Ezekiel 47:12

Fruit trees would grow all around the Dead Sea. They do not do so now. They would remain continually healthy and productive. These trees would be so fruitful that they would bear fruit every month of the year. People would eat their fruit and use their leaves for medicinal purposes. This formerly desert region would blossom like a rose (cf. Ezekiel 36:35; Isaiah 35:1-2; Isaiah 35:6-7; Joel 3:18; Romans 8:19-22).

This river is similar to two other rivers in the Bible: the river that flowed out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:10) and the river that will flow in the New Jerusalem during the eternal state (Revelation 22:1-2; cf. Psalms 46:4; Psalms 65:9; Joel 3:18; Zechariah 14:8). Like the river in Revelation the one in Ezekiel will flow from the throne of God; He is the source of both rivers. However, there will be a temple in the millennial earth, but there will not be one in the eternal state (Revelation 21:22). The river in Revelation also flowed down the street of the city, but Ezekiel mentioned no city to the east of the temple, just one to its south (Ezekiel 45:6). It seems that Ezekiel and John saw two different rivers, but the purpose of both rivers was the same. God will be the source of fertility, blessing, and health in the Millennium and throughout eternity.

The river that Ezekiel saw was a real river with life-giving and healing properties. But like the rivers in Genesis 2 and Revelation 22 it also has symbolic significance. Many interpreters spiritualize the entire passage and see no literal fulfillment in the future. [Note: E.g., Taylor, p. 278.] It represents the spiritual life and healing that flow to humanity from the throne of God (cf. John 4:14; John 7:37-38). [Note: See Davidson, pp. 349-50.]

"The river is like the blood of the Messiah from the cross of Calvary that began as a trickle (John 19:34). Finally, the blood, like the river, became a flood of redemption for all people (Revelation 1:5). So the flow from Calvary became a fountain of redemption for all people including Israel (see Zechariah 13:1-6; Revelation 1:5-6). Just so, the water of life that the prophet saw coming from the threshold came forth gently, then began to flow, and finally became a mighty river of life healing all in its wake." [Note: L. Cooper, p. 411.]

"All blessings, material and spiritual, will emanate from the presence of the Lord with His people." [Note: Feinberg, p. 272.]

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow!" [Note: The Doxology.]

The boundaries and principles of allotment of the land 47:13-48:35

"There are two special areas of attention in this passage: (1) the concern that God’s people occupy their full boundaries, and (2) the concern that Gentiles will have an inheritance." [Note: Stuart, p. 414.]