Congregation Bible Study (30 min.): rr chap. 21 paras. 1-6, video and Box 21A.
“This shall be the name of the city: Jehovah Is There”
MAIN IDEA: What the city represents and the contribution
ANALYSIS OF THE VIDEO AND ANSWERS OF THE PARAGRAPHS
In the analysis of the previous chapter we draw a lesson from Ezekiel's last vision: we all have a guaranteed place and a valuable job in the spiritual paradise. Now, in this chapter, we will see that this same vision gives us a comforting guarantee.
Chapter 21 is titled "This Shall Be the Name of the City: The Lord Is There" and is based on Ezekiel 48:35. Let's read it together. ”The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits. From that day on, this will be the name of the city: Jehovah Is There.”
As you study this chapter, keep these questions in mind: What does the vision city represent, and what message does its name convey? What important idea does this vision remind the elders? What lessons do we learn from all the activities? built around the temple and the city? What fulfillment on a larger scale will this vision have in the future? Let this chapter that closes our analysis of Ezekiel's last vision impress on your mind this absolute truth: Jehovah is and always will be at the side of his faithful servants.
1, 2. (a) What land must be set aside for a special purpose? (See the illustrated cover of this book.)
In Ezekiel's last vision there is mentioned A strip of land that is not given as an inheritance to any tribe of Israel but set aside for a special purpose, is set aside as a contribution to Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
A strip of land is to be set aside which is not given as an inheritance to any tribe of Israel, but is set aside as a contribution to Jehovah.
In Ezekiel's last vision there is mention of a strip of land that has to be set aside for a special purpose, set aside as a contribution to Jehovah.
b) What guarantee does this vision offer to the exiles?
The important guarantee that Jehovah would be with them when they returned to their beloved land.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Setting aside a portion of the land as a contribution to Jehovah gave the exiles the all-important guarantee that Jehovah would be with them when they returned to their beloved land.
Ezekiel describes this contribution in detail as an assurance to the exiled Jews that Jehovah will be with them when they return to their beloved land.
That Jehovah will be with them when they return to their beloved land.
ILLUSTRATION:
Aerial view of a portion of the land called "the entire contribution" and of the city called "Jehovah Is There". The temple of Ezekiel's vision resplendent with the glory of God; it is situated on top of a very high mountain through which a river flows.
The holy contribution together with the city
3. Thinking about the part of the country that Jehovah reserves for a special purpose, what five areas are mentioned in the vision, and what function do they serve? (See the box “The Contribution You Must Reserve.”)
The contribution that was a strip of land for government use and has an administrative purpose. The entire contribution was an area earmarked for the priests, the Levites, and the city. And also some members of the 12 tribes entered there to support the administration and worship Jehovah. The land of the chief that as we see in Ezekiel 45:8 this land was owned by the chief in Israel. The Holy Contribution. The upper section was for the Levites and was something Holy. The one in the middle was the Holy contribution for the priests. It was a place for their houses and a sacred place for the temple or sanctuary. The rest of the land belonged to the entire house of Israel and was for community use in the city, for homes and pastures.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The strip of land as such is called "the contribution." Within this plot there is a square plot called "the entire contribution." Within this square plot of land is "the holy contribution," which is made up of the top section and the middle section. There is also the section below, which is "the rest of the land." And finally, on both sides of the holy contribution, we find "the territory of the boss."
The land set aside for Jehovah is for government use and is for administrative purposes. The entire contribution is an area set aside for the priests, the Levites, and the city, where members of the 12 tribes enter to worship Jehovah.
The holy contribution is a place for the houses of the Levites and the priests and is a holy place for the sanctuary. The rest of the land is for community use, for homes and pastures. And the territory of the chief will mark the limits of the contribution and it belongs to the chief.
In the vision there is mentioned a strip and a square piece of land measuring 25,000 cubits from north to south, and another 25,000 cubits from east to west and is called “the entire contribution”, and is divided into three horizontal sections. The one above is for the Levites; the middle one is reserved for the temple and the priests. Those two sections together form the "holy contribution." And the section below, or "the rest of the land", is the smallest and is intended "for community use of the city" and is divided into five areas that are "The contribution", "The entire contribution", "The Chief's Territory”, “The Holy Contribution” and “The Rest of the Land”.
Land measuring 25,000 square cubits is "the entire tax" divided into 3 sections, above for Levites, in the middle for temple and priests, and below sections for community use.
