And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali.
The verse gives Naphtali its own strip of land next to Asher, running straight across from east to west as one of the twelve tribal allotments apportioned by lot in the sanctuary, city and land plan of Ezekiel 40-48. It belonged to the pattern of another city, sanctuary and temple shown in vision to Ezekiel among the captives fourteen years after the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed. That division with its temple, offerings and restoration glory was a conditional offer that would have been fulfilled literally in fullest detail if Israel had been ashamed of iniquity, repented and obeyed, but only about forty thousand returned under Cyrus while the ten tribes stayed away, so the city was never built and the sanctuary never erected in that form. It cannot be built literally in the gospel age or describe the New Jerusalem and the immortal age after the second advent, for its Levite priests marry and can die and its prince offers a sin-offering for himself, has sons and must be forbidden to oppress, while its circumcision, clean and unclean meats, and bull and goat offerings were superseded at the cross by Christ's once-for-all sacrifice. Because Israel was unwilling, the allotment stands as a faint type of greater things to be fulfilled through Christ in the new heaven and earth, where the New Jerusalem descends as the capital for God's true Israel and the redeemed receive individual inheritances that endure forever.
Vision Context and Allotment
The allotment gives Naphtali a portion lying by the border of Asher and running from the east side even to the west side, as one of the portions for the twelve tribes and their families in the division of the land in Ezekiel 47-48. That division belongs to the sanctuary, city, and land plan in Ezekiel 40-48, apportioned by lot for the return of the twelve tribes with the sanctuary established among them. It was part of the restoration God was prepared to bring after the return from Babylon and of the promised restoration and glory of Palestine. Some expected this city and land plan with its offerings to be carried out in a future age, but its specific allotment for Naphtali is left without further explanation of its detail.
The plan was shown in vision to Ezekiel among the captives of Israel as the pattern of another city and sanctuary to show to the house of Israel. It was given fourteen years after the sanctuary, temple, and Jerusalem were destroyed, in B.C. 574, fourteen years after Jerusalem, the temple, and the sanctuary were destroyed in the eleventh year of Zedekiah in B.C. 588. Like the tabernacle and the temple it had two holy places, with the most holy place the same size as that in Solomon's temple. It is described as a new and larger city and temple, and as appearing to predict the building of a greater temple, without describing the process by which the temple would be built. What was shown to Ezekiel in vision as recorded in chapters 40-48 includes this verse as part of that description.
Conditional Offer Forfeited
The division of the land with its sanctuary, city, temple, ceremonies, offerings and restoration glory was a conditional prophecy and gracious offer to captive Israel, to be fulfilled if they were ashamed of their iniquities and put them away, turned from wickedness, repented, returned wholeheartedly, and met God's conditions of faith and obedience. On that condition God would cause the sanctuary to be established among them, cause the twelve tribes to return and be gathered, rest His glory on the city, and gradually establish the Messiah's peaceful kingdom on earth. That land allocation with Naphtali's portion by the border of Asher from east to west belonged to the new division that would have been given and literally fulfilled if Israel had been faithful. Had the conditions been met the allotment would have been fulfilled literally in fullest detail on a different plan, with a glorious temple built and God's presence among His people, bringing the people back from exile with great prosperity. That obedient fulfillment would have included the burning of weapons for seven years and the building of the temple with its sacrifices, and the gathering of God's people with His glory resting on the city.
Israel did not meet the conditions but slighted the offer when the decree of Cyrus allowed all to go up, for only a few returned, about forty thousand, only Judah and Benjamin with a portion of Levi and a few others, while the ten tribes stayed away. Remaining in apostasy and half-hearted, Israel would not yield all to God so that He could come in and dwell among them, nor could He build a temple for His name for such a people to dishonor. Thus the city was never built, the sanctuary never erected, and the promised restoration was not fulfilled in that form, in detail, or in full. What was built at the restoration from Babylon by Zerubbabel, Ezra and others was only a feeble, partial, shadow realization, far inferior to the pattern. That temple fell far short of Ezekiel's pattern and never saw the glory of Solomon's temple except in the person of Jesus Christ, Jerusalem was never thus restored with Jehovah there to heal all barren land, salt marshes and impure waters and give life to all, and the promised victory and prosperity were realized only in small part and only partially.
