Ezekiel 48:20
The entire portion will be a square, 25,000 cubits by 25,000 cubits. You are to set apart the holy portion, along with the city property.
The entire portion will be a square
This phrase indicates a precise and intentional design, reflecting God's order and perfection. The square shape is significant in biblical symbolism, often representing completeness and stability. In the context of Ezekiel's vision, it suggests a divinely ordained plan for the land distribution among the tribes of Israel. The square shape also mirrors the design of the New Jerusalem described in Revelation 21:16, emphasizing the theme of divine symmetry and perfection.

25,000 cubits by 25,000 cubits
The measurement of 25,000 cubits by 25,000 cubits is substantial, indicating a large area set apart for a specific purpose. A cubit is traditionally understood as the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, approximately 18 inches or 45 centimeters. This measurement underscores the grandeur and significance of the portion, highlighting its importance in the restored land of Israel. The repetition of the number 25,000 may symbolize completeness and divine order, as numbers often carry symbolic meaning in biblical texts.

You are to set apart the holy portion
The command to set apart a holy portion underscores the theme of holiness and separation for God's purposes. This portion is designated for sacred use, likely for the temple and the priests, emphasizing the centrality of worship and the presence of God among His people. The concept of holiness is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, calling for the people and the land to be consecrated to the Lord. This reflects the broader biblical narrative of God's desire for a holy people and a holy place.

along with the city property
The inclusion of city property alongside the holy portion suggests a harmonious relationship between the sacred and the civic. This integration reflects the vision of a society where worship and daily life are interconnected, with the presence of God influencing all aspects of community life. The city property likely refers to the area designated for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, indicating a restored and thriving community centered around the worship of God. This vision aligns with prophetic themes of restoration and renewal found throughout the Old Testament, pointing to a future hope for God's people.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile who received visions from God, including the detailed vision of the new division of the land of Israel.

2. The Holy Portion
A designated area set apart for the Lord, including the sanctuary and the property of the city, symbolizing God's presence and holiness among His people.

3. The City
Refers to the city of Jerusalem, which is central to the vision of restoration and the future hope for Israel.

4. The Land of Israel
The promised land, which is being divided among the tribes of Israel in this vision, representing God's faithfulness to His covenant.

5. The Temple
Although not directly mentioned in this verse, the temple is a significant part of the holy portion, representing worship and the dwelling place of God.
Teaching Points
Holiness and Separation
The setting apart of a holy portion emphasizes the importance of holiness and separation for God’s purposes. Believers are called to live lives that are distinct and dedicated to God.

God’s Faithfulness
The detailed division of the land among the tribes of Israel is a testament to God’s faithfulness to His promises. We can trust that God will fulfill His promises to us.

The Centrality of Worship
The inclusion of the temple within the holy portion highlights the centrality of worship in the life of God’s people. Worship should be at the heart of our daily lives.

Community and Order
The organized division of land reflects God’s desire for order and community among His people. We are called to live in harmony and unity within the body of Christ.

Future Hope
This vision points to a future hope and restoration for God’s people. As Christians, we look forward to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises in the new heaven and new earth.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of a "holy portion" in Ezekiel 48:20 challenge us to consider areas of our lives that need to be set apart for God?

2. In what ways does the division of land among the tribes of Israel demonstrate God’s faithfulness, and how can this encourage us in our personal walk with God?

3. How can the centrality of the temple in the holy portion inspire us to prioritize worship in our daily lives?

4. What lessons can we learn from the orderly division of land about living in community and harmony with others?

5. How does the vision of restoration in Ezekiel 48:20 give us hope for the future, and how can this hope impact our present circumstances?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 25
Discusses the Year of Jubilee and the concept of land being holy and belonging to God, which parallels the idea of setting apart a holy portion in Ezekiel.

Revelation 21
Describes the New Jerusalem, drawing a connection to the vision of a restored and holy city in Ezekiel.

Numbers 34
Details the boundaries of the land of Canaan, which relates to the division of land in Ezekiel's vision.
Characteristics of the KingdomW. Clarkson Ezekiel 48:1-20
Civic ObligationsEzekiel 48:1-35
Ezekiel's Last VisionThe Christian MagazineEzekiel 48:1-35
Ezekiel's Last VisionD. J. Vaughan, M. A.Ezekiel 48:1-35
God's Presence the Jew's HeavenA. B. Davidson, D. D.Ezekiel 48:1-35
Honoured According to FaithfulnessA. R. Fausset, M. A.Ezekiel 48:1-35
Jehovah-Shammah; a Glorious Name for the New YearEzekiel 48:1-35
The Central Position of the SanctuaryEzekiel 48:1-35
The Ideal CityJ. Wallace.Ezekiel 48:1-35
The Ideal City and its NameS. Whitehead.Ezekiel 48:1-35
The Lord is ThereW. H. M. H. Aitken, M. A.Ezekiel 48:1-35
The Name of the CityU. R. Thomas.Ezekiel 48:1-35
The Presence of Christ as the Chief Glory of HeavenR. Newton, D. D.Ezekiel 48:1-35
People
Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Enan, Ezekiel, Gad, Israelites, Issachar, Joseph, Levi, Levites, Manasseh, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, Tamar, Zadok, Zadokites, Zebulun
Places
Brook of Egypt, Damascus, Great Sea, Hamath, Hazar-enan, Hethlon, Jerusalem, Lebo-hamath, Meribah-kadesh, Tamar
Topics
25000, Along, Apart, Aside, Cubits, Foursquare, Four-square, Gift, Heave-offering, Holy, Lift, Oblation, Offer, Offering, Portion, Possession, Property, Sacred, Size, Special, Square, Thousand, Town, Twenty, Twenty-five
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 48:1-35

     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
Jehovah-Shammah: a Glorious Name for the New Year
THESE words may be used as a test as well as a text. They may serve for examination as well as consolation, and at the beginning of a year they may fulfill this useful double purpose. In any case they are full of marrow and fatness to those whose spiritual taste is purified. It is esteemed by the prophet to be the highest blessing that could come upon a city that its name should be, "JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH, The Lord is there." Even Jerusalem, in its best estate, would have this for its crowning blessing:
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

Princely Service.
NUMB. VII. We learned from Numbers vi, GOD'S requirements of those who desire to take the privileged position of separation to Himself. We found also in the conclusion of the same chapter the overflow of GOD'S love in the rich and comprehensive blessing which so appropriately follows, and forms the connecting link between Nazarite separation and the princely service set forth in Chap. vii,--one of the longest in the Bible, and one full of repetition. We now propose to consider more fully why this
James Hudson Taylor—Separation and Service

Jehovah. The "I Am. "
WHEN Moses in the desert beheld the burning bush God answered his question by the revelation of His name as the "I Am." "And God said unto Moses, I am, that I am: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Exod. iii:14). He who spake thus out of the bush to Moses was the same who in the fullness of time appeared upon the earth in the form of man. Our Lord Jesus Christ is no less person, than the I AM. If we turn to the fourth Gospel in which the Holy
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

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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