What is the meaning of Ezekiel 17:11? Then The single word “Then” quietly anchors us in the story line of Ezekiel 17. It signals sequence—God is continuing a conversation already in motion. After Ezekiel presents the allegory of the two eagles and a vine (verses 1-10), the Lord does not leave the meaning up to guesswork; He steps in at that very moment. • Scripture often uses “Then” to mark a fresh installment of revelation, as in Ezekiel 12:26, “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,” and Jeremiah 1:4. • We are reminded that God’s dealings are orderly; He speaks at the right time to advance His purposes (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). the word of the LORD These five words elevate everything that follows. This is not opinion, tradition, or speculation; it is God’s own speech. • 2 Timothy 3:16 insists, “All Scripture is God-breathed,” underscoring that what Ezekiel hears is infallible truth. • Psalm 33:6 declares, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,” so the same powerful voice that created now interprets. • The phrase appears repeatedly in Ezekiel (e.g., 6:1; 13:1) to remind us that prophetic authority rests solely on divine authorship, never on the prophet’s personality. came to me God’s word does not float in abstraction; it arrives, targeting a specific messenger. • Ezekiel is personally singled out, echoing Ezekiel 3:16, “The word of the LORD came to me.” • This pattern matches Jeremiah 1:2 and Amos 3:7—God entrusts His secrets to chosen servants so that His people can hear and respond. • It also highlights grace: the holy God stoops to communicate with a human being, ensuring clarity for the exiles in Babylon who desperately need direction and hope. saying The verse ends with anticipation. A message is about to be articulated in plain terms. • Deuteronomy 29:29 divides the hidden from the revealed; here God moves something from hidden to revealed. • 2 Peter 1:21 notes that “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit,” so when God is “saying,” the Spirit is actively guiding the prophet’s words. • By prefacing the explanation of the parable with “saying,” God underscores that what follows (verses 12-21) is an authoritative interpretation, not a human guess. summary Ezekiel 17:11 is brief, yet it packs four rich truths: timing (“Then”), authority (“the word of the LORD”), personal delivery (“came to me”), and impending revelation (“saying”). Together they affirm that God intervenes at the right moment, speaks with absolute authority, chooses real people as His mouthpieces, and makes His will unmistakably clear. The verse prepares us to receive the rest of the chapter as God’s own, trustworthy explanation of current events and future hope. |
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