Israel’s Transformed Land In the Millennial Kingdom

Jordan River North of the Sea of Galilee

With this study, we are finishing the book of Ezekiel. In the first twenty-four chapters we learned that a man named Ezekiel was called to become Yahweh’s prophet. He was warned that the people of the Kingdom of Judah would ignore the prophetic messages that Yahweh gave him. They would refuse to repent of their sins and rebellion. Most pastors and teachers hope that the people listening to them will respond positively to their message. Just imagine preaching for years and receiving only negative responses! Yet, Yahweh repeatedly warned Israel, but they continued to reject His warning. The people enjoyed their sins too much and even blamed their sinful behavior and rebellion on their parents and ancestors. But Yahweh warned them to repent of their sin because they were guilty and not their forefathers.

Finally, Yahweh destroyed Judah, Jerusalem, and the temple. He scattered the Israelites to various countries around the world. He also indicated that other nations in chapters twenty-five through thirty-two would be punished as proof to Israel that He was just and not partial in His punishment. Then beginning in chapter thirty-four, Yahweh started unfolding His plan for Israel’s future. He repeated His promise of a future Messiah and kingdom that would last forever in chapters thirty-four through thirty-seven. In chapter thirty-seven, Yahweh promised that Israel would return to the land of Palestine and become a great nation. In chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine, Yahweh promised Israel that all of the nations of the world would someday be defeated and Israel would be restored to its land after the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the nation and everyone who was alive at the time was saved.

Then the remaining chapters described the temple in the millennial kingdom which will be the center for the worship of Yahweh. The leadership of the millennial kingdom is also described. The Levitical priests, who were descendants of Zadok, and the prince were described. It is clear that the prince cannot be the Messiah since he offers sacrifices for his sins and will have children. He is mortal and the administrator over the worldwide Messianic kingdom. Jerusalem will be the center of the worldwide kingdom and the Messiah, Jesus Christ, will be the ruler. He will also be our merciful and faithful high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

The Life-Giving River

That brings us now to the final two chapters of Ezekiel which are chapters forty-seven and forty-eight. While chapters forty through forty-six were focused on the temple, the leadership, and how the people will worship Yahweh, these two chapters are more focused on the people of the millennial kingdom. These two chapters have three sections. The first section is chapter 47:1-12. It is about the “The Life-Giving River.”

Here is Ezekiel 47:1. Ezekiel is speaking,

Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. Ezekiel 47:1 (NASB)

We are immediately taken back to the temple. The last time the “house” or the temple was mentioned was in chapter forty-three. Now that the activities involving the temple are finished, we are given some very unusual and important information. It may transform your understanding of the millennial kingdom as you will soon discover.

In this verse, we are told that there will be a river flowing from the threshold of the door that leads into the temple. The water will flow on the south side of the altar of sacrifice and toward the east. Verse 2 adds,

He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side. Ezekiel 47:2 (NASB)

This verse reveals that this water flows south of the east gate and outside the temple complex. The next three verses reveal that after the water flows outside the temple complex, it becomes a river.

When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded. Ezekiel 47:3-5 (NASB)

The man is an angel. He has been the prophet’s guide since chapter forty. In Ezekiel 47:3-5 we are told that as the water flows away from the temple complex, it becomes deeper and deeper. We learned in Ezekiel 40:5 that a cubit was redefined as 21 inches. So when we are told that the angel was one thousand cubits away from the temple wall, that means he was 1,750 ft (533.4 m) away from the wall. The distance is almost one-third of a mile. At that point the water reached his ankles. Then after he walked another 1,750 ft (533.4 m), the water was at his knees. After he moved 1,750 ft (533.4 m), the water was at his loins or hips. The fourth time he moved 1,750 ft (533.4 m), the water was too deep to walk through. The water was so deep that a person would have to swim it.

Then in verses 6-10, the man speaks to Ezekiel.

He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me back to the bank of the river. Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh. It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many. Ezekiel 47:6-10 (NASB)

We need to notice that in verse 7 the Hebrew word for “very” is meod. It refers to exceeding a high point on some scale. That is, a better translation is not “very” but “exceedingly great.” So, the prophet saw an exceedingly great many trees on both sides of the river. As he looked, he noticed that every creature that swam in the river and the Dead Sea was living because the water was now fresh water and not salt water. That is, the water in the Dead Sea was now fresh water, no longer salt water. The water of the river will give life to everything in it. Notice the last part of verse 9 says, “so everything will live where the river goes.” The water will give life. Then in verse 10 we are told that the fishermen will catch a great variety of fish, just as if they were fishing in the Great Sea, that is, the Mediterranean Sea.

Used by Permission by Logos Bible Software

Verse 11 says that the swamps and marshes will be left salty for salt will be needed. This is another fact that reveals that mortal people will be in the millennial kingdom. For only mortal people need salt. So, the millennial kingdom will have both immortal and mortal believers as well as unbelievers as mortal believers give birth to children. It is going to be an incredible kingdom!