The vision does not describe the New Jerusalem of Revelation, nor the future reign of Christ and His saints, nor the future immortal age after the second advent, and its own specifications show it was designed to be fulfilled in the past dispensation, not in the present dispensation and not in the future immortal state. Its priests were all Levites who marry and can die, unlike those immortalized at the second advent who neither marry nor die. Its ruling prince offers a sin-offering and all kinds of offerings for himself, takes away exactions, has sons and servants to whom he gives inheritance, and must be forbidden to oppress the people and to take their possessions for his sons, showing a poor frail mortal. This cannot apply to Christ, who needs no sin-offering but is Himself the great Sacrifice causing all others to cease at His cross, who will have the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession, and who alone is King over Israel with peace for officers and righteousness for exactors and no oppression. It cannot belong to the gospel dispensation and its sanctuary with services will never be built literally, because it keeps literal circumcision in force, permits divorce, keeps the distinction between clean and unclean meats, and continues burnt-offerings and sin-offerings of bulls and goats and the Levitical priesthood, all abolished or superseded at the first advent and cross by the priesthood of Melchizedek. Revival of the types is impossible after Christ's heavenly ministration closes before His coming, for the type cannot come after the fact and remission in the gospel precedes by repentance and confession and was already made in fact by Christ, so further sacrifices would annul and make void Christ's once-for-all offering and God would not ordain such a temple again.
Greater Fulfillment in Christ
Because Israel was unwilling to return wholeheartedly from captivity and be ashamed of iniquities, the temple vision with its ceremonies, offerings, and division of the land stands as a spiritual prophecy of greater things God would do for His people through Christ. The restoration promised after the return from Babylon depended on forsaking sin and returning to God, and its historical fulfillment was only a small part of what was described, never fulfilled literally in detail and never to be so fulfilled. That unfulfilled restoration, including the defeat of enemies, resurrection for the dead, and a glorious temple of which only a mere shadow was built, is a faint type of the general promises God will fulfill for His people at the second coming. The prophecy therefore points to a greater fulfillment at Christ's second coming, though not under the local conditions of Ezekiel's day.
The land allocation from Ezekiel 40 onward, with Naphtali's portion between the eastern and western borders beside Asher, belonged to a conditional promise that would have been fulfilled literally in fullest detail if Israel had yielded to God in faith and obedience. Had the conditions been met, the Messiah's peaceful kingdom would have been gradually established on earth with great prosperity, Jerusalem would have been built as the calls to leave Babylon were answered, weapons would have been burned for seven years, and the temple would have been built with its sacrifices. Because Israel did not turn from sins, fully repent, and meet the conditions, that earthly fulfillment did not occur, the city was never built, and the details described will never now be fulfilled literally. God's purpose remains the same under changed times and surroundings: He will fulfill His promises in Christ in the new heaven and earth, whose capital is the New Jerusalem, the New City and holy city for God's true Israel and the faithful, prepared in heaven to descend to earth. There the faithful receive future glory and immortal inheritance, the true Israel is redeemed and given a more glorious inheritance in the earth made new, and the kingdom's peace is fulfilled more gloriously, while Gog and Magog, the northern nations, are punished in part in this world before and at Christ's coming and ultimately at the end of the 1,000 years.
The allotment of the land to Israel's families by lot was temporary in its original setting but was designed as a pattern showing God's purpose for the future world. The inheritance of the redeemed will be permanent, with individual inheritances that endure forever. They will dwell in the land permanently and enjoy the work of their hands throughout eternity.
The specific allotment for Naphtali beside Asher's border from the east side to the west side, as part of the city and land plan and the prophecy of a new and larger city and greater temple, is left without further explanation of its detail or of the process by which the greater temple would be built. Some expected this plan, including its offerings and sacrifices, to be carried out in a future age, but restoring the first covenant's sacrificial ordinances after Christ's once-for-all sacrifice is rejected.
