Ezekiel 48
Eze 48:8. Shall be the offering, &c.- Shall be the sacred portion which they shall set apart of five-and-twenty thousand cubits.
Eze 48:9. The oblation, &c.- The holy portion which you shall set apart: and so throughout the chapter.
Eze 48:10. Toward the north, &c.- Towards the north the length shall be five-and-twenty thousand cubits; likewise towards the south the length shall be five-and-twenty thousand cubits; and the breadth toward the east shall be ten thousand cubits, and toward the west ten thousand cubits; and, &c. Houbigant. See Eze 48:16.
Eze 48:11. As the Levites, &c.- The word Levites is here used in its greatest latitude, and comprehends the priests as well as those who are properly called Levites. Many of these had defiled themselves with idolatry; for which crime they were to be degraded from the honours and privileges due to those priests who had continued faithful in their office. See note on chap. Eze 44:10.
Eze 48:13. And over against the border- And beside the border.
Eze 48:15. Over against, &c.- Beside the five-and-twenty thousand shall be common [ground] for the city.
Eze 48:21. And on the other, &c.- And on the other, of the holy portion, and of the possession of the city before the five-and-twenty thousand of the sacred portion, toward the east border: and westward, before the five-and-twenty thousand toward the west border; besides these portions shall be that belonging to the prince: and this shall be the holy portion, &c. Houbigant renders the last clause, and the sanctuary of the temple, and that which shall be reserved for the sanctuary, shall occupy the midst thereof.
Eze 48:22. From the possession-and from- Beyond the possession-and beyond. Houbigant reads the verse thus, After the possession of the Levites, and after the possession of the city, which shall be in the midst, shall be the portion of the prince; so that the prince may have that which shall be in the midst between the border of Judah, and the border of Benjamin.
Eze 48:28. Great sea- Mediterranean sea.
Eze 48:29. For inheritance- "Since there is no doubt but that other things which are said in these chapters relating to the temple and the land of Israel are of a prophetical nature, it seems safer to determine, that the abovementioned measures were observed both in building the temple and in assigning the lots to the tribes; though we know not how these things were done, because there is a great charm in the sacred history from the time of Ezra to that of the Maccabees." Houbigant.
These portions may have been given to some of the twelve tribes, as they returned: and may hereafter be given to such as return when the Jewish people, shall be restored to their own land, and who know their tribe either by tradition or by the instruction of inspired prophets.
Eze 48:35. The name of the city, &c. The Lord is there- The Lord is its name. Houbigant. Jerusalem never bore this name; and when it shall be established, according to the idea of Ezekiel, we are not assured that it shall be so named. It is very frequently said in Scripture, that a person or thing shall be called by a certain name, when it is to be invested with qualities which may intitle it to that denomination. Isaiah, foretelling the coming of the Messiah, says, that he shall be called Emmanuel, Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, because he was to possess the qualities which should serve as a foundation for all those titles. In like manner, 2Sa 12:25 it is said, that Solomon shall be called Jedidiah, or the Beloved of God; and that Jerusalem shall be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city, the Lord's delight,-Sought out,-A city not forsaken. Isa 1:26; Isa 4:6. The Throne of the Lord, &c. Jer 3:17. Not that it was to quit its ancient name, and assume all these; but it was to be crowned with the fa-vours of heaven in such a manner, as to draw upon itself all these honourable titles. Thus the Christian church was to succeed to the honours of Jerusalem, and possess in reality Him who truly causes it to bear the name of The city of the Lord; The Lord is there; since Jesus Christ hath promised to be with it alway, even unto the end of the world. Mat 28:20. JEHOVAH occasionally protected Jerusalem; he filled it with glory when the Messiah was manifested there; and he will again gloriously manifest himself in this city at its restoration.
The reader, desirous to enter more fully into the description of this temple given in the last chapters of Ezekiel, will find much satisfaction in Scheuchzer's Physique Sacree, tom. 7: where that writer has given several fine delineations of the whole structure. We shall now lay before our readers the following remarks on this part of Ezekiel's prophesy, made by the Rector of Newhaven College in New England. "I suppose (says he) that this vision is a representation of the happy state of the church in the millenium, wherein Christ shall reign; and then all men shall be regenerated and sanctified, when they are very young, and be as good or better than the very best of men are now: that there shall be no wars, vices, or disorders; and men shall spend their whole time in procuring the natural conveniences of life, and in public and private devotion. I suppose that the generality of the Jews, for whom this vision was primarily designed, could not easily conceive of spiritual things, but only by external and visible representations; nor of a happy state of the church, but only by a perfect regulation of their civil government, religion, and worship. They are therefore represented to be under the government of a most just and religious king: their country to be divided to the twelve tribes, in lots of a regular and mathematical form; and not confusedly intermixed, as in Joshua's time: their city laid out larger than before, and exactly four-square, with regular suburbs: the temple and appendages much more commodious for their sacrifices, and the habitations of the priests and Levites regularly formed near round about the temple. So that this whole plan of the division of the country, the laying out of city, temple, and all the appendages, appears to be perfectly regular and uniform, as if it was drawn all at one time, and by one hand, who had power to effect it; and therefore conveyed to the Jews the most complete idea they were capable of conceiving of the most perfect Church, commonwealth, city, temple, and conveniences for divine worship. I. The Holy Land, as described chap. 47: and 48: according to the original grant, being about two hundred and fifty miles long, north and south, and about, one hundred and fifty miles wide, is divided by parallel lines, east and west, to the twelve tribes; each of them having a portion about twenty miles wide. Only between Judah and Benjamin there is a holy portion near ten miles wide, in the middle of which is the holy oblation, twenty-five thousand cubits; that is, about ten miles square, for the priests, Levites, city, and temple, ch. Eze 45:1 xlviiii. 