Ezekiel 47:3

And when the man that had the line in his hand,.... The same as in Ezekiel 40:3 and is no other than Christ, who appeared in a human form to the prophet; and who hitherto had only made use of the

And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ancles.

The man: this is he who accompanied the prophet as his guide all along, and of whom already hath been spoken in several notes. The line, mentioned in , but hitherto not used, for the reed and cubit hitherto were used only, at least only mentioned. Eastward; from the gate directly east, with whom the prophet goeth. He measured, by the line in his hand. A thousand cubits; almost the third part of an English mile; it wanted about eighty yards of a third part. Through the waters; went before him, as his guide, and the prophet followed; all this in vision. To the ankles; some five or six inches deep.

Ezekiel 47:3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters [were] to the ankles.Ver. 3. And when the man that had the line in his hand.] The man Christ Jesus, the sole architect of his Church, and measurer of his gospel; and that by his gospel, which is the line in his hand, nec solum recta, sed et regula, not only by riht but also by rule. He measured a thousand cubits.] It was not for nothing that Plato said, O Yεοςαιειγαωμετρει, God is always measuring the world. The waters were to the ankles.] Grace is but a small thing at first; no more is the gospel. The Church were at first but a very few, that is, one hundred and twenty, of all the great multitudes which had formerly followed Jesus: Sed vix diligitur Iesus propter Iesum. It was more for the loaves than any great love that the most followed him.

(3) Brought me through the waters.—The point from which the measurement began is not distinctly mentioned, but is to be assumed as from their source, the threshold of the house. The prophet is “brought through the waters” to impress upon him a vivid sense of their size and depth, and this is repeated at each 1,000 cubits until the waters become impassable.

Verse 3. - 5. He measured a thousand cubits, - the waters were to the ANKLES; a thousand more, - the waters were to the KNEES; a thousand more, - they became a RIVER that could not be forded. The waters were risen, and they were waters to SWIM in. I. This may be applied to the gradual discoveries of the plan of salvation, - 1. In the patriarchal ages. 2. In the giving of the law. 3. In the ministry of John the Baptist. And, 4. In the full manifestation of Christ by the communication of the Holy Ghost. II. This vision may be applied also to the growth of a believer in the grace and knowledge of God. There is - 1. The seed of the kingdom. 2. The blade from that seed. 3. The ear out of that blade. And, 4. The full corn in that ear. III. It may be applied to the discoveries a penitent believer receives of the mercy of God in his salvation. He is - 1. A little child, born of God, born from above, and begins to taste the bread of life, and live on the heavenly food. 2. He grows up and increases in stature and strength, and becomes a young man. 3. He becomes matured in the Divine life, and has his spiritual senses exercised so as to become a father in Christ. In other words, the grace of God appears to come drop by drop; it is given as it can be used; it is a seed of light, and multiplies itself. The penitent at first can scarcely believe the infinite goodness of his Maker; he however ventures to follow on with the conducting angel, the minister of the Gospel, in his descriptions of the plenitude of that salvation, provided in that living Temple in which alone the well-spring of life is to be found. 4. In thus following on to know the Lord he finds a continual increase of light and life, till at last he is carried by the streams of grace to the ocean of eternal mercy; then "Plunged in the Godhead's deepest sea, And lost in his immensity." IV. These waters may be considered as a type of the progress which Christianity shall make in the world. 1. There were only a few poor fishermen. 2. Afterwards many Jews. 3. Then the Gentiles of Asia Minor and Greece. 4. The continent and isles of Europe. And, 5. Now spreading through Africa, Asia, and America, at present these waters are no longer a river, but an immense sea; and the Gospel fishers are daily bringing multitudes of souls to Christ.

3. A thousand cubits from the place of emergence the waters were ankle deep.

The ancles - This may coincide with the step gained in the baptism of Cornelius Acts 10, and the opening of the Church to the Gentiles.