The verse gives Naphtali its own strip of land next to Asher, running straight across from east to west as one of the twelve tribal allotments apportioned by lot in the sanctuary, city and land plan of Ezekiel 40-48. It belonged to the pattern of another city, sanctuary and temple shown in vision to Ezekiel among the captives fourteen years after the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed. That division with its temple, offerings and restoration glory was a conditional offer that would have been fulfilled literally in fullest detail if Israel had been ashamed of iniquity, repented and obeyed, but only about forty thousand returned under Cyrus while the ten tribes stayed away, so the city was never built and the sanctuary never erected in that form. It cannot be built literally in the gospel age or describe the New Jerusalem and the immortal age after the second advent, for its Levite priests marry and can die and its prince offers a sin-offering for himself, has sons and must be forbidden to oppress, while its circumcision, clean and unclean meats, and bull and goat offerings were superseded at the cross by Christ's once-for-all sacrifice. Because Israel was unwilling, the allotment stands as a faint type of greater things to be fulfilled through Christ in the new heaven and earth, where the New Jerusalem descends as the capital for God's true Israel and the redeemed receive individual inheritances that endure forever.
Vision Context and Allotment
The allotment gives Naphtali a portion lying by the border of Asher and running from the east side even to the west side, as one of the portions for the twelve tribes and their families in the division of the land in Ezekiel 47-48. That division belongs to the sanctuary, city, and land plan in Ezekiel 40-48, apportioned by lot for the return of the twelve tribes with the sanctuary established among them. It was part of the restoration God was prepared to bring after the return from Babylon and of the promised restoration and glory of Palestine. Some expected this city and land plan with its offerings to be carried out in a future age, but its specific allotment for Naphtali is left without further explanation of its detail.
The plan was shown in vision to Ezekiel among the captives of Israel as the pattern of another city and sanctuary to show to the house of Israel. It was given fourteen years after the sanctuary, temple, and Jerusalem were destroyed, in B.C. 574, fourteen years after Jerusalem, the temple, and the sanctuary were destroyed in the eleventh year of Zedekiah in B.C. 588. Like the tabernacle and the temple it had two holy places, with the most holy place the same size as that in Solomon's temple. It is described as a new and larger city and temple, and as appearing to predict the building of a greater temple, without describing the process by which the temple would be built. What was shown to Ezekiel in vision as recorded in chapters 40-48 includes this verse as part of that description.
Conditional Offer Forfeited
The division of the land with its sanctuary, city, temple, ceremonies, offerings and restoration glory was a conditional prophecy and gracious offer to captive Israel, to be fulfilled if they were ashamed of their iniquities and put them away, turned from wickedness, repented, returned wholeheartedly, and met God's conditions of faith and obedience. On that condition God would cause the sanctuary to be established among them, cause the twelve tribes to return and be gathered, rest His glory on the city, and gradually establish the Messiah's peaceful kingdom on earth. That land allocation with Naphtali's portion by the border of Asher from east to west belonged to the new division that would have been given and literally fulfilled if Israel had been faithful. Had the conditions been met the allotment would have been fulfilled literally in fullest detail on a different plan, with a glorious temple built and God's presence among His people, bringing the people back from exile with great prosperity. That obedient fulfillment would have included the burning of weapons for seven years and the building of the temple with its sacrifices, and the gathering of God's people with His glory resting on the city.
Israel did not meet the conditions but slighted the offer when the decree of Cyrus allowed all to go up, for only a few returned, about forty thousand, only Judah and Benjamin with a portion of Levi and a few others, while the ten tribes stayed away. Remaining in apostasy and half-hearted, Israel would not yield all to God so that He could come in and dwell among them, nor could He build a temple for His name for such a people to dishonor. Thus the city was never built, the sanctuary never erected, and the promised restoration was not fulfilled in that form, in detail, or in full. What was built at the restoration from Babylon by Zerubbabel, Ezra and others was only a feeble, partial, shadow realization, far inferior to the pattern. That temple fell far short of Ezekiel's pattern and never saw the glory of Solomon's temple except in the person of Jesus Christ, Jerusalem was never thus restored with Jehovah there to heal all barren land, salt marshes and impure waters and give life to all, and the promised victory and prosperity were realized only in small part and only partially.
