Ezekiel chapter 48

We're on the home stretch! Woohoo!

vs 1

See, it's talking about tribes that don't even exist any more - that were destroyed by Assyria. So either the Dispensationalists are right, and Israel will be reformed, or John is right, and God says one thing, and another happens - Israel is counted, Gentiles are seen.

vs 2-7

Here we have the strips of land described earlier, I guess, all lined up next to each other.

vs 8

So the sanctuary (not the priests) gets this extra bit of land equal to what any tribe would get.

vs 9

That is, equal to what all the tribes get.

vs 10

I think we got the idea.

vs 11

So although I said it's for the sanctuary, not the priests, again in reality it is for the priests, because they're the ones that will live there.

vs 12

Wait, portion of the Levites, I hear you say?

vs 13

Now, here's something new - the Levites get their own bit of land. Which I guess is good in a way, but does it mean that God has cancelled their old inheritance - which was him! - and given it to the Zadokites? Seems so.

vs 14

So even though the Levites get land like any other tribe now, they still can't sell or exchange it, because it is still holy, because of God's ancient promise to them.

vs 15

Because, you know, there has to be that extra 5000 cubits.

vs 16

I'm sure it will.

vs 17

Why so little?

vs 18

Now that's interesting - setting aside fields specifically to feed those who live and work in the city. I mean, this is really the only way to do it, I guess. Division of labour allows for the existence of cities.

vs 19

Of course, someone still has to farm it. But not one tribe - all the tribes will help farm it.

vs 20

It's not that God doesn't like surprise gifts, but he wants to make sure they don't get him a fire extinguisher for their anniversary.

vs 21

This makes the third new land allotment - Zadokites, Levites, and prince. This shows that even though God made an original promise and had an original plan (for which his laws were made), the circimstances changed, and so God has changed his promise with them.

vs 22

The prince's land hems in the sacred lands, sort of as a buffer between all the other tribes.

vs 23-29

If you were wondering where the other tribes got their stuff - there it is.

vs 30-34

It has gates, there is three on each side, named after the tribes. Proper tribes, too. Joesph just gets one. Levites just get one. No Zadokite gate, no half-tribe-of-Manassah half-gate. Also interestingly no David gate (although I guess the prince gets all that land partly because of David). But it's very traditional, these gates.

vs 35

I'm sure the name is some Hebrew word, but it doesn't give it, so the city will be the dwelling place of the Lord.

And that, boys and girls, is the end of Ezekiel. It's been a long run, some of it quite boring near the end there, but I hope you saw some of the great descriptions and langauge that is reflected later on in Revelation. Perhaps I should do Revelation next. Whatever I do next, it will be something interesting, that's for sure. Deuteronomy was better than this.