grain offerings are again to accompany it. Again it evokes the coming of Jesus into our assemblies and leading the worship. That is how it should be when we meet like this.
3. Where the Prince does not oppress the people
There is a further note in verse 11 before we go on to more detail about offerings in verses 12 and on. We read that When the prince provides a freewill offering to the LORD of any sort the gate facing east is to be opened for him. He shall offer his burnt offering or his fellowship offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out, the gate will be shut. Verse 13 Every day you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the LORD; morning by morning you shall provide it. Grain offerings are again to accompany it. Again it evokes the coming of Jesus into our assemblies and leading the worship. That is how it should be when we meet like this.
3. Where the Prince does not oppress the people
There is also a note in verses 16-18 about the prince and inherited property rights. Again the phrase His inheritance belongs to his sons only; it is theirs is a pregnant one for believers who are God's sons. Verse 18 reads The prince must not take any of the inheritance of the people, driving them off their property. He is to give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people will be separated from his property. How tender and loving and kind the Lord Jesus is to those who are in him.
4. Where practical matters are taken care of
4. Where practical matters are taken care of
In verses 8 and 9 we have some traffic directions! It says that When the prince enters, he is to go in through the portico of the gateway, and he is to come out the same way and adds that When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out by the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out by the north gate. No-one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each is to go out by the opposite gate. With such vast numbers practical arrangements like this become important. Often in Mecca people die in the large crowds that are sometimes not very well organised.
Finally (again very practically) in verses 19-24 Ezekiel is shown the kitchens (20) the place where the priests will cook the guilt offering and the sin offering and bake the grain offering, to avoid bringing them into the outer court and consecrating the people. Ezekiel sees that there are four of these – one in each corner. It doesn't make interesting reading but is typical of the very thorough and exact way everything is dealt with here.
Obviously to worship God involves thinking through and acting on some very practical matters. We don't need kitchens today although a cup of tea or even a meal after the meeting can be a help. It does help to have hymn books and Bibles and comfortable chairs and light and heat. We need to get here on time too and concentrate while we are here.
2. Welcome to a land that God has abundantly blessed
Finally (again very practically) in verses 19-24 Ezekiel is shown the kitchens (20) the place where the priests will cook the guilt offering and the sin offering and bake the grain offering, to avoid bringing them into the outer court and consecrating the people. Ezekiel sees that there are four of these – one in each corner. It doesn't make interesting reading but is typical of the very thorough and exact way everything is dealt with here.
Obviously to worship God involves thinking through and acting on some very practical matters. We don't need kitchens today although a cup of tea or even a meal after the meeting can be a help. It does help to have hymn books and Bibles and comfortable chairs and light and heat. We need to get here on time too and concentrate while we are here.
2. Welcome to a land that God has abundantly blessed
As we come into Chapter 47 Ezekiel describes how The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and says Ezekiel I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south side.
Ezekiel is then led eastward by the man who makes measurements as they go (3-6). First they are ankle-deep in water, then knee-deep, then up to the waist and finally we read but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in - a river that no one could cross. He asked me, Son of man, do you see this? Then he led me back to the bank of the river.
There Ezekiel sees (7) a great number of trees on each side of the river. He's told that the water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Sea. When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds - like the fish of the Great Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.
Ezekiel is then led eastward by the man who makes measurements as they go (3-6). First they are ankle-deep in water, then knee-deep, then up to the waist and finally we read but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in - a river that no one could cross. He asked me, Son of man, do you see this? Then he led me back to the bank of the river.
There Ezekiel sees (7) a great number of trees on each side of the river. He's told that the water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Sea. When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds - like the fish of the Great Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.
It is a wonderful picture of great variety and abundance. This is the language that John picks up on when he describes heaven in the last book of the Bible. It is a theme throughout Scripture, beginning with well watered Eden and going on through the streams within Jerusalem of Psalm 46 and on to John 7:37-39 where we read how On the last and greatest day of the Feast, (of Tabernacles where there was a daily ceremony where water was poured out) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. John explains By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. The Spirit was poured out though on the day of Pentecost and it is the Spirit now who is at work bringing more and more people to the Lord. In the early years the gospel was ankle deep, then knee deep and now it is a great river and there are all sorts of fruits being produced buy the Spirit and the nations are being healed. What glorious things are happening even in our own day! You are welcome to be part of it.
