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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 47 AND 48
LESSON #39
THE RIVER OF LIFE
v MEMORY VERSE: REVELATION 7:17
v THE CHANGE IN THE LAND IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM:
Ø AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, A GREATEARTHQUAKE AROUND THE WORLD WILL CHANGE THE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF THE LAND, THEMOUNTAINS, THE VALLEYS, THE RIVERS, THE LAKES, AND THE SEAS. (ZEC 14:4, 8-10)
Ø AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MILLENNIUM, THE EARTHWILL BE CLEANSED (30 DAYS) FROM THE RAVAGES OF WAR AND DESTRUCTION DURING THE TRIBULATIONPERIOD.
Ø BECAUSE OF AN ABUNDANCE OF RAIN WITH NODESSERTS, THE LAND WILL PRODUCE ABUNDANTLY.
Ø THERE WILL BE 7 TIMES MORE LIGHT. (ISA 30:26ISA 4:5)
v IN EZEKIELS TOUR OF THE MILLENNIAL TEMPLE, HESAW A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER BEGIN TO FLOW FROM THE HOLY OF HOLIES. IT RAN PAST THE ALTARAND OUT OF THE GATE TO BECOME A GREAT RIVER.
v READ EZE 47:1-12 THE RIVER FROM THE SANCTUARY
Ø EZEKIEL TELLS US THAT EVERY TIME THE ANGELMEASURED THE DEPTH OF THE RIVER, IT WAS GREATER THAN BEFORE.
§ DAVID SAW THE SAME RIVER INPSA 36:8 AND 46:4
§ JOEL SAW THE SAME RIVER INJOE 3:18.
§ ZECHARIAH SAW THE SAMERIVER IN ZEC 14:8-9
§ JESUS SPOKE ABOUT THISRIVER IN JOH 7:37-39.
§ JOHN SAW THIS SAME RIVER.
· READ REV 22:1-2
Ø WHAT DOES THIS RIVER REPRESENTS?
§ JOHN TELLS US IT IS THERIVER OF LIFE.
· THIS RIVER WILL FLOW AROUND THEWORLD IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. ON THE BANKS OF THIS RIVER WILL GROW TREES.
¨ PEOPLE IN ALL NATIONS WILL USE THE LEAVES OFTHESE TREES FOR MEDICINE.
Ø IT IS BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF THIS RIVER,THE FRUIT, AND THE LEAVES OF THE TREES THAT THE LIFE SPAN DURING THE MILLENNIUM WILLINCREASE. (ISA 65:20)
§ READ JOH 4:14
· TODAY, IN THIS AGE OF GRACE, THEBELIEVER HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN HIM. THAT TASTE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A SMALL SAMPLETHAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO HUMAN BELIEVERS IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
v READ EZE 47:13-14 THE INHERITANCE OF THE LAND
Ø FROM EZE 47:13 TO EZE 48:29 EZEKIEL GIVES USA VERY DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE BOUNDARIES AND DIVISION OF THE PROMISED LAND IN THEMILLENNIUM.
Ø IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, GOD FULFILLS HISPROMISE TO ABRAHAM CONCERNING THE FULL EXTENT OF THE PROMISED LAND, FROM THE EUPHRATESRIVER IN IRAQ TO THE NILE RIVER IN EGYPT.
§ HOW MANY TRIBES OF ISRAELARE THERE?
· THE USUAL QUICK ANSWER TO THATQUESTION IS TWELVE. THROUGH HISTORY GOD HAS USED THE NUMBER 12 TO DESIGNATE THE TRIBES OFISRAEL. HOWEVER, THE TWELVE TRIBES WITH WHICH GOD DEALS HAS VARIED FROM TIME TO TIMEDEPENDING ON THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE TRIBE OR ACCORDING TO SOME SPECIFIC SIN. ACTUALLYTHERE ARE 13 TRIBES AND 14 NAMES. TWO OF THE TRIBES ARE CONSIDERED HALF TRIBES (MANASSEHAND EPHRAIM).
