Ezekiel 48:11, commentary and pictures

It was part of the vision of the city, sanctuary and division of the land in Ezekiel 40-48, shown during the Babylonian captivity as what Israel was to build on returning from captivity. In its plain sense it set apart a portion of the land for the sanctified priests of the sons of Zadok who kept God's charge when Israel went astray as the Levites went astray, meaning literal mortal priests distinct from the erring Levites ministering in a literal temple with its sacrifices, princes and ordinances. The whole plan was conditional on Israel's being ashamed of iniquity, putting away sin and obeying as stated in Ezekiel 43:10-11, in which case God would cleanse them, restore the twelve tribes, dwell among them in glory and make Jerusalem Jehovah-shammah. Israel was not ashamed and rejected the offer, so that only about forty thousand of Judah, Benjamin and Levi returned under Cyrus and the sanctuary as shown was never erected and will never be built literally. It cannot belong to the gospel dispensation or the immortal state, where animal sacrifices ceased at the cross, circumcision, divorce and distinctions of meats are done away, and the Levitical priesthood is superseded by Christ's priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, so to rebuild it now would nullify His once-for-all offering in Hebrews 10. Because Israel was unwilling, its promises of city, land and temple will instead be more than made good to His Israel in Christ in Revelation 22 in the new heaven and new earth, whose capital is the New Jerusalem where THE LORD IS THERE.

Conditional Offer to Exiles

Ezekiel 48:11 belongs to the vision of the city, the sanctuary, and the division of the land in Ezekiel 40-48, also described as running from Ezekiel 36 onward and from Ezekiel 37-48. It was shown during the Babylonian captivity, fourteen years after Jerusalem, the temple, and the sanctuary were destroyed, dated as B.C. 574, fourteen years after the destruction in B.C. 588 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah. It was what Israel was to build on return from captivity, what Jerusalem might have become if Israel had answered the calls to leave Babylon, God's offer to the Hebrews in captivity of restoration to their land with a city and temple under wonderful glory.

The verse assigns a portion of the land to the sanctified priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept God's charge when the children of Israel went astray as the Levites went astray, a priesthood limited to Levites. It means literal mortal priests distinct from the erring Levites, ministering in a literal temple with literal circumcision, marriage and divorce, clean and unclean meats, burnt-offerings and sin-offerings of bulls and goats, and mortal princes who offer sin-offerings for themselves, have sons and servants and must not oppress the people. Its specific designation of the sanctified sons of Zadok is not explained further.

The whole plan was conditional and would have been fulfilled literally and in fullest detail, with its promises and figures fulfilled literally. If Israel was ashamed of iniquities, put away wickedness and sins, returned wholeheartedly and obeyed, as stated in Ezekiel 43:10-11, God would establish the building, cleanse them, bring the twelve tribes back with abundant blessing, and do better to them than at their beginnings. He would bring about the resurrection of Ezekiel 37, destroy the enemies from the north with plagues, enable them to build the marvelous sanctuary with its sacrifices including the burning of weapons for seven years in Ezekiel 39:9-15, and dwell among them in overpowering glory with His glory resting as never before in a renewed Jerusalem and temple that would be a house of prayer for all nations. It was a city whose name would be Jehovah-shammah, meaning Jehovah is there, with healing of marshes, deserts, salt lands and impure waters. The closing chapters predict a greater temple but do not reveal how the work would be carried out, its circumstances being secondary.

Why Temple Was Never Built

Israel was not ashamed of iniquities, did not put away wickedness and sins, disregarded the condition of obedience and rejected the gracious offer. When the decree of Cyrus went forth all Israel might have gone up, but the ten tribes slighted the offer and only Judah and Benjamin with a portion of Levi and a few others went up, only about forty thousand returning. So the sanctuary as presented was never erected, its promised glory was never inherited, and the city shown during the Babylonian captivity as what Jerusalem might have become was never built because the people failed to do their part, not because God changed His purpose. It will never be built literally.

