Montemorelos University

Adventist Theology Facultity of Mxico

Exegesis on Ezequiel 47:1-12

Work presented to acomplish the requierment of the assignment of

Prophets of the Old Testament

by
Renn Prez Velasco
October 23 of 2013

Tabla de Contenido
Portada .............................................................................................................................................1
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................4
Historical Background ....................................................................................................................5
The Flowing Waters .......................................................................................................................6
Measurements ...............................................................................................................................10
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................14
Bibliografy ....................................................................................................................................13

Introduction
The chapters 40-48 of the book of Ezequiel contains the restoration vision of the
temple and the liturgy, also it is important Ezequiels visions on the mountain which it
makes reference to the mount Zion, Gods holy mountain. The study of the 47 chapter of
the book of Ezequiel it has the purpouse of uncover the meaning of the flowing waters that
springs out of the sanctuary to acknowloge the mithic* meaning of this healing waters.
This will allow us to see the past, the present and the future of what God wanted the tell his
people at Ezequiels time, what it mean for us today, and whats for the future.
THE VISION MUST BE UNDERSTOOD NO HAS LITERAL but as prophecy of
finalrestoration, has the fulfillment of Gods original plan of keeping alife everything that
he hascreated and been sustain by his living word.
The water quemistry from the beginig still the same, H2O, instead the tree of live
that has the power to perpetuate live was taken to heaven during the flood in Noas time,
meaning whit this that Gods original plan of errigating the whole world has been change
and rain was introduce in the world as a plan B.
Gods original design must take place after all, this could be the message of
Ezequiels vision of the waters of life that will turn alife every that it gets in contact with.
Jesus it is the susteiner of whole creation, he was the rock that pour out water for
ancient Israel in the desert on their way to the promise land, he wanted to tell this to his
people thru Ezequiel, that they might believe that in the future everything will be just like
in the begining.

* Mithic in the sense that this heavenly design water sistem has never been saw except for
Adam and Eve, and some of the antedeluvian people.

Historical Background
Ezequiel was a prophet that lived during the exiled, it has been called by God to
profecied to his exiled people in Babylon. This visions began in the year thirtieth when he
was in captivity by the river Chebar.
Chebar. Canal in Babylonia. The prophet Ezekiel, who was among the exiles from the
southern kingdom of Judah, received visions from God while living in the area of the
Chebar Canal (Ez 1:1).1
Ezequiel has a calling to prophesied in the fifth year of king Jehoiachins captivity,
the way that he was call it was glorious and amazed, because in that first vision, he saw
those four living creatures and in the midst of them, was the throne of God. The book of the
prophet Ezequiel, has this division and comprehends the entire book.
The collection of the prophecies placed together in this book, as forming a complete
unity, falls into two main divisions:I. Announcements of judgment upon Israel and
the heathen nations, Ezek. 132; II. Announcements of salvation for Israel, Ezek. 33
48. Each of these main divisions is subdivided into two sections. The first, namely,
contains the prophecies of judgment (a) upon Jerusalem and Israel, Ezek. 3:2224; (b)
upon the heathen nations, Ezek. 2532. The second main division contains (c) the
predictions of the redemption and restoration of Israel, and the downfall of the heathen
world-power, Ezek. 3339; (d) the prophetic picture of the re-formation and exaltation
of the kingdom of God, Ezek. 40482

Elwell, W. A., Beitzel, B. J. Baker encyclopedia of the Bible. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book
House, 1988) 426
2

Keil, C. F., Delitzsch, F. Commentary on the Old Testament. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996). 6

CHAPTER 1
THE FLOWING WATER

In the year twenty five of Ezequiel own age, in the fourtheen year after the city of
Jerusalen was taken, God gaved Ezequiel a vision of restoration, and he brought him in
vision to the land of Israel, and he show him a big building with the likeness of a city in the
south side, there he saw a man, with likeness of iron, which has in his hand a line of flax
and a measuring reed. After measured the house, its doors and the wall, and after measured
the territory of each tribu all around that city, God take him back to the main entrance of
the house. The vision of th waters that issued out of the sanctuary began.
Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters
issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the
house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right
side of the house, at the south side of the altar. 3
To explain this passage of scripture, first we will consider this:
It was a vision, but it was an earthly vision [about a new temple in Israel], it wasnt a
vision of things of heaven, in the sense that this vision it was about the earthly Israel, but it
has heavenly revelation. Discovering the source and meaning of the flowing waters,
couldnt be easier.
In the first place, the clothing of symbol and allegory prevails in him to a greater
degree than in all the other prophets; and his symbolism and allegory are not
confined to general outlines and pictures, but elaborated in the minutest details, so
as to present figures of a boldness surpassing reality, and ideal representations,
which produce an impression of imposing grandeur and exuberant fulness.4
The challenge will be to find out if this prophecy will be fulfill in the immediate

