For those geography buffs out there, I wanna show you something interesting.
Take a second to read Ezekiel 47:13-23 and Ezekiel 48:1-14.
You can read these verses by clicking here and here.
Okay, so let me cut to the chase and get to the point.
The boundaries outlined here in Numbers 34 and the boundaries outlined in the Book of Ezekiel ARE DIFFERENT!
In the Ezekiel version of the Promised Land, the territorial allotment is larger!
Why?
The reason is because the Levites have been given territory in Ezekiel 48 but they are not given territory in Numbers 34.
If you were to take a look at a map of the boundaries outlined in Ezekiel 48, you would see that the Levites are stacked from bottom to top on the western side of the Promised Land by the Mediterranean with a huge portion of their population jutting out eastward in the north.
What the heck is going on here?
Well, remember how I discussed before that there are going to be some interesting transformations that occur when Ezekiel’s vision is realized.
One of the major changes is that sacrificial worship at the rebuilt Temple is going to be re-instated.
Also (and this is huge), remember how I talked extensively about how the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and 1/2 of Manasseh decided to live in the Transjordan.
This was property on the east side of the Jordan River that was NOT considered part of the Promised Land.
Well in the Ezekiel description of the boundaries of the Promised Land, the area east of the Jordan River (the Transjordan) where Reuben, Gad and 1/2 of Manasseh decided to relocate is INCLUDED AS PART OF THE PROMISED LAND!!!
Holy beef steak tornadoes with kosher barbecue sauce!!!
Maybe that’s why the Lord didn’t object when Moses allowed the 2.5 tribes to live in this area…because it was going to become part of the Promised Land anyway.
In addition, there’s another really interesting part of Ezekiel’s vision that I’ve just got to show you.
Check out these verses:
“This is the territory you are to divide among the tribes of Israel. You are to divide it by lot as an inheritance both to you and to the foreigners living among you who give birth to children living among you; for you they are to be no different from the native-born among the people of Israel — they are to have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. You are to give the foreigner an inheritance in the territory of the tribe with whom he is living,’ says Adonai Elohim.“-Ezekiel 47:21-23
Holy ballistic bowling balls!!!
If I’m reading them above verses correctly, the grafted in foreigner will have a place prepared for him or her in the coming Kingdom inside the Promised Land!
This reminds me of what Yeshua said:
“And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back and take you to be with me
that you also may be where I am.”
-John 14:3
See, here’s the thing.
It is commonly believed that Ezekiel’s vision is all about the Millennial Kingdom (also known as the 1000-year reign of Messiah) that is to follow Armageddon.
During this Millennial Period, the planet will be purged of all evil and rebellion and the Messiah will physically be ruling from Jerusalem.
And here’s another thing.
I betcha at this point in time, believers from every corner of the planet are going to be climbing over each to secure a home in Jerusalem (and real estate prices in Israel are gonna go straight through the roof”).
Heck, when that day comes, I’d love to have a flat in the Holy City, I guess I’d better start saving my shekels now.
Now some of you may be thinking, how in the world is every believer on the planet gonna fit inside the boundaries of the Promised Land whether it’s the boundaries outlined here in Numbers 34 or in Ezekiel’s vision.
Well, you’ve got a point but not to worry.
Because when the Messiah assumes his throne from Jerusalem, the whole world will become HOLY territory.
Now as inspiring as all of this is, it is all still yet to come.
The simple truth of the matter is…to this day Israel has never yet in all of its history ever taken control of the land HASHEM gave to them as outlined here in Numbers.
And they’ve never even come closing to achieving what is described in Ezekiel’s vision.
Nevertheless, we can be confident in this one thing.
Per the boundaries specified here in Numbers, the Lord has reserved this territory ONLY for Israel.
And the time is coming (I believe very soon), when Israel will finally fulfill its true Biblical purpose per the Torah instructions and eventually control and inhabit ALL the territory God gave to them.
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