What followed received only a weak, feeble, partial fulfillment and shadow in the temple built by Zerubbabel, Ezra and others at the restoration from Babylon. That house fell far short of Ezekiel's pattern and never saw the glory of Solomon's temple except in the person of Jesus Christ. This was because Israel would not yield all to God, continued in apostasy and would not return wholeheartedly, and God could not come in and dwell among a half-hearted people nor build a temple for His name for them to dishonor. The promised restoration was therefore fulfilled only in small part after Babylon, with its greater fulfillment belonging elsewhere and not to a literal restoration under Ezekiel's local conditions.

Its own specifications place its designed fulfillment in the past dispensation, not in the present dispensation, the gospel dispensation, the future immortal state, the future reign of Christ and His saints, or a literal city yet to be built on earth during the thousand years to give another chance for pardon superseding the heavenly Jerusalem. It cannot describe the immortal state, where Jesus alone is King over Israel and there is no oppression, sin-offering, divorce, disease or death. It cannot describe the gospel dispensation, where circumcision is abolished, divorce is done away, distinctions of meats are not recognized, animal sacrifices ceased at the cross, and the Levitical priesthood under which its priests serve is superseded by Christ's everlasting priesthood after the order of Melchizedek which does not pass to another. To rebuild it now with its former sacrifices and typical service pointing to Christ would nullify Christ's once-for-all offering, make His sacrifice void and of none effect, and require a second Messiah to expiate transgressions. Such a return to the ordinances of the first covenant is impossible, although Christ obtained a more excellent ministry as Mediator of a better covenant, offered His body once for all, perfected forever them that are sanctified by one offering, fulfilled all types and sat down at the right hand of God; the old offerings were temporary shadows, and the sacrifices prescribed show God would not ordain that sanctuary again under the universal conditions of blessing and judgment.

Greater Fulfillment in Christ

Because ancient Israel was unwilling to return wholeheartedly, the chapter stands as prophecy of greater spiritual things God would do for His people through Christ. The restoration with its temple, rites, rebuilding and redivision of the land was conditioned on faith, obedience and shame for iniquity, and failing that condition it was not fulfilled as described. Its promised restoration was fulfilled only in small part after the return from Babylon, while its greater fulfillment belongs to the second coming of Christ and related events, not to a literal restoration under the local conditions of Ezekiel's day. Had the repeated conditions of blessing been met the verse would have been fulfilled in fullest literal detail together with the burning of weapons for seven years in Ezekiel 39:9-15 and the building of the temple with its attendant sacrifices, but because they were not met the literal fulfillment will never take place. God's purpose remains the same toward true Israel and wicked nations though times and surroundings differ, so true Israel will still be redeemed and given a more glorious inheritance even the earth made new, while Gog and Magog representing the northern nations are punished in part in this world and in full at the coming of Christ and ultimately at the end of the 1,000 years.

All the promises of city, restoration of the land and rebuilding of the temple in glorious form will be more than made good to His Israel in Christ Jesus in Revelation 22 in the new heaven and new earth. Its capital city is the New Jerusalem, where the name of the city shall be THE LORD IS THERE. Because the people failed and forfeited those earthly privileges, the vision's purposes will instead be fulfilled in the New City awaiting God's true Israel. The portion for the priests descended from Zadok who remained faithful when Israel and the Levites went astray belongs to that larger offered restoration after the Babylonian captivity, and through Israel's failure to repent its promised details will not be fulfilled as described but the future inheritance will instead come to the faithful in its fullness. What Jerusalem might have become if Israel had answered the calls to leave Babylon was never built because the people failed to do their part, not because God changed His purpose, and God will instead prepare a holy city in heaven and bring it down to earth. The promised restored Palestine and glorious kingdom with God's presence among them was not fulfilled because Israel rejected its conditions, and it will be fulfilled in a greater future form with some details changed. The kingdom is gradually established then more gloriously fulfilled with the sanctuary built, the water of life healing marshes, deserts and salt lands, and wild beasts made mild under righteousness.

The pattern of glorious temple at the center of a restored Jerusalem shown in Ezekiel 40 to 48 was an object lesson that the only holy, worthy thing is that in which God dwells, teaching the great truth that Jehovah is there. His presence would give life to all and heal all barren land, all salt marshes and all impure waters. The allotment of the promised land was designed to show God's purpose for the future world. The inheritance represented is not temporary but permanent, the land's being called married signifying that each person's inheritance will endure. The redeemed will enjoy the land and the work of their hands throughout eternity.