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inheriting the land

Ezekiel 48:23-29 (JDV)

Ezekiel 48:23 “As for the rest of the tribes: From the east side to the west, will be Benjamin– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:24 Next to the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, will be Simeon– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:25 Next to the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, will be Issachar– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:26 Next to the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, will be Zebulun– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:27 Next to the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, will be Gad– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:28 Next to the territory of Gad toward the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the Waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the Brook of Egypt, and out to the Mediterranean Sea.
Ezekiel 48:29 This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to Israel’s tribes, and these will be their portions.” This is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh.

inheriting the land

When Jesus blessed the meek by telling them that they will inherit the “earth” he would have used the same language that we see in Ezekiel 48. The word for “land” and “earth” is the same word in Hebrew (ארץ (erets) ) and Greek (γῆ (gē) ). He was not promising that we would own the planet. He was promising that we would have land apportioned to us in the new kingdom.

As I write this, I am freshly showered from the morning garden chores. A basket full of vegetables was harvested, and a mountain of weeds were pulled, and I am now ready for the rest of the day. Praise the Lord for land that can produce an abundant harvest. Yet my garden plot is on borrowed land. No matter. I will inherit my own land someday.