§ THE TRIBES OF ISRAELTHROUGH TIME:
| 12 SONS OF JACOB (ISRAEL) | IN OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY | 144,000 JEWS IN THE TRIBULATION | TRIBES IN THE MILLENNIUM |
| GEN 29:31-1-24 GEN 30: 23 GEN 35:18 | GEN 48:5 | REV 7:4-8 | EZE 47:13-35 EZE 48: 1-29 |
| 1 REUBEN | REUBEN | REUBEN | REUBEN 1 |
| 2 SIMEON | SIMEON | SIMEON | SIMEON 2 |
| 3 LEVI | LEVI | LEVI | LEVI 3 |
| 4 JUDAH | JUDAH | JUDAH | JUDAH 4 |
| 5 DAN | DAN | [JOH 6:70-71
REV 13:11] |
DAN 5 |
| 6 NAPHTALI | NAPHTALI | NAPHTALI | NAPHTALI 6 |
| 7 GAD | GAD | GAD | GAD 7 |
| 8 ASHER | ASHER | ASHER | ASHER 8 |
| 9 ISSACHAR | ISSACHAR | ISSACHAR | ISSACHAR 9 |
| 10 ZEBULUN | ZEBULUN | ZEBULUN | ZEBULUN 10 |
| 11 JOSEPH.. | JOSEPH | JOSEPH 11 | |
| ……. EPHRAIM | [1KI 11:26; 1KI 12:20] | EPHRAIM 12 | |
| ……. MANASSEH | MANASSEH | MANASSEH 13 | |
| 12 BENJAMIN | BENJAMIN | BENJAMIN | BENJAMMIN 14 |
¨ WHILEGOD HAS LIMITED HIS DEALINGS THROUGH TIME TO TWELVE TRIBES, EZEKIEL MENTIONS ALL 14 NAMESAS HAVING AN INHERITANCE IN THE PROMISED LAND IN THE MILLENNIUM.
Ø THATSEEMS TO MEAN THAT ALL ARE FORGIVEN FOR PAST OFFENSES AGAINST GOD AND ALL ARE RESTORED TOFULL INHERITANCE.
v EZE48:21-22 MENTIONS THE HOLY OBLATIONAND THE LAND FOR THE PRINCE.
v READEZE 48:30-35 THE GATES OF THE CITY
Ø THEGATES OF THE CITY ARE NAMED AFTER THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL:
§ REUBEN, JUDAH, AND LEVI — NORTH
§ JOSEPH, BENJAMIN, DAN –EAST
§ SIMEON, ISSACHAR,ZEBULUN — SOUTH
§ GAD, ASHER, NAPHTALI WEST
Ø NOTICETHAT ONLY 12 TRIBES ARE MENTIONED FOR THE NAMES OF THE GATES, ACCORDING TO THE ORIGINAL 12TRIBES IN GENESIS AND EXCLUDING THE NAMES OF THE 2 HALF TRIBES OF MANASSEH AND EPHRAIM.
§ JOHN SAW THE SAME 12 GATESIN REVELATION 21.
v AREVIEW CONCERNING THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM:
Ø THEKINDS OF PEOPLE THAT WILL INHABIT THE KINGDOM: ONLYBELIEVERS!
§ 1. THE RAPTURED BELIEVERSIN A NEW BODY FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT AGE OF GRACE LIVING IN THE NEW JERUSALEM SUSPENDEDLIKE A SATELLITE OVER THE EARTH.
§ 2. MORTAL JEWISH HUMANS WHOSURVIVED THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR MESSIAH AT THE SECONDCOMING OF CHRIST.
§ 3. MORTAL GENTILE HUMANSWHO WERE BORN AGAIN DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND SURVIVED THE WARS, DESTRUCTIONS,PLAGUES, AND PERSECUTIONS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
Ø WHATHAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM? IT WILLBE A TIME WHEN THE CURSE OF GEN 3 IS REMOVED.
§ 1. PHYSICAL NATURE OF THELAND AND THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE DIFFERENT.
· THEREWILL BE A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL PRODUCE ABUDANTLY JUST LIKE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
· THEJEWS WILL POSSESS ALL THE PROMISED LAND GIVEN TO THEM BY GOD.
· THEREWILL BE NATIONS BUT CHRIST WILL BE THE KING OF KINGS.
¨ NATIONSWILL SEND AMBASSADORS FROM EVERY FAMILY WITH GIFTS TO JERUSALEM ONCE A YEAR TO CELEBRATETHE FEAST OF TABERNACLES OR THERE WILL BE NO RAIN FOR THAT NATION. (ZEC 14:16-21)
§ 2. THE CHANGES IN THESOCIAL STRUCTURE:
· THEJEWS WILL HAVE A MOST FAVORED NATION STATUS.
· THEREWILL BE NO OPPRESSION OR WAR.
· THEREWILL BE AN INCREASE IN THE SPAN OF LIFE WITH NO SICKNESS, DEFORMITY OR DEATH. (THEEXCEPTION IS DEATH FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE REBELLIOUS AGAINST CHRIST AND HIS LAW.)
