Ezekiel 47 Study Notes

47:1-5 By its correlation with the book of Revelation, Ezk 47-48 addresses the consummation of all human history. This is perhaps best seen in this river of life flowing from God’s temple to bring healing to the land (vv. 1-12). In Gn 2:8-10 God provided a river that gave life to the land. When sin entered, the garden and its river were hidden or withdrawn, but when God concludes his redemptive program and brings full salvation to humankind with eternal life through Jesus Christ, the river of eternal life will again flow to provide healing for the earth. Ezekiel’s program of restoration is, in part, an attempt to realize the promise of Eden without canceling the importance of Zion and David.

47:6-7 The abundance of trees in this vision correlates to the fruitfulness of the garden of Eden, suggesting that Ezekiel was shown a new creation for the coming age (Gn 2:9). Here as in the garden account, the surplus is possible because a marvelous stream, the river of life, flows in its midst (Gn 2:10-14). Since the river now comes from the temple and not the garden, the temple is the new center of creation (Ps 46:4).

47:8 The sea of foul water is another way of referring to the Dead Sea. The future blessing on this region is the subject of other prophetic passages (Is 35:1-2,6-7; Jl 3:18). The Dead Sea is approximately six times saltier than the ocean.

47:9-11 This scene is reminiscent of Gn 1:20-21. The Dead Sea will be full of life.

47:12 Like the trees in the garden (Gn 2:15-17), these trees will remain perpetually green and provide an endless supply of food for nourishment. The fruit trees will bear . . . fruit every month (34:27; 36:30) because they draw nourishment from the water that comes from the sanctuary. Thus the trees will resemble those in Eden that remain green and supply a constant source of food (Gn 2:15-17). The fruit of these trees will be for food, but their leaves will be for healing (Zch 13:1; Rv 22:1-2).

47:13 The boundaries of the land will differ from the less-than-ideal borders of the tribes during the days of Joshua. The land will be divided equally among the tribes, fulfilling the promise given to the Israelite forefathers (20:6; 36:28; Gn 12:1-3; 15:9-21; 17:8). Ezekiel’s promised new exodus and settlement (Ezk 20:33-38) will result in a new allotment of the land with boundaries similar to those of the Davidic Empire and that of Jeroboam II (2Sm 8:5-12; 2Kg 14:25; cp. Nm 34). Strikingly absent from the land is the territory of Transjordan (Nm 34).

47:14 A sworn promise made under oath (20:5,15,42; 36:7-8; Neh 9:15) was accompanied by the gesture of an uplifted hand. For OT writers, it was inconceivable that anything could happen apart from the will of God. The God who had created the world was seen as directing history, and history was the unfolding of God’s eternal plan to fellowship with a people created for himself. As a result, the prophets spoke with absolute certainty when God revealed to them his future plans.

47:15-20 The borders of the land are listed here.

47:15 Lebo-hamath was the northernmost location in the previous land divisions of Israel (Nm 13:21; 1Kg 8:65).

47:19 The Brook of Egypt, Wadi el-Arish, marked the southernmost extremity of Solomon’s kingdom (1Kg 8:65).

47:20 The western boundary of the land would be the Great Sea, also known as the Mediterranean Sea. In the eternal state there will be no sea (Rv 21:1).

47:21-23 Aliens will be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. No matter which tribe the resident alien lives in, that will be his inheritance. While God had always instructed the Israelites to care for resident aliens (Lv 19:33-34; 24:22; Nm 15:29), they will have even greater status in the coming age (Is 56:3-8). The distinctions between resident aliens and Israelites will be eliminated.