Ezekiel reference

[edenvegan]

I believe everything, and I do mean everything has significance in the Bible. So could someone please, please, tell me the exact purpose of the repeated line, "And then they will know, I am the Lord."?--It's all throughout the book of Ezekiel.

No one ever talks about this in church--is it based off of a tradition? (Am I thinking too hard?)

I just thought I'd come here and see what people think. Thank you

 

[Jpark]

Never mind.

 

[wayseer]

I believe everything, and I do mean everything has significance in the Bible. So could someone please, please, tell me the exact purpose of the repeated line, "And then they will know, I am the Lord."?--It's all throughout the book of Ezekiel.

Well spotted.

What you have identified is a particular style of talking or writing. Repetition is something readily identifiable within the texts at particular points. It has been inserted by the author for the very reason you spotted it - to draw your attention to something important.

No one ever talks about this in church--is it based off of a tradition? (Am I thinking too hard?)

No - you are thinking just fine - go to the head of the class.

What you have embarked on without perhaps realizing as much is theology. Theology is what happens when faith goes seeking understanding. Theology asks questions of the text. Why is something repeated? Why is a particular number mentioned and not some other number? (See if you can see how many time 40 is mentioned in the texts). Why are there two stories of the same incident?

The various authors of the texts use different methods of writing for particular reasons. You have spotted one method. There are any number of other methods employed. Good hunting.

 

[edenvegan]

Ah, so I'm turning into a Bible detective, huh? Okay. I like that. Maybe I'll start keeping a notebook of my findings as I study scripture. Thank you.

 

[MPaul]

Ezekiel 33:30-33
Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.

When something is repeated so often as this phrase is in this manner in Ezekiel, it is most appropriate to question it there is a special significance. In this instance, I think not… it merely has the implications commonly associated with the basic meaning of the language used, just as the above quoted passage does applying the same sense to the prophet himself. The repetition shows how much God is indignant over the people’s response to him.

However, what about the phrase “son of man?” It is used repeatedly by God in addressing Ezekiel. I find that the more interesting question in Ezekiel. Does it make Ezekiel a Christ-type?

Just about every message in Ezekiel begins with “son of man,” and ends with a reference to the people knowing “I am the Lord.” So Ezekiel is utilizing an oral tradition (that is, a literary device to help listeners of the book being read, to be able to distinguish thought units). However, these structural devices to help listening also have typical semantic weight.


In the case of “son of man” being repeated so often, it appears God wants a special significance given to the meaning of the phrase – and it is a phrase picked up in the Gospels and associated with Christ. Hmmm… but I just don’t know how far to take it.