Verse 12 is the last verse about this river and it is like icing on a cake. It says,

By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:12 (NASB)

Now we are told the trees on the riverbank will be for food. The leaves of the tree will never wither and the fruit will never spoil. It will always be wonderful. Fruit will grow every month and the leaves of the trees will be for healing. This sounds like the Garden of Eden as well as the land that mentioned in Ezekiel 36:35.

The message of these verses is that the water flowing from the altar of sacrifice will become a deep river. The altar of sacrifice is where the burnt, sin, guilt, and other sacrifices will be offered. These spotless, sacrificial animals were all symbolic of Jesus’ vicarious and substitutionary sacrifice for our rebellion, evil, and sins. So, it seems that this flowing, deep river is a symbol of Jesus’ blood on the cross. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says this,

Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NASB)

We were given eternal life not by money inherited from our forefathers, but by the precious blood of Christ. It reminds me of the hymn, “There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood.” Here are some of the lyrics,

There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood

1) There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains:
Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.

2) The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away:
Wash all my sins away,
Wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.

3) Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow’r,
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved, to sin no more:
Be saved, to sin no more,
Be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved to sin no more.

4) E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die:
And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.
— William W. Cooper

This wonderful river is also prophesied in Joel 3:18 where it says the river will flow from the house of God, that is, the temple. It says,

And a spring will go out from the house of the LORD
To water the valley of Shittim.
Joel 3:18 (NASB)

In addition, Zechariah 14:8 adds that the river will divide east and west. Ezekiel is only concerned about the portion that flowed eastward. So, one branch of the river will flow to the east and into the Dead Sea. The west branch will flow into the Mediterranean Sea. This river will be created at the Second Coming of Christ according to Zechariah 14:4.

Jordan River a the Yardenit

Revelation 22:1-2 also teaches that a river called the “water of life” in the eternal state will flow from the throne of God. In the eternal state, God and Christ are the temple (Revelation 21:22). That means the river in the eternal state will be flowing from the temple also. Thus, the river in the millennial kingdom is a foretaste of the river in the eternal state.

So, God “likes” rivers! Trees will grow on its banks, and its leaves will also provide some type of benefit to the saints in the eternal state. That makes sense. Ralph H. Alexander in his commentary on Ezekiel summarizes why the revelations given to us about the river in Ezekiel and Revelation are so similar. He states, “After all, the Millennium is the doorway to the eternal state.”

Israel’s Boundaries in the Millennial Kingdom

The second section is Ezekiel 47:13-23. It is about “Israel‘s Boundaries In the Millennial Kingdom.” Verses 13-14 define the boundaries surrounding Israel in the kingdom and adds that the territories of the twelve tribes of Israel will be equal. We will not discuss the verses since they just state the various cities that define the boundary.

Allotment of Land Given to the Twelve Tribes In the Kingdom

The third section is Ezekiel 48:1-35. It is about the “Allotment of Land Given to the Twelve Tribes In the Kingdom.” Again, I will not discuss each verse since they simply mention the names of the tribes, dimensions, and overlaps the description of the scared district already given to us in Ezekiel 45:1-6. The only new information given to us is in verses 18-20 is that we  are told workers from the city of Jerusalem will cultivate the land for food. Verses 23-35 give the boundaries of each tribe and mention the gates of the cities. The following map illustrates the details given to us in this chapter about the boundaries of each tribe within the boundaries that have already been given. Then the book ends.

The Sacred District in the Millennial Kingdom

Conclusion

What is amazing is that the land allotted to each tribe in the millennial kingdom will not be like the allotment given to the tribes in the book of Joshua. There the allotment was according to the size of each tribe. In addition, the sacred district is unique since all of the priests will be located near the temple, and the temple will not be located in Jerusalem (See the study entitled “The Messiah, Prince, and Priests in the Millennial Kingdom.”) So, again Ezekiel 40-48 is not a history lesson. It is a future prophecy. Further, there has never been a river flowing out of the temple in the past, but there will be one in the millennial kingdom.

I rejoice that the book ends like this. It shows Yahweh’s concern for His people. The river speaks of the merging or confluence of the Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New Covenants. The New Covenant gave us the Messiah, the divine prophet, and the merciful and faithful priest who will be our ruler or king and high priest in the millennial kingdom. Zechariah 6:13 reveals that the Messiah will hold two offices, that of king and priest.

As a result, the Davidic Covenant will be fulfilled since Christ will reign as the king. Jesus Christ is a descendant of King David. The Abrahamic Covenant will also fulfill the promise of a great land. The promise of a great nation will be fulfilled. The promise of blessing to the nations of the world will be fulfilled in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The blessings promised in the Mosaic Law in Deuteronomy 28 will be finally fulfilled because all Israel will be holy, and so will everyone who believes in Jesus Christ. Then after the millennial kingdom ends, all the saints of all the ages will move from the millennial kingdom into the eternal state—the eternal heaven – and spend eternity with our God. Praise the Lord!