8. The two ends are for the prince, chap. Eze 45:7, &c. II. The holy oblation, lying in the middle of the holy portion, is twenty-five thousand cubits square, which is near ten miles; of which ten thousand cubits, or four miles, are taken off from the north side for an habitation for the priests, and as much for the Levites on the south side, chap. Eze 45:4-5 and Eze 48:20 and five thousand cubits in the middle for the city portion, chap. Eze 45:6. In the middle of which is the city, four thousand five hundred cubits square, which is near two miles, chap. Eze 48:15-16. Round about this are left two hundred and fifty cubits, near thirty rods, for suburbs, Eze 48:17. The remaining ten thousand cubits on the east side, and the ten thousand cubits on the west side, are for the profit of those who serve the city out of all the tribes, Eze 48:18-19. The sanctuary is in the midst of the city, chap. Eze 48:8. III. The sanctuary or temple, with its appendages, was entirely surrounded with a wall six cubits high, and six cubits thick, chap. Eze 40:5 and five hundred cubits long on each side, chap. Eze 42:15, &c. and Eze 45:2. In the middle square stands the temple, which was surrounded by a wall one hundred cubits long on each side. chap. Eze 41:13 and six cubits thick, chap. Eze 41:6. The side chambers on the outside four cubits, Eze 48:6. The holy of holies, at the west end, was twenty cubits square on the inside, Eze 48:4. The holy place, or outer court, at the east end, was forty cubits, Eze 48:12.; the length of the porch on the north side was twenty cubits, the breath eleven cubits, chap. Eze 40:49 and the width of the separate place on the south side, twenty cubits. On each side of the temple, towards the four gates, on the outer wall, stood two courts, eight in the whole, each one hundred cubits square, chap. Eze 40:19; Eze 40:23; Eze 40:27. In each of there were thirty-six little chambers or buildings about six cubits square, viz. six at the entrance of the gate, chap. Eze 40:7; Eze 40:17; Eze 40:20, &c. and thirty on the pavement, Eze 48:17, &c. which were for lodgings for the priests, for hanging up their garments, and their part of the sacrifices, chap. Eze 42:13. The places at the four corners were for boiling; chap. Eze 46:20-24."
REFLECTIONS.-1st, The division of the land, and the position of the several tribes, are very different from what had ever been the case, either under Joshua, or after the Babylonish captivity.
1. Dan, the last provided for, Jos 19:40 is here the first; for under the Gospel so it often happens, Mat 19:30 and the chief of sinners become the chief of saints.
2. The tribes lay contiguous in a row, mutual supports to each other; signifying the union maintained in the church of Christ between the members, and the mutual assistance which each communicates and receives, for the strengthening and comfort of the whole body.
3. The sanctuary with the Levites lay in the midst; seven tribes were to the north, five to the south of it; thus they might more conveniently meet together, and maintain communion with each other.
4. The portion of the priests was around the temple, that they might be at hand continually; and as they were liberally provided for by the oblations, they were the more obliged to attend at the altar. Note; It is the worst of sacrilege, when priests fatten on the spoils of that altar at which they never serve.
5. The lands of the priests were unalienable, and might neither be sold nor exchanged. What is dedicated to God's service must no more be diverted to other purposes.
6. The city is four-square, and the suburbs equally extending on every side, called the profane place, being, in comparison with the sanctuary, common for all the people of the several tribes. This city represents the Gospel-church, in which the faithful are joined together under the government of their great king Jesus.
7. There shall be a number selected out of all the tribes to serve the city; intimating the duty of those who are magistrates, or ministers, or private Christians, to lay out themselves for the advancement of Christ's church and kingdom in the world.
8. The prince's lot is suited to his high dignity, near the sanctuary; as he is designed to be the protector of religion, and the example of true godliness to his subjects. Christ is the church's Prince, her defence, and glory.
9. Judah anal Benjamin lay on each side the sanctuary, in the most honourable place. They who kept their integrity, and stood faithful, when others apostatized, shall receive the reward of their fidelity.
2nd, The immense extent of this city, computed by some at 32,000 miles, is supposed by many to be an indubitable evidence that the whole vision is to be considered mystically, as representing that glorious church into which all nations should flow together. The twelve gates bearing the names of the twelve tribes, intimate the freedom of access which all believers have through Jesus, the door into the city of God: none are excluded, who do not exclude themselves. The name which the city bears is שׁמה יהוה Jehovah Shammah, God in a peculiar manner manifesting his presence in the midst of his church and people here below, preserving them from all their foes: he is near to hear and grant all their petitions; comforting them with a sense of his love, and dwelling in their hearts, now become the habitation of God through the Spirit. And this also will be the consummation of the eternal bliss and glory of the faithful-that the Lord is there, shining on his glorified saints with the unclouded beams of everlasting consolation. Blessed and happy they, who enter by the gates into the city, and enjoy that unutterable felicity of being for ever with the Lord.