3. Welcome to a land that's large enough for all
3. Welcome to a land that's large enough for all
Next we read about the boundaries of the land in verses 13-20. The boundaries of the land varied over the years. At this point, of course, Israel had none of it. The boundaries here are – on the west, the Mediterranean and on the east the Jordan and the Dead Sea. The northern and southern borders are harder to follow but are well to the north and to the south. There is nothing east of the Jordan. Again this is symbolic – a symmetrical land, a clearly defined one. In verses 21-23 God says You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. You are to allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and note this for the aliens who have settled among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe the alien settles, there you are to give him his inheritance, declares the Sovereign LORD. There is room enough then – not just for Israel but for any alien who wishes to join them. On the Statue of Liberty in New York (inside the pedestal) is a poem on a bronze plaque. It concludes with Liberty speaking and saying
Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp! cries she
With silent lips. Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
Whether it is so easy to get in to America today we certainly say welcome to all to this land, to the kingdom of God. Come to Jesus Christ. Come into his kingdom.
4. Welcome to a land that's ready for God's people
4. Welcome to a land that's ready for God's people
Then in Chapter 48 we come to the division of the land. Again it is highly symbolic. Whereas in the past some tribes had large areas, some smaller, here it is more regimented and equal. Each tribe gets an equally broad west to east strip. (1-7) First Dan, then Asher, then Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, Judah. Then in verses 23-39 the remaining allotments are given – Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar and Zebulun. Verse 29 This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these will be their portions, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Verses 8-22 recap on the sacred district spoken of before in Chapter 44. In the centre of it we read will be the sanctuary of the LORD. It is for the consecrated priests, the Zadokites, who were faithful in serving me and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray. There is also land for the Levites. We read (14) They must not sell or exchange any of it. This is the best of the land and must not pass into other hands, because it is holy to the LORD. There will also be land for the Prince. This where the holy city will be, which he speaks about at the very end.
There is the land then ready for the people – there is a place for every tribe and at the heart of it all the sacred portion for the worship of God. That is how it is in God's kingdom. Come take your place. It's ready. Come worship God. Know the blessings the Prince can give you.
5. Welcome to a land where the Lord dwells
Verses 8-22 recap on the sacred district spoken of before in Chapter 44. In the centre of it we read will be the sanctuary of the LORD. It is for the consecrated priests, the Zadokites, who were faithful in serving me and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray. There is also land for the Levites. We read (14) They must not sell or exchange any of it. This is the best of the land and must not pass into other hands, because it is holy to the LORD. There will also be land for the Prince. This where the holy city will be, which he speaks about at the very end.
There is the land then ready for the people – there is a place for every tribe and at the heart of it all the sacred portion for the worship of God. That is how it is in God's kingdom. Come take your place. It's ready. Come worship God. Know the blessings the Prince can give you.
5. Welcome to a land where the Lord dwells
Have you ever heard of the Rev Gary Davis? He was a blind blues singer. He sang a song that goes like this
Oh, what a beautiful city (3)
Twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
And it's oh, what a beautiful
Oh, Oh Lord, what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
Twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
And it's oh, what a beautiful
Oh, Oh Lord, what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
There's three gates in the East
There's three gates in the West
There's three gates in the North
There's three gates in the South
That makes twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
And it's oh, what a beautiful
Oh, Oh Lord, what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
There's three gates in the West
There's three gates in the North
There's three gates in the South
That makes twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
And it's oh, what a beautiful
Oh, Oh Lord, what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
Oh Lord, what a beautiful city
Oh, Oh Lord, what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
If you see my dear old mother
Won't you do this favour for me
Won't you please tell my mother
To meet me in Galilee. Etc.
Oh, Oh Lord, what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city, hallelujah
If you see my dear old mother
Won't you do this favour for me
Won't you please tell my mother
To meet me in Galilee. Etc.
It seems to make little sense. "What you talkin' 'bout?" he asks. Well, it's here in the final verses of Ezekiel (30-35)
These will be the exits of the city: Beginning on the north side, which is 4,500 cubits long, the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. The 3 gates on the north side will be the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah and the gate of Levi. On the east side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be 3 gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin and the gate of Dan. On the south side, which measures 4,500 cubits, will be 3 gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar and the gate of Zebulun. On the west side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be 3 gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher and the gate of Naphtali. Again symbolic – no Ephraim and Manasseh. Point is there is access for all though. The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on will be: The LORD is There.
These will be the exits of the city: Beginning on the north side, which is 4,500 cubits long, the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. The 3 gates on the north side will be the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah and the gate of Levi. On the east side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be 3 gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin and the gate of Dan. On the south side, which measures 4,500 cubits, will be 3 gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar and the gate of Zebulun. On the west side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be 3 gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher and the gate of Naphtali. Again symbolic – no Ephraim and Manasseh. Point is there is access for all though. The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on will be: The LORD is There.
It is speaking about heaven, of course, as in Revelation. But even now God is with his people – in their hearts, in their midst as they worship. Not just a Tabernacle or Temple now but Immanuel, God with us. The Christian as the Holy Sprit within. When he meets with God's people God is in the midst. That is how it is for the believer. God is with him. What glory!
