Ezekiel 48:35
Read Ezekiel 48:35 Using Other Translations
What does Ezekiel 48:35 mean?
It was round about eighteen thousand measures
Putting the numbers together which each side made, the
circumference of the city was eighteen thousand measures; which,
according to Cornelius a Lapide, were thirty two thousand miles;
which shows that no city literally taken can be here meant, but
mystically and spiritually the church of Christ, which will be of
great extent in the latter day; and a large one it had need to
be, to hold all nations that will flow into it; it will be spread
all over the world; the world will become the church; the
kingdoms of it will become Christ's; the little stone will become
a great mountain, and fill the whole earth; the kingdom and
interest of Christ, which is his church, will be from sea to sea,
and from the river unto the ends of the earth; even from the
rising of the sun to the setting of the same. Some Jewish writers
F1, not knowing what to make of these
large measures, say that they have respect to the eighteen
thousand worlds God is said F2 to make, which these were a
similitude, figure, or exemplar of; but those Jews are nearer the
true sense of them, who say F3 that this is to be understood
of Jerusalem above, or as it will be in future time, in the world
to come, the dispensation of the Messiah, ( Galatians
4:26 ) : and the name of the city from that day shall
be, the Lord is there;
the Gospel church has other names, as Jerusalem, Mount Zion, the
Lord our righteousness, Hephzibah and Beulah, a city not
forsaken, ( Hebrews
12:22 ) ( Jeremiah
33:16 ) ( Isaiah 62:4 Isaiah 62:12
) , but here it is called "Jehovah Shammah", the Lord is there,
or dwells there; which is to be understood of his presence in it;
not in a general way, as he is in all places, and with all his
creatures, continually, constantly, and everywhere working in a
providential manner; but of his gracious presence in a special
way and manner: in this sense Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit,
are in the Gospel church, and will be more manifestly in the
latter day; Jehovah the Father, as the Father of Christ, blessing
them with all spiritual blessings in him; granting them his
presence in him, and communion with him, through him; as their
Father providing all good things for them, and as the God of all
grace unto them: Jehovah the Son, as the master of the family
taking care of it, as a son in his own house, and the first born
among his brethren; as the prophet in the midst of his church,
teaching and instructing; as the high priest in the midst of the
golden candlesticks, lighting and trimming them; as the King in
Zion, to rule and govern, protect and defend it; showing himself
in all the glories of his person, and the riches of his grace,
according to his promise, ( Matthew
28:20 ) . Jehovah the Spirit is here to qualify men with
gifts for the ministry, to apply the word, and make it useful; as
a Spirit of grace and supplication, and to help the Lord's people
in the exercise of grace, and discharge of duty; and to be their
comforter and remembrancer. Jehovah here does and will display
his glorious perfections; his power in the preservation of his
saints; his wisdom in the guidance and direction of them; his
truth and faithfulness in the performance of promises to them;
his purity and holiness in the sanctification of them; his love,
grace, and mercy, in the large discoveries made unto them; in
short, he will appear all glorious to them, and will be the glory
in the midst of them, ( Psalms 46:5 Psalms 46:6 ) (
Zephaniah 3:17 ) (
Zechariah
2:5 ) the date from whence this will commence is "that day";
either from the beginning of the Gospel dispensation, that famous
day made by the rising of the sun of righteousness; or from the
day and date of Christ's promise of his presence, ( Matthew
28:20 ) or from the time the Gospel church state was set up;
or from the day this city will be rebuilt and restored, the Lord
will more visibly and manifestly grant his presence to the
inhabitants of it, and never more depart from them; see (
Isaiah
42:12 ) , The Targum is,
``the name of the city which is separated from the day, the Lord will cause his Shechaniah to dwell there.''The Jews F4 produce this place to show that Jerusalem is called Jehovah, and say, do not read Shammah, "there", but Shemah, "its name"; and the Socinians from hence would disprove the incommunicableness of the name Jehovah to a creature, but without effect; since this city is not called simply Jehovah, but with an additional epithet; and this is to be understood, not in a divided, but compound sense, as the altar in ( Exodus 17:15 ) , and the mount in ( Genesis 22:14 ) .
F1 Lipman. Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 79.
F2 T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 3. 2.
F3 Gloss. in T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 97. 2. & Succah, fol, 45. 8.
F4 T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 75. 2.
