The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 448

"Joseph shall have two portions." It would be a serious mistake to suppose that heaven contained equal measures of honour and of joy for all. In all likelihood there is greater diversity in eminence and in joy than on earth. From the lips of the unerr- ing Judge the verdicts fall, "Be thou ruler over ten cities.... Be thou ruler over five cities." The ple.ce of honour on Christ's right hand sba.ll be given to him" for whom it is prepared." In proportion to :fidelity here shall be reward there. Even Jesus Christ himself tastes a richer joy as the result of his suffering. "For the joy that was set before him be endured the cross; " "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I le.y down my life for the sheep." For some there is in store " a. far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." !V, THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE RAS A PLACE FOR SPIRITUAL AFFINITIES. The favoured occupants still dwell according to their tribes. In St. John's enumeration of the redeemed he reads the muster-roll of the tribes. Each tribe had its tale complete- it numbered twelve thousand. To the same effect Jesus affirmed," In my Father's house a.re many mansions." The demarcations made by family and social lines on earth will be obliterated; but instead, new associations, new affinities, will appear. The denizens will be drawn closer together, or less close, according to spiritual tastes and proclivities. "He that doeth the will of my Father in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." There will be emulation, and a measure of seemly rivalry, while envy and jealousy will be unknown. V. 'l':Irn HEAVENLY INHERITANOE WILL BE COMPREHENSIVE IN' CITIZENSHIP. "Ye shall divide it by lot for an inherihnce unto you, and to the stranger~ that sojourn among you . . . they shall be unto you as born in the country." The old spirit of exclusiveness shall cease. Earthly nationality is an accident, which possesses in itself no excellancc, Concerning Greek, or Barbarian, or Hebrew, " God is no respecter of persons." In Christ Jesus "neither circumcision ava.ileth anything, nor uncircum- cision, but simply a new creature." The distinction in God's kingdom is character. Demarcation is between the excellent and the vile. He who has in his breast the faith of Abraham will receive a welcome, while he who inherits only Abraham's blood will be excluded. No matter in what clime a man is born, no matter what the colour of his skin, if he chooses God to be his God and Sovereign and Friend, he shall find a place among the citizens; be shall obtain a lot among one of the tribes. " Wherefore,'' saith God, "separate yourselves from the evil, and be ye clean, and I will receive you: I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." The simple term of citizenship is a "new birth." "Except ye be con- verted, e.nd become as a little child "-such is the condition to Jew and Gentile alike- " ye cannot enter the kingdom of God." " Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." There is world-wide comprehensiveness, coupled with self-imposed exclusive- ness.-D. Vera. 1-12.-The river of life. In this noble vision we have a prophecy of that great redeeming power which Jesus Obrist should introduce to the world, and we have some insight given us of its triumphs in the far future. Of this wonderful river we have to inquire into - I. !Te DIVINE SOUROE. The river flowed" from under the threshold of the house" -from the very dwelling-place of Jehovah. The river of life has its source in the Divine, in God himself, in his fatherly yearning, in his boundless pity, in his roueem- ing purpose. The heavens themselves pour down the rains, which feed the springs, which make the rivers of earth; but from above the clouds, from one whom" the heaven of heavens cannot contain," comes that river of life which 11, wasted and despoiled world is waiting to receive. It is a Divine mind alone that could conceive, a Divine heart alone that could produce, such 11, benevolent force as this. II. 1TB SPinITUAL OHABACTER. The river of the gospel of Christ is the river of Divine truth. The kingdom of God is to be established by purely moral and spiritual agencies. When violence is used to promote it, there is a miserable departuro from its essential spirit, e.nd there is a serious injury done to its fine.I triumph. For it wins by other and better means. And as water is itself composed of two elements, eo the truth of God in the gospel of Christ is twofold. It includes the truth we most waut to 'Jnow concerning ourselves-our nature, our character, our position before God, our  464 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [cH. xtvtI, 1-23.