©Brett Dolezal
Chapter 48:1-7; 23-35 (ESV) - These are the names of the tribes: Beginning at the northern extreme, beside the way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan (which is on the northern border of Damascus over against Hamath), and extending from the east side to the west, Dan, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Asher, from the east side to the west, Naphtali, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, Manasseh, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, Ephraim, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, Reuben, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Reuben, from the east side to the west, Judah, one portion…
As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west, Benjamin, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad, one portion. And adjoining the territory of Gad to the south, the boundary shall run from Tamar to the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. This is the land that you shall allot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the Lord God.
“These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. On the east side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. On the south side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. On the west side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali. The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.”
Question to consider: Why do you think the prince was given a portion next to that of Judah?
The final chapter of Ezekiel dealt with the allotment of land to the twelve tribes in the heavenly kingdom. Though there are twelve listed, the tribe of Levi was to serve in the Lord’s temple so a double portion went to Joseph by way of his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. The portion belonging to the prince was located between Judah and Benjamin.
As I mentioned in chapter 37, during Jacob’s final words from the Lord to his sons, the double-portion of inheritance was promised to Joseph and the scepter to Judah. So it makes sense that Ezekiel describes the double portion for Joseph for the heavenly kingdom. Furthermore, Judah received the scepter because he stood as surety for Benjamin during Joseph’s plan to get Jacob to come to Egypt during the famine so it makes sense that the prince (a descendant of Judah) would be located between Judah and Benjamin.
The section I didn’t include in the reading was all of the measurements for the land allotments and common portions of the city. You are welcomed to go back and read it, but I didn’t see the need for the sake of today’s devotion entry. The culmination of this descriptive vision of the heavenly kingdom is that the city would forever be known as ‘The LORD Is There”. The twelve tribes being united along with the gentiles being grafted into the family of God had nothing to do with the self-righteousness of these inhabitants, but it is a declaration of the grace and mercy of the one who clothed them in righteousness.
The apostle John was given the following details about this city not mentioned by Ezekiel, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’” (Revelation 21:1-4)
The goal of every covenant promise God has made with His creation has been to bring about the day when He would dwell among us forever. Because of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us as the guarantee that John’s vision will come to pass. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)
I hope this walk through Ezekiel has helped to focus your eyes on Christ and what lies ahead for His people. All of our struggles and pain in this world is worth it knowing that it is not only temporary, but being used by God to draw us and those around us closer to Him. May we continue to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for bringing us through the book of Ezekiel. As difficult as some of it may have been to witness and to understand, we ask that it would stir up in us a longing for Christ’s return. Amen.