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Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
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| 1 And he brought me back 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 was toward the east;) and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, on the south of the altar. |
Afterward – During the Millennial day. D655
After the closing of the door to the High Calling shown in Ezek. 44:1. R3625:1
Not until the glory of the Lord shall have entered the Temple, not until the Church will be glorified, not until the door will be forever shut, will the water of life issue forth. R3625:2
Of the house – The Temple of God, the Church glorified. R3625:1, R4882:3
Waters issued out – Truth; blessings of refreshment and restitution. R5846:2, R4882:3, R2508:3
Not the Gospel, flowing at the present time, but Millennial age blessings. R3625:1, R2507:5
"There is a river, the rivulets of which shall spring from the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High." (Psa. 46:4) R2508:5
"Living waters shall go out from Jerusalem." (Zech. 14:8) D650
"Water of life, clear as crystal" (Rev. 22:1)--Restitution blessings. D665
"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38) R2508:4
Under the threshold – There was a fountain connected with the Temple hill but it never was of any considerable size and never will be without a miracle. R2507:3
From the right side – The Temple, the Church, is not yet completed; so there is no river yet. R2508:2
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| 2 Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me round by the way without unto the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looketh toward the east; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. |
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| 3 When the man went forth eastward with the line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles. |
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| 4 Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the loins. |
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| 5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through; for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. |
Waters were risen – Rapidly increasing; the rapid increase of the blessings of the Lord as soon as his time shall have come. R3625:2
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| 6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the bank of the river. |
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| 7 Now when I had returned, behold, upon the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other side. |
Very many trees – The description of the river and trees is so similar to the Millennial age blessings of Rev. 21 and 22 as to leave no doubt that the same thing is referred to. R3625:1
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| 8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue forth toward the eastern region, and shall go down into the Arabah; and they shall go toward the sea; into the sea shall the waters go which were made to issue forth; and the waters shall be healed. |
Toward the east – Open to the Sun of Righteousness. D653
Go into the sea – The restless, turbulent masses of mankind. A318
Dead Sea, representing a class submerged in ignorance, superstition and degradation. R4882:6, 3
The vast multitude of mankind which has gone into the tomb. R3625:4, R2508:2
Shall be healed – Revived, recovered from its deadness. The water of life, flowing from the church, shall reach even those in the tomb, awakening them to opportunities of restitution. R4882:3, R3625:4, R2508:1, 2
A possible literal fulfilment of this may be the opening of a channel from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea. R3625:4, R2507:2,3,5
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Toward the east country – Toward the sun rise, toward the Kingdom.
Go down into the desert – The earth without the water of Truth.
And go down into the sea – The dead sea. This is where we find the world of mankind headed.
The waters shall be healed – No longer will this be a place of death, but of life. |
| 9 And it shall come to pass, that every living soul which swarmeth, in every place whither the two rivers come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters are come thither, and the waters of the sea shall be healed, and every thing shall live whithersoever the river cometh. |
That every thing – Nephesh, soul, sentient being. E335
Multitude of fish – Men-those reached by the Gospel. R3625:4
Whither the river cometh – The wilderness east of Jerusalem, representing the condition of all the families of the earth. R2508:2
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It shall come to pass – Not at once but after a period of time.
Everything that liveth, which moveth – Animal as opposed to plant. This pictures mankind.
Whithersoever the rivers shall come – This lets us know the river will not go everywhere. It will be available to all but not all will avail themselves of it.
Shall live – Those who do avail themselves of this water shall live.
A very great multitude of fish – Mankind. Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17
Because these waters shall come thither – Because of the waters of the Truth.
They shall be healed – The world of mankind will gain life.
Every thing shall live wither the river cometh – All humanity (whosoever will) will gain life. |
| 10 And it shall come to pass, that fishers shall stand by it: from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim shall be a place for the spreading of nets; their fish shall be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. |
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It shall come to pass – Not at once but after a period of time.
Fishers shall stand upon it – Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17 - These fishers are there to catch fish (men) and bring them into the Kingdom.
Perhaps the Ancient Worthies.
From Engedi even unto Eneglaim – Engedi - Strong�s H5872. From H5869 and H1423; fountain of a kid; En-Gedi, a place in Palestine: - En-gedi.
Strong�s H5869 - Probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy a fountain (as the eye of the landscape) ..
Strong�s H1423 - From the same as H1415; a young goat (from browsing): - kid.
This seems to indicate that mankind (the fish) will begin as part of the 'goat' class (see the parable of the sheep and the goats - Matt. 25:31-46, esp. vss. 32,33.)
 Engedi is on the western bank of the Dead Sea about mid way between its northern and southern tips. It almost directly opposite from the river Arnon on the eastern side of the Dead Sea.
Eneglaim - Strong�s H1415 - From an unused root (meaning to cut off); a border of a river (as cut into by the stream): - bank.
Strong's H5882. From H5869 and the dual of H5695; fountain of two calves; En-Eglajim, a place in Palestine: - En-eglaim.