The vision does not describe the New Jerusalem of Revelation, nor the future reign of Christ and His saints, nor the future immortal age after the second advent, and its own specifications show it was designed to be fulfilled in the past dispensation, not in the present dispensation and not in the future immortal state. Its priests were all Levites who marry and can die, unlike those immortalized at the second advent who neither marry nor die. Its ruling prince offers a sin-offering and all kinds of offerings for himself, takes away exactions, has sons and servants to whom he gives inheritance, and must be forbidden to oppress the people and to take their possessions for his sons, showing a poor frail mortal. This cannot apply to Christ, who needs no sin-offering but is Himself the great Sacrifice causing all others to cease at His cross, who will have the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession, and who alone is King over Israel with peace for officers and righteousness for exactors and no oppression. It cannot belong to the gospel dispensation and its sanctuary with services will never be built literally, because it keeps literal circumcision in force, permits divorce, keeps the distinction between clean and unclean meats, and continues burnt-offerings and sin-offerings of bulls and goats and the Levitical priesthood, all abolished or superseded at the first advent and cross by the priesthood of Melchizedek. Revival of the types is impossible after Christ's heavenly ministration closes before His coming, for the type cannot come after the fact and remission in the gospel precedes by repentance and confession and was already made in fact by Christ, so further sacrifices would annul and make void Christ's once-for-all offering and God would not ordain such a temple again.
Greater Fulfillment in Christ
Because Israel was unwilling to return wholeheartedly from captivity and be ashamed of iniquities, the temple vision with its ceremonies, offerings, and division of the land stands as a spiritual prophecy of greater things God would do for His people through Christ. The restoration promised after the return from Babylon depended on forsaking sin and returning to God, and its historical fulfillment was only a small part of what was described, never fulfilled literally in detail and never to be so fulfilled. That unfulfilled restoration, including the defeat of enemies, resurrection for the dead, and a glorious temple of which only a mere shadow was built, is a faint type of the general promises God will fulfill for His people at the second coming. The prophecy therefore points to a greater fulfillment at Christ's second coming, though not under the local conditions of Ezekiel's day.
The land allocation from Ezekiel 40 onward, with Naphtali's portion between the eastern and western borders beside Asher, belonged to a conditional promise that would have been fulfilled literally in fullest detail if Israel had yielded to God in faith and obedience. Had the conditions been met, the Messiah's peaceful kingdom would have been gradually established on earth with great prosperity, Jerusalem would have been built as the calls to leave Babylon were answered, weapons would have been burned for seven years, and the temple would have been built with its sacrifices. Because Israel did not turn from sins, fully repent, and meet the conditions, that earthly fulfillment did not occur, the city was never built, and the details described will never now be fulfilled literally. God's purpose remains the same under changed times and surroundings: He will fulfill His promises in Christ in the new heaven and earth, whose capital is the New Jerusalem, the New City and holy city for God's true Israel and the faithful, prepared in heaven to descend to earth. There the faithful receive future glory and immortal inheritance, the true Israel is redeemed and given a more glorious inheritance in the earth made new, and the kingdom's peace is fulfilled more gloriously, while Gog and Magog, the northern nations, are punished in part in this world before and at Christ's coming and ultimately at the end of the 1,000 years.
The allotment of the land to Israel's families by lot was temporary in its original setting but was designed as a pattern showing God's purpose for the future world. The inheritance of the redeemed will be permanent, with individual inheritances that endure forever. They will dwell in the land permanently and enjoy the work of their hands throughout eternity.
The specific allotment for Naphtali beside Asher's border from the east side to the west side, as part of the city and land plan and the prophecy of a new and larger city and greater temple, is left without further explanation of its detail or of the process by which the greater temple would be built. Some expected this plan, including its offerings and sacrifices, to be carried out in a future age, but restoring the first covenant's sacrificial ordinances after Christ's once-for-all sacrifice is rejected.