Ezekiel 47:14
You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with an uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will fall to you as an inheritance.
You are to divide it equally among them.
This phrase refers to the distribution of the land among the tribes of Israel. The equal division signifies fairness and God's impartiality. In the context of Ezekiel's vision, this allocation is symbolic of the restoration and unity of Israel. Historically, the division of land among the tribes was a significant aspect of Israel's identity, as seen in the book of Joshua. The equal division also reflects the justice and order that God desires for His people.

Because I swore with an uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers,
This phrase emphasizes God's covenantal promise to the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The "uplifted hand" is a gesture of solemn oath-taking, underscoring the seriousness and certainty of God's promises. This covenant is foundational to Israel's identity and history, as seen in Genesis 15:18 and Genesis 26:3. It highlights God's faithfulness and the assurance that His promises will be fulfilled despite Israel's past unfaithfulness.

this land will fall to you as an inheritance.
The concept of land as an inheritance is central to the identity and theology of Israel. It signifies not only a physical territory but also a spiritual heritage and a fulfillment of God's promises. The land is a tangible sign of God's blessing and faithfulness. In the broader biblical narrative, the inheritance of the land prefigures the ultimate inheritance believers receive through Christ, as seen in Hebrews 9:15. This inheritance is both a present reality and a future hope, reflecting the already-but-not-yet aspect of God's kingdom.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel receives visions from God, including the vision of the restored land of Israel.

2. Tribes of Israel
The descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob, who are to receive the divided land as an inheritance.

3. The Land
Refers to the Promised Land, which God swore to give to the forefathers of Israel.

4. The Fathers
The patriarchs of Israel, including Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom God made the original promise of the land.

5. Inheritance
The land is described as an inheritance, emphasizing the fulfillment of God's covenant promise.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness to His Promises
God's promise to give the land to the tribes of Israel is a testament to His faithfulness. He fulfills His word, even across generations.

The Concept of Inheritance
The land as an inheritance symbolizes the spiritual inheritance believers receive through faith in Christ. It is a gift, not earned by works.

Unity Among God's People
The equal division of the land among the tribes underscores the importance of unity and equality within the body of Christ.

The Role of Obedience
While the land is a gift, the Israelites' enjoyment of it is contingent upon their obedience to God's commands, paralleling the Christian walk of faith and obedience.

The Eternal Perspective
The physical land points to a greater, eternal inheritance for believers, reminding us to set our sights on heavenly promises.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the promise of land to the tribes of Israel reflect God's faithfulness in your own life?

2. In what ways can the concept of inheritance in Ezekiel 47:14 be applied to our understanding of spiritual inheritance in Christ?

3. How does the division of land among the tribes encourage unity and equality within the church today?

4. What are some practical ways we can demonstrate obedience to God in our daily lives, similar to the Israelites' call to obedience?

5. How can focusing on our eternal inheritance help us navigate challenges and trials in our current life?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 12:7
God's promise to Abraham about giving the land to his descendants, establishing the original covenant.

Joshua 1:6
The command to Joshua to distribute the land among the tribes, showing the continuity of God's promise.

Hebrews 6:13-17
Discusses God's unchangeable promise to Abraham, highlighting the certainty of His word.

Romans 4:13
Paul speaks of the promise to Abraham and his offspring, connecting the physical land to a broader spiritual inheritance.
The Threefold InheritanceW. Clarkson Ezekiel 47:13, 14
The Inheritance of the ChildrenJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 47:13-21
Canaan a Type of HeavenJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 47:13, 14, 22, 23
People
Amos, Enan, Ezekiel, Israelites, Joseph, Tamar
Places
Arabah, Berothah, Brook of Egypt, Damascus, Eneglaim, Engedi, Gilead, Great Sea, Hamath, Hauran, Hazar-enan, Hazer-hatticon, Hethlon, Jordan River, Lebo-hamath, Meribah-kadesh, Most Holy Place, Sibraim, Tamar, Zedad
Topics
Divide, Division, Equal, Equally, Fall, Fallen, Fathers, Forefathers, Heritage, Inherit, Inheritance, Inherited, Lifted, Oath, Sware, Swore, Uplifted
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 47:14

     1265   hand of God
     8650   hands, lifting up

Ezekiel 47:13-14

     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
The River of Life
Waters issued out from under the threshold of the house ... EZEKIEL xlvii. 1. Unlike most great cities, Jerusalem was not situated on a great river. True, the inconsiderable waters of Siloam--'which flow softly' because they were so inconsiderable--rose from a crevice in the Temple rock, and beneath that rock stretched the valley of the Kedron, dry and bleached in the summer, and a rainy torrent during the rainy seasons; but that was all. So, many of the prophets, who looked forward to the better
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

"And the Redeemer Shall Come unto Zion, and unto them that Turn,"
Isaiah lix. 20.--"And the Redeemer shall come unto Zion, and unto them that turn," &c. Doctrines, as things, have their seasons and times. Every thing is beautiful in its season. So there is no word of truth, but it hath a season and time in which it is beautiful. And indeed that is a great part of wisdom, to bring forth everything in its season, to discern when and where, and to whom it is pertinent and edifying, to speak such and such truths. But there is one doctrine that is never out of season,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Coast of the Asphaltites, the Essenes. En-Gedi.
"On the western shore" (of the Asphaltites) "dwell the Essenes; whom persons, guilty of any crimes, fly from on every side. A nation it is that lives alone, and of all other nations in the whole world, most to be admired; they are without any woman; all lust banished, &c. Below these, was the town Engadda, the next to Jerusalem for fruitfulness, and groves of palm-trees, now another burying-place. From thence stands Massada, a castle in a rock, and this castle not far from the Asphaltites." Solinus,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Fresh Supplies of Power.
"As the Dew." There is another very important bit needed to complete the circle of truth we are going over together in these quiet talks. Namely, the daily life after the act of surrender and all that comes with that act. The steady pull day by day. After the eagle-flight up into highest air, and the hundred yards dash, or even the mile run, comes the steady, steady walking mile after mile. The real test of life is here. And the highest victories are here, too. I recall the remark made by a friend
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH, TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY OF ALL UNFOLDED. AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED. 'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.'-Psalm 87:3 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35 London: Printed in the year 1665
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Iranian Conquest
Drawn by Boudier, from the engraving in Coste and Flandin. The vignette, drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a statuette in terra-cotta, found in Southern Russia, represents a young Scythian. The Iranian religions--Cyrus in Lydia and at Babylon: Cambyses in Egypt --Darius and the organisation of the empire. The Median empire is the least known of all those which held sway for a time over the destinies of a portion of Western Asia. The reason of this is not to be ascribed to the shortness of its duration:
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9

The Gospel Feast
"When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?"--John vi. 5. After these words the Evangelist adds, "And this He said to prove him, for He Himself knew what He would do." Thus, you see, our Lord had secret meanings when He spoke, and did not bring forth openly all His divine sense at once. He knew what He was about to do from the first, but He wished to lead forward His disciples, and to arrest and
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

Kadesh. Rekam, and that Double. Inquiry is Made, Whether the Doubling it in the Maps is Well Done.
The readers of the eastern interpreters will observe, that Kadesh is rendered by all Rekam, or in a sound very near it. In the Chaldee, it is 'Rekam': in the Syriac, 'Rekem': in the Arabic, 'Rakim'... There are two places noted by the name Rekam in the very bounds of the land,--to wit, the southern and eastern: that is, a double Kadesh. I. Of Kadesh, or Rekam, in the south part, there is no doubt. II. Of it, in the eastern part, there is this mention: "From Rekam to the east, and Rekam is as the
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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