164-72). Though this dramatization is rather simple, it is still quite deeply meaningful and profound, according to Block; the depiction of Jerusalem that Ezekiel is commanded to draw on the tablet, his rigidly controlled dietary intake, and the lying in two directions signifying his lamentation are all effective means of making more visceral and more physical the siege of the city and the collapse of the Hebrew people due to, according to the prophecies, the evils of their ways and their abandonment of God (Block 1997, pp. 171-86). Though highly symbolic, Ezekiel's actions can also be interpreted as a series of direct and concrete reenactments of what occurred between God and his people.
While this direct interpretation is certainly possible, it is not the only means of understanding and interpreting Chapter 4 of the Book of Ezekiel. It has been noted that one of the rhetorical strategies that Ezekiel employs elsewhere in this Book is the deliberate obfuscation of a prophecy's direct meaning, and this could certainly be a way for drawing the reader into an examination of meaning and intent in this chapter (Renz 1999, pp. 140). The minutiae of the "dramatizations" are so deliberate in their delivery, it is almost as though the passage were insisting that the symbolism of each of these details be inspected, and as though the author -- or authors -- were trying to present evidence of their intellectual agility (Renz 1999).
The actions that Ezekiel performs in the completion of his prophecies and God's commandments in Chapter 4, whether or not the descriptions of these acts are meant to be cryptic, are certainly intended to be signs to the Israelites in exile in Babylon, to whom Ezekiel is preaching. The first of these acts is explicitly denoted as a "sign to the house of Israel," and the others -- including some in Chapter 5 -- follow a similar pattern...
Exegesis To understand 2 Corinthians as a letter, one must first understand the context in which it was written. This was Paul's second letter to the Christian church at Corinth. His first letter had been less than kind, admonishing the Corinthian church for what Paul saw as many deficiencies in their manner of living and worship. As might be expected, the original letter was not exactly welcome by the Corinthians, and
A parable: an earthly story with a heavenly meaning Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for parabol? (Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for parabol? ) Stacy reports that in the pseudepigraphical document known as the Book of Enoch that the following story, conspicuous parallel to the parable in Luke occurs, which may predate Jesus' account. Woe unto you who gain silver and gold by unjust means; you will then
Judgment oracle Usually introduced by formula, "I am against you" 21:1-5 Aftermath or restoration oracle Reversing judgment formula, "I am for you" 34:11-15 Command formula Especially "Son of man, set your face ... 6:2-3; 20:46-47 "Woe" oracle of indictment 13:3-7; 34:2-6 Demonstration oracle Usually containing "because ... therefore" clauses 13:8-9; 16:36-42 Disputation oracle IN which popular proverb is recited and then refuted by prophetic discourse (e.g., "sour grapes" proverb) 18:1-20; cf. 12:22-25 Lament Over Tyre Over Pharaoh 26:15-18 32:1-16 Wailing lament Introduced by "wail" 30:1-4 32:17-21 Riddles, parables, allegories E.g., parable of the vine Allegories of the
In verses 40-44, we can see that there is the potential for a reconciliation, when a purified people will worship in the land to which they have returned (91). God ends by saying that it will be obvious when He shows pity for the desperate and that He will be showing that pity for the respect of His own name. This really signifies that His mercy is the highest
The scene is reminiscent of Egyptian burial chambers; the walls were covered with brilliantly painted images of deities in animal form, including Anubis, the jackal-headed god who weighed the soul of the dead. This second phase of the prophet's vision of Jerusalem illustrates a number of important points with respect to the state of religion in the capital city. The nation's leadership was actively engaged in the pursuit of
Creation Myth Analysis Case Study of the History of Biblical Creation Narratives What Is Myth? What Is History? Manetho Josephus Jeroboam Is Genesis 1:1-2:4 Myth? Is Genesis 1:1-2:4 History? Is Genesis 1:1-2:4 Both Myth and History? An Analysis of the Biblical Creation Narrative of Genesis 1:1-25 and Egypt's Possible Influence on the Historical Record God created the world in just six days, and rested on the seventh, but scholars have not rested at all over the millennia in their investigation of
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now