MPV Commentary

The happy fruit of God dwelling with Israel in holy fellowship is that the blessing is no longer restricted to one people and locality, but is diffused throughout the whole world. This is represented by a plant from the cedar of Lebanon gathering all kinds of birds under its shelter (Eze 17:23). Even desert places will be made fruitful by the healing waters of the Gospel (compare Isa 35:1).

The waters flowing from the temple represent the living waters that flow from Messiah's pierced side, increasing both in individual believers and in the world. The image is drawn from fountains near Moriah. These waters flow eastward towards the Kedron, then to the Jordan, and along the Ghor into the Dead Sea. The main point of this picture is the rapid augmentation of these waters from a small stream into a mighty river, not by side streams but by its own miraculous source in the temple (Henderson). Some truths are easy to understand, like water up to our ankles; others require deeper search, like waters up to our knees or loins; and some are beyond our reach, which we can only adore (Ro 11:33).

The healing of the Dead Sea's waters answers to "there shall be no more curse" (Re 22:3; compare Zec 14:11). The trees that grow by these waters represent immortal food and medicine for God's people, who themselves become "trees of righteousness" planted by the waters (Isa 61:3) bearing fruit unto holiness.

The desert or plain, known as the Arabah (De 3:17; 4:49; Jos 3:16), is a region with marshy places where salt is collected for use. Those not reached by the healing waters of the Gospel are given over to their own bitterness and barrenness (Re 22:11).

Instead of the "vine of Sodom and grapes of Gomorrah" (De 32:32), trees of life-giving virtue shall bloom, similar in properties to and exceeding in number the tree of life in Eden (Re 2:7; 22:2, 14). The leaves of these trees do not fade, expressing the unfailing character of heavenly medicine and the immortality of graces and deeds that flow from them.

The new fruit or firstlings of these trees are still yielding their first-fruit each month afresh (Fairbairn), as in Job 18:13. The redivision of the land begins with the north, similar to Moses' division in Nu 34:1-29, but excluding the possession of the two and a half tribes beyond Jordan.

Joseph's two sons have distinct portions, making up the whole number twelve portions, as he had just specified "twelve tribes of Israel." His former birthright was forfeited by Reuben, the first-born (1Ch 5:1). The boundaries are substantially the same as those given by Moses, with Zedad on the north boundary and Hamath, a city in Syria conquered by David (2Sa 8:8), marking the eastern limit.

The border goes down straight to the Dead Sea by the valley of the Jordan. Tamar, the last town of Judea by the Dead Sea, is mentioned as the southern limit. The term "strangers" implies that Gentiles are not to be excluded from settling among the covenant people and that their privileges are not to be less than those of Israel (Ro 10:12; Ga 3:28; Eph 3:6; Col 3:11; Re 7:9, 10).