Strong�s H5695 - From the same as H5696; a (male) calf (as frisking around), especially one nearly grown (that is, a steer): - bullock, calf.
From the above definition of the name we get the thought of two male calves of full vitality. Remembering that on the Day of Atonement it was a yearling male bullock that was the primary sacrifice and that bullock pictured our Lord Jesus, it is easy to see the thought of the Ransom being here pictured. The two bulls picturing Adam and Jesus.
The idea seems to be that these fishers will catch all those who drink of the waters of the Truth and appreciate it. Those who will eventually successfully walk up the highway of holiness. Isa. 35:8
Coupling the two places from where this fishing is to take place (Engedi - young goat and En-Glaim - young male bullock) we get the thought that those who are 'fished' start out as members of the goat class but finish up as members of the bullock class (corresponding to the goats and the sheep in the parable of Matt. 25:31-46.)
Scholars disagree on the geographical location of Eneglaim.
One has it on the northern tip of the Dead Sea.
Another has Eneglaim below the southern end of the Dead Sea near the ancient city of Zoar (where Lot asked to go when he fled Sodom - Gen. 19:17-23.)
They shall be a place to spread forth nets – Their tools for catching fish (men).
Their fish – i.e., the fish (men) that they catch.
Shall be according to their kinds – This seems to carry the thought that the fishers are the saints. The fish (people) they catch will be those who have gone through similar experiences to their own - "according to their kinds."
As the fish of the great sea – Literally the great sea is the Mediterranean sea. Symbolically it is the great sea of mankind.
Exceeding many – From the whole of all humanity that have ever lived. |
| 11 But the miry places thereof, and the marshes thereof, shall not be healed; they shall be given up to salt. |
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The miry places – Swamps. Places where there is water but it is hard to navigate. Suggestive of those who have some truth but corrupt it will human reasoning.
Marishes – Strong's H1360 - Marsh or pit.
Shall not be healed – Those who remain here are not healed, they go into the second death.
They shall be given to salt – These apparently preferred the way it was during the night-time of sin and death. They look back fondly at that time. Compare to Gen. 19:26 |
| 12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall the fruit thereof fail: it shall bring forth firstfruits every month, because the waters thereof issue out of the sanctuary; and the fruit thereof shall be for food, and the leaf thereof for healing.
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Grow all trees – Seems to demand a literal interpretation as well as a symbolic one--a return to Paradisaic conditions. R2507:5
Refers to the Millennial age. R2508:4
Also see comments on Ezek. 47:7
Whose leaf – Representing restitution. R3625:4
The fruit – Representing the abundance of instruction and encouragement--mental, moral and physical. R3625:4
For meat – For the sustenance of everlasting life. R4882:6
For medicine – Healing the repentant peoples of earth of all imperfections. D656
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By the bank of the river .. this side and that – This is the same as in verse 7.
All trees for meat – Just as it was in the Garden of Eden. Gen. 1:29
Whose leaf shall not fade – They are evergreens, a symbol for restitution and eventually everlasting life.
Neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed – Most translations say "Neither shall the fruit thereof fail." This indicates that the fruit will always be available. In the kingdom mankind will be able to have their cake (or fruit) and eat it too. There will always be an abundance of this life giving food - both literal and symbolic.
Bring forth new fruit – Mankind will eat of all good things, even "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." They will always be gaining new experiences and new appreciation for the Heavenly Father and all His heavenly servants - new fruit.
According to his months – Please see additional comment Rev. 22:2.
Because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary – Remember the picture in Rev. 22:1, i.e., the River proceeds from the throne, from the New Jerusalem - the Bride of the Lamb. It is also the throne of "God and the Lamb." Of course it is only the throne of the Bride because of her relationship to her Bridegroom.
The fruit thereof shall be for meat – Gen. 1:29
The leaf thereof for medicine – "The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." - Rev. 22:2 |
| 13 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This shall be the border, whereby ye shall divide the land for inheritance according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions. |
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| 14 And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another; for I sware to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance. |
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| 15 And this shall be the border of the land: On the north side, from the great sea, by the way of Hethlon, unto the entrance of Zedad; |
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| 16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazer-hattikhon, which is by the border of Hauran. |
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| 17 And the border from the sea, shall be Hazar-enon at the border of Damascus; and on the north northward is the border of Hamath. This is the north side. |
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| 18 And the east side, between Hauran and Damascus and Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border unto the east sea shall ye measure. This is the east side. |
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| 19 And the south side southward shall be from Tamar as far as the waters of Meriboth-kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, unto the great sea. This is the south side southward. |
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| 20 And the west side shall be the great sea, from the south border as far as over against the entrance of Hamath. This is the west side. |
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| 21 So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel. |
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| 22 And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritasnce unto you and to the strangers that sojourn among you, who shall beget children among you; and they shall be unto you as the home-born among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. |
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| 23 And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord Jehovah. |
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