PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON CHAPTER S 40-48.* * The reader is left to form his own judgment on the temple seen in vision by Ezekiel, from the various interpretations that I have given in the Preliminary Remarks, the Critical Notes, and the Reflections. "VITRINGA has proved, in two volumes in Dutch, and... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, WATERS ISSUED OUT— There was a large quantity of water for the uses of the temple, conveyed in pipes under ground from the fountain of _Etam._ From these waters the prophet draws his similitude of the salubrious waters, which increased as they flowed, till they reached the borders of Israel;... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN BROUGHT HE ME OUT OF THE WAY, &C.— _Out by the way,_ &c. Houbigant. _There ran out waters on the right side;_ that is to say, from the south of the temple to the east; therefore the measure of the _thousand cubits,_ which is made afterwards, is made from west to east, and the farther the river... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE MAN—WENT FORTH— The gradual rise of the waters denotes the large effusion of the Spirit, which was very remarkable at the first publication of the gospel, and its wonderful increase from small beginnings; as well as some future and large effusion of that Spirit, when God shall be please... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GO DOWN INTO THE DESERT— That is to say, along the plain towards the lake, where Sodom formerly stood, called the _Dead_ or _Salt Sea._ Almost all the writers who describe this _sea_ or _lake,_ observe, that nothing can live in it. The text tells us, that these living and salubrious streams, by... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS— As no fish can live in the Dead Sea, so, on the contrary, the waters which flow from the _fountain_ of salvation shall give life to all who drink of them. See Exodus 7:18. By the _fishers_ in the next verse may be understood the apostles, and other ministers of the gospel.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE MIRY PLACES, &C.— Hereby are meant, says Calmet, those wicked Christians, who dishonour the church whereof they are corrupt members. _Salt_ here signifies sterility.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSE LEAF SHALL NOT FADE— Flourishing like the trees of paradise; a very proper emblem of the righteous and faithful; _still bringing forth fruit unto holiness, and whose end is everlasting life._ See the description of the new Jerusalem, Revelation 22:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SHALL BE THE BORDER— By the captivities of Judah and Israel, the several limits or borders belonging to the inheritance of each tribe were obliterated and forgotten; whereupon here is a new boundary and division of the Holy Land, which is to be understood in a mystical sense also. The places he... [ Continue Reading ]
GREAT SEA— _Mediterranean sea._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NORTH, NORTHWARD, &C.— _And Zaphon to the north, and Hamath the border._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THE EAST SEA, &C.— _Unto the Dead Sea on the east. Ezekiel 47:22. And to the strangers_] Neither under Joshua, nor under Zerubbabel, were the Jews allowed to give strangers a part of their inheritance with them; this therefore can only be understood as a prediction of that which happened under... [ Continue Reading ]