· THEREWILL BE A UNIFIED LANGUAGE. (ZEP 3:9)
· THEREWILL BE FULL KNOWLEDGE AND INSTRUCTION.
· RIGHTEOUSNESSWILL BE THE PREDOMINATE CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS TIME PERIOD.
§ 3. THE CHARACTER OF THEMILLENNIAL GOVERNMENT:
· CHRISTWILL RULE AS KING. HIS GOVERNMENT WILL BE A THEOCRACY.
¨ HEWILL RULE FROM JERUSALEM ON EARTH.
· THISWILL BE A TIME OF STRICTLY ENFORCED LAW. (THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT MAT 5-7).
· THE12 DISCIPLES WILL BE JUDGES DURING THIS PERIOD OF LAW. (MAT 19:28)
· RAPTUREDBELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST WILL RULE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST HAVING AUTHORITY OVER CITIES.(JER 30:21 LUK 19:17).
§ 4. THE NATURE OF WORSHIP INTHE MILLENNIUM:
· THEREWILL BE A NEW TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM.
· THEREWILL BE A PRIESTHOOD PERFORMING ANIMAL SACRIFICE AS A MEMORIAL OF CHRISTS DEATH ONTHE CROSS.
· THEPRESENCE OF GODS GLORY WILL ABIDE IN THE TEMPLE.
· PEOPLEWILL KEEP CERTAIN ASPECTS OF FEAST DAYS AND SABBATHS TO ILLUSTRATE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEENHOLY AND UNHOLY.
v GODSPURPOSE FOR THE MILLENNIUM:
Ø TODEMONSTRATE GODS HOLINESS AND A UNIFIED SYSTEM OF WORSHIP IN CONTRAST TO THE REIGNOF THE ANTICRIST IN THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
Ø TOFULFILL ALL GODS PROMISES THROUGH HISTORY IN ALL HIS COVENANTS WITH HIS PEOPLE, THEJEWS.
§ A PROMISED LAND.
§ A BLESSED PEOPLE WHO KNOWGOD.
§ A RIGHTEOUS KINGDOM.
§ A RIGHTEOUS KING FROM THELINE OF DAVID ON THE THRONE OF DAVID.
Ø TOPROVIDE A TRAINING AND PREPARATION FOR HIS PEOPLE TO LIVE IN ETERNITY WITH HIM:
§ READ 1COR 15:24-28
· CHRISTRULES IN THE MILLENIUM TO PUT DOWN ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY, PROVING AND PERFECTING HISBRIDE FOR HER ETERNAL ROLE.
v SUMMARYFOR THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL:
Ø THEMESSAGE OF EZEKIEL OVER AND OVER (66 TIMES) IN THIS BOOK IS THAT HIS PEOPLE MIGHT KNOWGOD.
§ EZEKIEL HAS COVERED ALL THESINS OF HIS PEOPLE, THEIR REBELLION AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT REBELLION.
§ FINALLY, EZEKIEL ENDS HISBOOK WITH THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM WHEN HIS PEOPLE WILL KNOW GOD AND HE WILL KNOW THEM ANDBLESS THEM.
Ø EZEKIELDOES NOT TELL US THE FINAL END OF THE WHOLE STORY.
§ AT THE END OF THEMILLENNIUM, SATAN IS LOOSED TO DECEIVE THE REBELLIOUS MORTAL HUMANS BORN DURING THEMILLENNIUM.
· SATANAND ALL WHO FOLLOW HIM WILL BE DESTROYED BY FIRE FROM HEAVEN.
§ AFTER THAT THERE IS THEFINAL JUDGMENT OF ANGELS.
§ THEN THERE IS THE FINALJUDGMENT OF ALL NON-BELIEVERS THROUGH ALL HISTORY WHO STAND BEFORE GOD AT THE GREAT WHITETHRONE JUDGMENT.
§ NEXT THERE IS THE FINALSEPARATION BETWEEN ALL NON-BELIEVERS IN THE LAKE OF FIRE FOR ETERNITY, AND ALL BELIEVERSWHO INHABIT A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH WHEN THE NEW JERUSALEM DESCENDS TO REST ON THENEW EARTH FOR ETERNITY.
v APPLICATION:
Ø ALLBELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST WILL ENJOY THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF GOD FOR ETERNITY WITH JESUSCHRIST.
Ø THETRIALS AND PROBLEMS OF THIS LIFE WILL BE WORTH IT ALL IN THE END.
§ GOD WILL REWARD THOSE WHOOVERCOME!
THE END
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOUANTICIPATE THE FINAL OUTCOME OF ALL THINGS!