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (Eze 47:1-2)

future at the return of Gods people from Babylon to Israel, at the end of the seventy years
of exile, or at the end of times, at the end of the millenium, when Jesus will return with the
new Jerusalem and all the saints within. Because John later in his writings describing the
new heavens and the new earth, saw a river coming out of the throne of God.
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the
throne of God and of the Lamb.5
Considering that this was a vision of earthly things, it wouldnt make any sense
that flowing waters will come out under a building, making a river which leads this flowing
waters to the big sea. This vision must signified something.
This part of Ezekiels vision must so necessarily have a mystical and spiritual meaning
that thence we conclude the other parts of his vision have a mystical and spiritual
meaning also; for it cannot be applied to the waters brought by pipes into the temple for
the washing of the sacrifices, the keeping of the temple clean, and the carrying off of
those waters, for that would be to turn this pleasant river into a sink or common sewer6
We know that water flows beneath the surface of the earth, it couldnt be this kind
of water that this prophecy talks about, it must be an allegory of something else.
It is hardly possible to trace back the idea of a supernatural stream to the ancient myth
of Paradise and its four rivers.7
WE MUST ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT THERES SOME ELEMENTS IN THIS
VISION THAT CANNOT BE TAKEN AS LITERAL.

Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. Commentary on the Old Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (Re 22:1)

7
Henry, M. Matthew Henrys commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one
volume (Eze 47:112). (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994).
6

Clark)

Cooke, G. A., The book of Ezequiel, a Critical and Exegetical Commentary. (Edinburgh: T. & T.

The arrangements as to the land and the temple are, in many particulars, different from
those subsisting before the captivity. There are things in it so improbable physically as
to preclude a purely literal interpretation.8
This is important to acknowledge for this prophecies are to teach some truth out of the
image of the living waters and the temple measures that goes far off from the reality and
even the new distribution of the tribes territory.

Meaning of the water of life

The true about Ezequiels vision of these waters in first place will give life [Ezequiel 47:9]
to everything that has contact with.
And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever
the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish,
because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing
shall live whither the river cometh.

Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole
Bible. Oak Harbor, WA: 1997. 806

Analogy of the issued waters and the river of the Garden of Eden
There is a direct analogy in Ezequiels vision and the river that springs out of the
garden which God put in eden, this river will spread out into four arms, and they irrigated
the earth, because originally there was rain; but the whole earth will be watered from the
fountains beneath the earth, therefore Gods original plan still envisioned not only for
Ezequiel, Israels people Ezequiels time but for the rest of the other pagan nations around
Zions mountain. Zion the center of the world in the coming age.
And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and
became into four heads.9
This original plan of watering supplier it points to the perfect Gods design of
providing life in the garden and the whole creation; in first place in watering the trees,
especially the tree of life that will perpetuate life for Adan and Eve. Of course the tree of
life has not any power to perpetuate life by itself, rather the power will come from God,
whos is the only source of life in the entire universe, but this life will be provided by
waters of that river, which it will make the tree of life bear fruit, fruit that will perpetuate
life in the planted garden.

Measurements

The importance of the deepness and length of the water that soon becames a river,
shows the always increasing, never seasing streams of the miracously stream of water that
stars out in the sanctuary and began to expand and expand until reach out the arabah
[Ezequiel 47:9], this vision has a prophetic element for the future [after the millennium] for
until today has not been fulfill. This healing waters will reach out the Dead Sea and give

The Holy Bible: King James Version. 2009 (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version.)
(Ge 2:10). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

life, but it has been known that fish cannot live much in the Dead Sea, because it has high
levels of salinity.
And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a
thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.10
The man measured thousand cubits and a cubit will be about eighteen inches, therefore
a thousand cubits will be eighteen thousand inches, that will be came 1 1/2 miles
approximately.
cubit \ky-bt\ noun
[Middle English, from Latin cubitum elbow, cubit] 14th century : any of various ancient
units of length based on the length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle
finger and usually equal to about 18 inches (46 centimeters)11
Again he measured a thousand[Ezequiel 47:4].
Now the distance from the original miraculous fountain in the temple it is about
thirty six thousand inches. Not only the volume it is increaseng but also the deepth, this tell
the not interminable source of that wter of life.
After he measured a thousand[Ezequiel 47:5]
A third time the man measured a thousand cubits and the distance from the temple is
about fhifty six thousad cubits from the sacred temple fountain. To go across that river the
only way will be swimming, because the deepness it is enough to drawn,
were very many trees[Ezequiel 47:7]
The river it is able to give life to the trees in one side and the other side, both sides
of the river.