TOOLBOX 21A: “The contribution you must set aside”
Map of a portion of land called “the contribution” and set aside by Jehovah, and an inset of the portion of that land called “the entire contribution.”
Join Ezekiel as he describes the part of the land that Jehovah sets aside for a special purpose. Five areas are mentioned in the vision. Which are? What function do they have?
ILLUSTRATION:
Map of the land called “the contribution” and reserved by Jehovah, and, within that map, an inset showing a square area of 25,000 cubits (8 miles [13 km]) from north to south and 25,000 cubits from east to west. This square piece of land is called “the entire contribution” and is divided into three horizontal stripes: the upper section; the middle section, where the temple is; and the section below, where the city called "Jehovah Is There" is.
A. “The contribution”
It is a strip of land for government use and has an administrative purpose
EZEQ. 48:8
B. “The entire tax”
It is an area intended for the priests, the Levites and the city. In addition, there are members of the 12 tribes who enter there to worship Jehovah and support the administration
EZEQ. 48:20
C. “The territory of the chief”
“That land will be your property in Israel” “It will belong to the chief”
EZEQ. 45:7, 8; 48:21, 22
D. “The holy contribution”
The section above is "for the Levites" and "is something holy." The one in the middle is “the holy contribution for the priests”. It is "a place for their houses and a sacred place for the sanctuary" or temple
EZEQ. 45:1-5; 48:9-14
E. “The rest of the land”
“This land will belong to the entire house of Israel” and “it will be for community use in the city, for homes and pastures”
EZEQ. 45:6; 48:15-19
4. What lesson do we draw from the passage about contributing to Jehovah?
Jehovah showed that the worship of him had to take first place in the lives of the exiles, this teaches us that spiritual activities should also be a priority for us. We need to imitate Jehovah and set the right priorities in our lives.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We see that this special contribution was first reserved, and then the rest of the country was divided among the tribes. This taught the exiles that the worship of Jehovah had to take first place in their lives. The same is for us the study of the Word of God the meetings and the preaching are a priority.
The first thing that was done is to reserve part of the land for Jehovah, and then later the rest of the country was divided among the tribes. In this way, priority was given to the spiritual, that which was related to Jehovah and the worship of him. From this, we learn that the first thing in our lives should be service to Jehovah, such as attending meetings, studying his Word, and preaching regularly.
We see that this special contribution was first reserved, and then the rest of the country was divided among the tribes. In this way, Jehovah showed that priority should be given to that central strip of the country, which had a spiritual purpose and remembered that the worship of Jehovah had to come first in his life. For us, spiritual activities are also a priority.
“The city will be in the midst of him”
5, 6. (a) Whose city was it?
In Ezekiel 45:6: we see that Jehovah had told Ezekiel that the land would belong to the whole house of Israel, which means that the city and its surroundings were not part of the Holy contribution.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
As Ezekiel 45:6 says, he belonged to the whole house of Israel. It was not part of the contribution set aside for Jehovah.
The city and its surroundings were not part of “the holy contribution” or, as God said, “the contribution that you will reserve for the Lord” but belonged to all of Israel.
In verse 15 it says that it would be for the community use of the city.
b) What is not the city, and why?
The city cannot be rebuilt Jerusalem and its temple because there is no temple within Ezekiel's city.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Nor can it be any other city in the restored land of Israel because neither those who returned from exile nor their descendants built a city with those characteristics.
And it cannot be a heavenly city either because it was built on “common use” land, that is, on a place that was neither sacred nor intended for worship.
The city is not the built Jerusalem and its temple, because in Ezekiel's vision there is no temple within the city. Nor is it another city of the restored earth because no one built a city with the characteristics of Ezekiel's vision.
The city is not a heavenly city either, because, as Ezekiel 42:20 details, it was built on common-use land, which was neither sacred nor intended for worship.
The city cannot be the rebuilt Jerusalem and its temple. Why? Because there is no temple within the city that Ezekiel sees. Nor can it be any other city in the restored land of Israel. Why? Because neither those who returned from exile nor their descendants built a city with those characteristics. And lastly, it cannot be a heavenly city either. Why? Because it was built on “common use” land, that is, a place that was neither sacred nor intended for worship.
It can't be Jerusalem rebuilt or its temple because Ezekiel doesn't see either of them in the vision. Nor is it some other city in the restored land of Israel because the exiles or their descendants did not build a city with that feature, nor is it a heavenly city because it is in common use.
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