The Lord's Portion Of The Land

INTRO

We finish up Ezekiel tomorrow and then start on the final major prophet book, Daniel. As we wrap up Ezekiel, we’ll see how the land will be divided up during the kingdom age. Property will be divided for the twelve tribes; property will be divided up for the prince; property will be divided up for the Zadokian priests and the Levites; and the city workers will be given land to live in.

Most importantly the Lord has His own portion of the land.¹ MacArthur refers to this fifty-five-square-foot area as “The Holy District.”² Shaped in a rectangle, Judah’s area is across the north, and Benjamin’s area is across the south. The prince’s districts are on the eastern and western sides. The middle area is divided into three major areas for the Levites, the Zadokian priests, and the city workers. The temple will be located in the Zadokian priests’ area.³ That allows the priests a place to live around the temple.

The first assignments for land were made when the Israelites entered the Promised Land by lots and were based on the numerical size of each tribe (Numbers 26:52–56; 34:16–29). First Kings 4:7–19 describes how Solomon divided the land into 12 royal tribal districts, each with the requirement to provide food for the king and the members of his household for one month each year. In Ezekiel 45, however, there is a switch to how the land will be divided. Only in Ezekiel is the Holy District provided.

TEACHING

Ezekiel 45:1-6: Wiersbe summarizes verses 1–6 as “the Lord’s portion.”⁴ The Lord’s portion of the land will be set aside as holy and will be 8-1/3 miles long and 6-2/3 miles wide and will include a section for the sanctuary surrounded by open space (vv. 1–3). The open space was to be used for houses of the priests and a holy area for the sanctuary (v. 4). Another area will be for the Levites homes (v. 5). The land of the city is for the whole house of Israel (v. 6) (Ezekiel 48:15). The workers portion is described in Ezekiel 48:18–20. The city of Jerusalem is also given a name, “Yahweh is There” (Ezekiel 48:35).

When Jesus returns, He will be putting God’s plan into place—he has the city and the land. Everything is ready, and it has been designed for Him.

Ezekiel 45:7–17: Wiersbe summarizes these verses as “the prince’s portion.”⁵ The portion is described as being on the eastern and western sides of the district (v. 7). The land would be held by an unnamed prince who would be a good ruler to the people, as opposed to the bad and evil rulers in the past (v. 8). The rulers of Israel were to put away violence, oppression, and eviction of the people (v. 9). They were to use ethical and uniform practices (vv. 10–12). The Lord then outlined the contributions that would be required for the prince (vv. 13–17). The prince would then make the offerings for the people out of the contributions.

Ezekiel 45:18–25: Beginning in verse 18 God outlined the religious offerings and feasts.

Ezekiel introduced a prince and mentioned him at least sixteen times in his book. Who is this prince? So far, we’ve seen that the people will give him offerings. MacArthur describes him as “one who is neither a priest nor the king, but rather one who administrates the kingdom, representing the King (the Lord Jesus Christ) on one hand, and also the princes who individually lead the Twelve Tribes. Possibly, he will be a descendant of David.”⁶ In Ezekiel 34:24, the prince is mentioned as “My servant David.” MacArthur suggests that the prince might possibly be one of David’s descendants.⁷ Ezekiel 46:16–18 points out that the prince will be married and have sons, so it would not be Jesus. Wiersbe states: “Nowhere is he identified as a member of the royal family, a priest, or a Levite. We aren’t even told what tribe he will come from. Apparently, he will be a civil ruler, a vice-regent under the authority of the Messiah, and yet most of his functions will be religious.”⁸

Ezekiel 45:21–22 confirms this picture of religious duties. The prince will have responsibilities and obligations for overseeing the religious feasts and festivals in the millennium in the Holy District.

MacArthur explains, “The millennial feasts include three of the six Levitical feasts: (1) Passover; (2) Unleavened Bread; and

(3) Tabernacles. The three Levitical feasts that are not celebrated: (1) Pentecost; (2) Trumpets; and (3) Atonement. Most likely, they are excluded because what they had looked forward to prophetically have been fulfilled and now serve no significant remembrance purpose.”⁹

The reason for the feasts that are kept is significant. MacArthur states, “Passover and Unleavened Bread are combined as in the New Testament and focus on remembering God’s deliverance of the nation from Egypt and Christ’s death providing deliverance from sin.”¹⁰ Also a new feast will be instituted that celebrates the “new year.” This new feast will have “an emphasis on holiness in the temple.”¹¹

Ezekiel 45:22 states the prince will make a sin offering for himself and for all the people in the land. Wiersbe points out that making a sin offering “is something Messiah would not have to do.”¹²

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CLOSING

Today we looked at the Lord’s portion (His land in the millennium), and the prince. The Messiah is clearly ruling. The prince is entrusted with this role to pour into the Holy people. You don’t want to miss the last two chapters of Ezekiel. They are amazing!