10

The Holy Bible: King James Version. 2009 (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version.)
(Ez. 47:3). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). Merriam-Websters collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield,
MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc.
11

The river will run in direction to the Eastern side fof the city and will go thru the
Jordans plain which ends in the Dead Sea, and will keep runing thru the desesrt. The
healing waters will go to the Arabah [desert] at the eastern side of Jerusalen until the Dead
Sea and far off in the south side.
the desertor plain, Hebrew, Arabah [( ] De 3:17; 4:49; Jos 3:16), which is
the name still given to the valley of the Jordan and the plain south of the Dead Sea,
and extending to the Elanitic gulf of the Red Sea.12
This will cause to turn alive the land in direction to the destroyed cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah and those places around the Dead Sead that theres no any living creature
now.
Geographically, the Arabah is the whole valley of the Jordan, extending even
beyond the Dead Sea13

En-gadi[Ezequiel 47:10]
En-gedi (meaning fountain of the kid), anciently, Hazazon-Tamar, now Ain-Jidy;
west of the Dead Sea; Davids place of refuge from Saul.14
En-eglaim[Ezequiel 47:10]
En-eglaim means fountain of two calves, on the confines of Moab, over against
En-gedi, and near where Jordan enters the Dead Sea (Is 15:8). These two limits are
fixed on, to comprise between them the whole Dead Sea.15

12

Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the
Whole Bible (Eze 47:8). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Schroder, W. J., Fairbairn, P., Findlay, W., Crerar, T., & Manson, S.
(2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Ezekiel (470). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
13

14

Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the
Whole Bible (Eze 47:10). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
15

Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the
Whole Bible (Eze 47:10). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

The waters of Life that issued out of the Sanctuary

The trees will bear its fruit in a monthly basis and will never perish and this fruit
will be for meat and medicine, this will take part at the end of the great controversy
between Jesus and evil forces.
And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all
trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed:
it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they
issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf
thereof for medicine. 16
The redeem people of God will be part of this marvelous restored world. Again man
will be able to eat from the tree of life that is inthe mids of the paradise of God [Apoc. 2:7],
there will not be any death, sufering neither sorrow.

Conclusion
Ezequiels vision of the waters of life that issued out the Sanctuary are to teach
principles, this vision has a direct implication in the Past, Present, and Future, therefore we
conclude this:
1. Past. The vision tells of Gods original plan from the beganing of perpetuate life on
earth, thru a river watering the earth, causing the vegetation to be a life and the fruit trees
give out fruit for the sustain of humans beans, keeping those alife. God has the water of life,
he is the one who puts together the H2O molecula and reproduce them in thousands and
tousands of millions of those moleculas and put them together to be the eternal stream of
16

The Holy Bible: King James Version. 2009 (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version.)
(Eze 47:12). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

wter issued out of the Sanctuary. It is been known that whithout wter, life it is not
atainable, because El agua es vida, wter is life, we can not afford to live whithout it,
God is the only one who creates life, he creates wter itself, man it is able to separate the 2
Hidrogen atoms from the Oxigen atom but cannot put them back togheter, God does. God
creates out of nothing, he created the materia, man cannot do that, all it does it is to recreat
[use, convert, recycle] something out of the materia that God has created.
2. Present. Ezequiel was to tell the exiled people that even in this condition God was
in control, and his original plan will be fulfill and finally restoration will take place,
Ezequiels temple never been build, these miracously stream of water has never been seen
yet, must be in the future. This is the prophetic a element.
3. Future. Gods original plan will finaly be fulfill when the new earth and heaven
that he is going to created, inmortality will be a reality, just like in the garden of eden there
will be the tree of life and its leaves will be for the sanity of all nations, there will be the
river issued out from the heavenly sanctuary.

Jesus afirmed to the samaritan women that he has the living water and whoever
drink from that water will have eternal life, Yes because any person that is thursty and
drinks water now will turn thursty again, because final redemtion it is about to came. The
apostle John saw in vision how that will be.

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of
the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side
of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and
yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the
nations. 17
In general Ezequiels chapter 47 and the waters issued out from the temple are not
Literal, instead this prophecy will be fulfill in the new earth and the new heaven.
Gods plan of creation after been alterated becuase of sin, will be restored.

17
The Holy Bible: King James Version. 2009 (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version.)
(Re 22:12). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Bibliografa
C. F. Keil, F. Delitzch. Commentary on the Old Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson,
1996.
Cooke, G. A. THe book of Ezequiel, a Critical and Exegetical Commentary . Edinburg: T.
& T. Clark, s.f.
Henry, Matthew. Mattehw Henrys commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and
unbridged in one volume. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994.
Jon Douglas Levenson. Theology of the Program of Restoration of Ezequiel 40-48.
Missoula, Montana: Scholars Press, 1976.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, David Brown. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on
whole Bible. Oak Harbor, Washington, 1997.