What is the meaning of Ezekiel 21:9? Son of man • God addresses Ezekiel with the same title used throughout the book (Ezekiel 2:1), underscoring the prophet’s humanity in contrast to the divine message he carries. • The phrase reminds us that ordinary people, when surrendered to God, can deliver extraordinary truth (cf. Ezekiel 3:17; James 5:17). prophesy • Ezekiel is commanded to speak forth God-breathed words, not personal opinion (2 Peter 1:21). • Prophecy here is a call to announce judgment so that the hearers might turn and live (Ezekiel 33:11). • Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel cannot remain silent when God’s word burns within (Jeremiah 20:9). and tell them • The message is for “them”—Judah’s leaders and people—showing that God confronts specific audiences (Ezekiel 3:27). • Faithful ministry always involves delivering God’s truth to real people in real circumstances (Acts 20:27). that this is what the Lord says • The authority rests entirely with the LORD, the covenant God of Israel (Isaiah 1:18). • This formula (“declares the Lord”) appears over seventy times in Ezekiel, emphasizing inspiration and inerrancy (Ezekiel 6:3). A sword • The “sword” represents imminent judgment through Babylon (Jeremiah 25:9). • In Scripture, God often wields the sword against nations when iniquity is full (Isaiah 34:5-6; Revelation 19:15). a sword • Repetition intensifies certainty, as in Pharaoh’s dreams repeated twice (Genesis 41:32). • The doubled term urges listeners to realize the judgment is both sure and swift (Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that God’s word itself is a sharp sword). sharpened • A sharpened weapon is prepared and ready; God’s patience has limits (Psalm 7:12). • Sharpening points to precision—His judgments fit the crime (Deuteronomy 32:41). and polished— • Polishing removes rust and causes the blade to flash, signaling unavoidable impact (Ezekiel 21:10). • The gleam is meant to strike fear and prompt repentance before the blow falls (Nahum 3:3; Luke 21:26). summary Ezekiel 21:9 pictures God’s looming judgment like a gleaming sword: prepared, certain, and divinely directed. By commanding Ezekiel—mere “son of man”—to prophesy, the Lord shows that His authoritative, inerrant word is delivered through faithful human messengers. The repeated “sword” underscores the urgency for hardened hearts to repent before the sharpened, polished blade of divine justice strikes. |
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