Eze.47:13-23: God of Faithfulness and Tolerance
Eze.47:13-23: God of Faithfulness and Tolerance
This passage details the dividision of the restored new land (the Holy Land). At the time, the exiles had no land, no inheritance, and no hope. However, in ch.47, God revealed a remarkable vision. We see a vision of the water of life flowing from the temple(vs.1-12). This living water becomes a mighty river, flowing into the Dead Sea, restoring the land of death. The sea of death is revived. Trees flourish, the sea teems with fish, and fishermen flock to it. Following this remarkable restoration and hope, God details how the promised land would be given as an inheritance to the twelve tribes of Israel and to the foreigners residing there. This passage speaks of God's faithfulness in dividing inheritance equally to all, and of His inclusiveness in giving it to foreigners as well.
1. The faithful God divides the promised land fairly(13-21)
The faithful God fulfills His promises(13-14). Vs.13-14, “13.Thus says the Sovereign LORD: Divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel, according to these boundaries. Joseph will receive two portions. 14.I lifted up my hand to give this land to your fathers. Divide it equally for an inheritance, and it will be your inheritance.” God reaffirms His promise to give this land to the children of Israel as an inheritance, just as He swore to their fathers. God promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham, the father of faith. Gn.12:7, 13:14-17, Abrahamic Covenant, Gn.15:9-21,18.“On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.’” Eze.20:5-6, “5.Say: ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘I chose Israel and lifted up my hand in oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob. I appeared to them in the land of Egypt and swore to them, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God.’ 6.On that day I lifted up my hand in oath to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands.’”
He commands them to divide the new land fairly. The command, “Division your inheritance equally”(14), emphasizes that in the restored community, God’s grace is equally bestowed, without distinction between tribes or status or merit. John3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." We all live and enjoy God's equitable blessings. However, God gives Joseph a double portion. Following Jacob's words when he adopted Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own (Gn.48:5, "Your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; they shall be mine, as shall Reuben and Simeon"), the tribe of Joseph is given a double portion. This is a measure to maintain the number of twelve tribes, as the tribe of Levi was entrusted with temple service instead of inheritance, and to recognize Joseph's contributions.
Establishing the Boundaries of the New Land(15-20): God establishes the boundaries of the new land. The north, east, south, and west boundaries are specifically defined. This demonstrates that this is not an abstract promise, but a promise that will surely be fulfilled in reality. This earth is the realm of God's kingdom and the actual stage of His rule. To the north is the Lebo Hamath, to the east the Jordan River and the Dead Sea, to the south the brook of Egypt, and to the west the Mediterranean Sea(see map). God sets all our boundaries. This is truly beautiful. Ps.16:6 says, "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; truly, my inheritance is beautiful." Every inheritance God has given us is governed by Him and blessed by Him. Today, that blessing is fulfilled through Jesus Christ. Jesus has given us our true inheritance: the kingdom of God, eternal life, and salvation. This "earth" represents the church, the body of Jesus Christ. The church is a symbol of the kingdom of God, where we experience God's rule and live true lives in relationship with Him. This new inheritance is a blessing given to all who believe in Jesus Christ. The fact that we are part of the kingdom of God gives great meaning to our lives.
2. The inclusive God gives inheritance to foreigners as well(22-23).
This speaks of the inclusiveness of the kingdom of God. Vs.22-23, “22.Divide the land by lot for an inheritance between you and the aliens residing among you, who have fathered children among you. The aliens are to be to you as native-born Israelites, and they are to have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23.You are to give them an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, in which they reside,’ declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Yes, this speaks of inclusion that transcends boundaries. This is truly astonishing. When dividing the land, God commands that aliens(gentiles) residing among Israel be given an inheritance along with the Israelites. This is undifferentiated grace. “You are to treat the aliens as native-born Israelites”(22).
Inheritance is granted by the tribe in which they reside. Land is to be divided among the tribes in which the alien resides(23). This also demonstrates the expansiveness of God’s kingdom. This verse demonstrates that the restored new Israel is not an exclusive nation-state. God's salvation and inheritance transcend the boundaries of lineage and ethnicity, foreshadowing the vision of the new covenant era given to all believers in Jesus Christ. However, there is a condition: we must receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, our Lord, and our God. John 1:12-13, "But to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." Yes, these are those born of God, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man. Consider Ruth. She was a Moabite woman from another country. Yet, she returned to Bethlehem in Judea with her Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi, and served the God she believed in as her own God. Ruth 1:16, "Ruth said, '... Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.'" Thus, Ruth, a foreigner, became a noble person, recorded in the genealogy as an ancestor of Jesus. Matthew 1:5, “...Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David the king.”
The command to give inheritance to foreigners, just as to native Israelites, shows that God's salvation is open to all nations. God's love is a broad love that embraces the entire world. With whom do I share the inheritance (salvation, gifts, resources) I have received?
The gospel of Jesus Christ completely breaks down the barriers between Jew and Gentile. The Apostle Paul proclaims in Gal.3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." We, who were once "foreigners," have become God's native people through faith in Jesus Christ&have been promised an eternal inheritance. The inheritance given to foreigners in this passage illustrates the inheritance of salvation given to us, the Gentiles, in Christ. Aren't we grateful?
3. God's grace is fair.
This is different from the fairness that sees everything in the world equally. The parable of the laborers in Matthew 20 illustrates this well. A vineyard hired workers, promising them a denarius a day. They arrived at 9:00 am., 11:00 am., 3:00 pm., and finally at 5:00 pm. When 6:00 pm. arrived, the owner paid the last worker who had worked one hour a denarius. Those who had come earlier secretly assumed they would receive even more. But the owner paid them all a denarius. Then the workers who had been hired earlier complained, "Why do you give the same to the one who worked only one hour as to us who toiled all day?" The owner replied, "Friend, I have done nothing wrong. Didn't you agree with me for a denarius? I wanted to give the last worker the same as I gave you." This is God's fairness. God wants everyone to believe in Jesus and be saved. God emphasizes fairness to all the tribes, even giving Joseph a double portion. In Christ, we each have different graces and missions, but the inheritance of salvation is equal.
Application questions: 1) Faithful Promises: Just as God detailed the boundaries of the new land to Ezekiel, what specific promises or experiences in my life confirm God's faithfulness?
2) Fairness and Inheritance: Reflecting on the principle of God's equitable division of inheritance to all the tribes, am I perhaps approaching the spiritual and material inheritance I have received within my church or community with a selfish or exclusive attitude?
3) Embracing Boundaries: God commands us to treat foreigners as if they were natives. Jesus embraces all, including Jews and Gentiles. Who are the marginalized members(new believers, the underprivileged, the socially disadvantaged, etc.) who feel like "foreigners" in the church or community I serve today, and what specific ways can I "share the inheritance" with them?
Prayer: Dear God, we praise you for fulfilling your faithful promise through the Word you have given us today. We also thank you for giving us the land as promised, and for giving foreigners(Gentiles) living among us a place of inheritance, just as the Israelites did. We thank you for helping us understand the history of redemption. Help us remember that we have become part of your kingdom by believing in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and help us live by that promise. May we acknowledge your sovereignty in our lives and live a life of true inheritance in Jesus. May we become people of faith who carry out God's will on this earth. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
