Albert Barnes Commentary


Albert Barnes Commentary
"And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you and to the strangers that sojourn among you, who shall beget children among you; and they shall be unto you as the home-born among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel." — Ezekiel 47:22 (ASV)
And to the strangers - Here is quite a new feature in the distribution of the land. Not only the Israelites by descent, but those who join themselves to Israel by allegiance to the true God, shall have a right of inheritance. Here are unfolded the blessings which were to accrue to the Gentiles through the seed of Abraham. (Compare to Romans 9:24 and following). The difference which existed under the old covenant between Jew and Gentile is now at last abolished. But while the pagan world thus unites itself with God’s people, Israel is still, as ever, the chosen people, the center of this union. No new Church is founded side by side with the old. Pagan peoples are absorbed into Israel—the standard which God has set up for the nations—that is, into the One True Church, which has existed from the beginning and will exist in eternity.