What is the meaning of Ezekiel 47:5?

Once again he measured off a thousand cubits

– Ezekiel’s guide marks off another 1,500-foot stretch just as he did three previous times (Ezekiel 47:3-4).

– Each measurement shows orderly progress; the river’s growth isn’t random but divinely planned, echoing God’s precise building instructions in Exodus 25:9 and 1 Chronicles 28:11-12.

– The repeated phrase “measured off” reminds us that God alone sets the boundaries of blessing (Job 38:4-5).

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But now it was a river

– What began as a trickle (47:2) has become a full-fledged river, paralleling the way the gospel moves from a single promise in Genesis 3:15 to a global proclamation in Matthew 28:19.

– Psalm 46:4 speaks of “a river whose streams delight the city of God,” foreshadowing this scene.

– The transformation highlights God’s power to turn small beginnings into overwhelming provision (Zechariah 4:10).

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I could not cross

– Ezekiel’s inability underscores human limitation. On our own terms we cannot traverse or control God’s life-giving flow (Isaiah 55:8-9).

– Like the Red Sea in Exodus 14:21-29, this river sets a boundary that only divine enablement can overcome.

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Because the water had risen and was deep enough for swimming

– The depth invites full immersion rather than tentative wading; God desires wholehearted participation, not mere observation (Romans 6:3-4).

– Jesus promises, “Whoever believes in Me… rivers of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:38), showing that the risen water points to abundant spiritual life.

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A river that could not be crossed on foot

– No human strategy or effort suffices. We must trust God’s provision, illustrated when Israel crossed the Jordan only after the priests stepped in by faith (Joshua 3:13-17).

– Revelation 22:1 pictures this same river flowing from God’s throne, irresistibly advancing His purposes until the earth is filled with His glory (Habakkuk 2:14).

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summary

Ezekiel 47:5 portrays the unstoppable, ever-deepening flow of God’s life and blessing. Each measured segment shows intentional growth; the river’s breadth and depth eclipse human capacity, inviting surrender and full participation. From a trickle to an unfordable torrent, God reveals that His grace cannot be managed or crossed by self-effort—it can only be entered by faith and enjoyed in its fullness.