1 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.
Ezekiel, still in his vision, sees water pouring out from under the door of the Temple, originating at the altar.
The Waters of Life that Jesus speaks about begin with His sacrifice in Jerusalem.
2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looks eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
Ezekiel and the angel followed the waters.
3 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.
The angel takes him out in the waters and they are ankle deep after 1500’ feet.
4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
The farther out he went the deeper it got.
It is possible Ezekiel had never seen such a river. Palestine, like the American west, has very few if any rivers deep enough you can’t touch the bottom (the word “river” being used loosely here by me, a life-long desert dweller. What we call a “river” here in my neighborhood would be referred to as a creek back east.)
6 And he said unto me, "Son of man, have thou seen this?" Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.
These waters are our relationship with God. When we first begin, they are simple and easy to understand. As we get deeper in Him, they become more and more overwhelming. Only increasing faith in God keeps us afloat. And, oh, to be so surrounded by Him and His love!
7 Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
8 Then said he unto me, "These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed."
From looking at other translations, this could be rendered “These waters head to the deserts in the east to the Dead Sea (which is so salty nothing can live in it), then head to the Mediterranean (thus the plural seas ), and when the river touches these waters, they become fresh instead of salty.”
“Sea” and “waters” are often symbolic for “Many People” in the Bible.
The Gospel of Christ headed east first, bringing life and renewal to everyone It met, then was taken to the countries surrounding the Mediterranean, where It, likewise, brought life.
9 "And it shall come to pass, that every thing that lives, which moves, wherever 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 comes."
Jesus told His disciples they would become “fishers of men.”
Life is restored and renewed whenever Christ is preached.
10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
The "fishers" are the preachers of the Word who bring people into salvation. ("And he says unto them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" Matthew 4:19- Jesus to His disciples.)
Engedi is at the most southern tip of the Dead Sea and, best we can tell, Eneglaim was at the northern tip (though we haven't yet identified it for sure).
This place that was once dead to God will become alive and profitable for the Kingdom.
11 But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
Generally if the body of water is fresh, so are the marshes on its edges. But in this case, everywhere that doesn’t have the Word of God flowing through it, everywhere that the Word is stagnate, it is still salty and unhealthy. It’s still dead.
12 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.
“Meat” means “food” and “medicine” means, well, “medicine.” Sustenance and healing; all you need for life.
Jesus is our sustenance and our healing. He never goes dormant (sleeps). He is always there for us.
13 Thus says the Lord God; "This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions."
Now God is going to tell Ezekiel how to divide the land when they all return from Babylon. This division is different than the one given by Moses or Joshua. It also includes all twelve tribes, proof they all returned at this time.
First He gives the outside borders;
14 "And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up Mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance.
15 "And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad;
16 "Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.
17 "And the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side."
The north border would run from the Mediterranean to about the edge of today’s Golan Heights (probably, we don’t know for sure.)
18 "And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the East Sea. And this is the east side."
The “east sea” is the Dead Sea. The eastern border ran along the far side of this body of water.
19 "And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side southward."
There is a small river half way between Israel and Egypt that is called The River of Egypt. It (not the Nile) marks the border of Egypt.
20 "The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side."
The western border would be the Mediterranean itself.
21 "So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel.
22 "And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel."
Many believe that physical bloodlines are important. They aren’t. God has never approved of bigotry- the belief that one group is better than another simply because of their genetics. His purpose all along was for His people to win the world to Him. Israel never seems to have understood that.
God tells Ezekiel that they are to treat everyone born in the land the same no matter who their parents were. In the same way, the Church is open to anyone from any nationality and everyone is to be treated the same no matter what their genetics or history. The Jew must come to Christ the same way as the non-Jew. The redeemed thief is to be treated the same as the redeemed pastor’s kid.
23 "And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourns, there shall ye give him his inheritance," says the Lord God.