To the north of the sacred portion: Judah (praise, Gen. 49:8-12); Reuben (behold a son, Gen. 49:3-4); Ephraim (doubly fruitful, Gen. 48:15-20); Manasseh (causing forgetfulness, Gen. 48:15-20); Naphtali (wrestling, Gen. 49:21); Asher (happy, Gen. 49:20); and at the extreme north, Dan (judge, Gen. 49:16-18).—Ezek. 48:1-7.
To the south of the central sacred portion: Benjamin (son of the right hand, Gen. 49:27); Simeon (hearing, Gen. 49:5-7); Issachar (bearing reward, Gen. 49:14-15); Zebulun (dwelling, Gen. 49:13); and at the extreme south, Gad (seer, lot, fortune, Gen. 49:19). (Ezek. 48:23-29.) The name meanings and Jacob's prophetic blessings are significant of Kingdom conditions.
Figure 1 shows the division of Palestine into the strips assigned to the tribes and the central sacred portion.
The Boundaries of the Land (Ezek. 47:13-21) are through places whose name-meanings are suggestive of Kingdom conditions. On the north side: Hethlon (stronghold), Hamath (defended, walled), Berotha (food), Sibraim (double hill), Hazar-Hatticon (middle court), Hauran (cave district), Hazar-enan (court of the fountains) and Damascus (similitude of burning). On the east side: Gilead (strong, rocky), Israel (ruling with God), and Jordan (descender). On the south side: Tamar (palm), and Kadesh (holy). On the west: the Great Sea (peoples and nations).
The land is to be apportioned by lot, symbolizing that the station of Kingdom honor of individuals in the Times of Restitution is not predestinated but the result of the degree of effort and of consecration. (Ezek. 45:1.) Whatever the honor attained, it cannot be taken away. (Ezek. 46:18.) All are to have an equal chance. (Ezek. 47:14.) Former pagan and heathen persons (strangers) are to have the same chance as God's chosen people, the Jews, as though born to the same honored favor.—Ezek. 47:22-23.
The Holy Offering of Land.—(Figure 2.) The people are not to occupy all the land, but are to devote as a sacred offering, or “oblation,” a central strip across Palestine, 25,000 reeds or about 42.6 miles wide, to sacred and governmental uses. Figure 2 shows the holy offering of land and its divisions. The two ends of the strip will be for the Prince, typing the condition of the Prince, or Ancient Worthy class. The 25,000-reeds-square dimensions of the central section—as powers and multiples of ten and five—combined with the full measure (reed) of the Divine Word as applying to the classes therein represented, suggest the exalted degree of perfection of these classes. The conditions [pg 574] represented are: at the north (spiritual) the Divine nature of the Little Flock (priests); in the middle, the intermediate, lower spirit nature of the Great Company (Levites); at the south, of half the width, of a lesser degree of honor (secular), the perfect human nature of those engaged in the actual government of the world. As in many other types the same antitypes are presented repeatedly in their several phases.—Ezek. 45:1, 4, 7; 48:20.
Land of the Priests.—The northern section, 10,000 reeds wide, of the holy central square, typifies the condition of the Little Flock, of the highest spirit nature, the Divine, (northernmost). This is a “most holy” condition. (Ezek. 48:9-12.) In it, as appertains to the inheritors of the nature of God, will be the Sanctuary—the entire Temple and its courts—typing the spiritual domain of the ruling Christ over all the affairs of the coming Kingdom of Heaven on earth.—Ezek. 44:28; 45:3-4; 48:8-12.
Figure 2. The Holy Offering Of Land
Land of the Levites.—Inferior as to direction, toward the south (toward earthly things), the spiritual condition (land) of the Great Company (Levites) will be, as have been their religious lives—trending from heavenly to earthly throughout the Gospel Age of Divine opportunity. This will be their condition throughout eternity, unchangeable, inalienable—but “holy unto Jehovah.” There will be among them twenty grades of honor—“twenty chambers.”—Ezek. 45:5; 48:13-14.