Fear not my coming to punish thee, I come to send thee forth a prophet; arise, therefore, and be as other prophets, ready to receive the Divine oracles, which usually came to prophets standing: and with this command God sent forth a power enabling him to arise and stand. "And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, [as] I sat in … But the spirit who sanctioned the words of the prophet implied by it the lowliness and frailty of the prophet as man "lower than the angels," though now admitted to the vision of angels and of God Himself, "lest he should be exalted through the abundance of the revelations" (2Co 12:7). 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to g nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart . Keywords Book of Ezekiel − Targum Jonathan − Adam − Daniel 7 − Son of Man – Messianism − Gospels − Jesus One of the characteristics of the Book of Ezekiel is the frequent use of the designation ם דא־ןב for the prophet Ezekiel. Regardless, there is no reason to connect the "son of man/adam" in Ezekiel to the "son of man" in Daniel 7. The roll of heavy judgments spread before him, Ezekiel 2:9,10. Son of Man, in contrast, focuses on the humanity of Christ. That title, as applied to Messiah, implies at once His lowliness and His exaltation, in His manifestations as the Representative man, at His first and second comings respectively (Ps 8:4-8; Mt 16:13; 20:18; and on the other hand, Da 7:13, 14; Mt 26:64; Joh 5:27).Ezekielâs commission, Ezekiel 2:1-5; his instructions, Ezekiel 2:6-8. Isaiah 21:6,8,11,12 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth…, Ezekiel 33:6-8 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand…. God addresses Ezekiel merely as son of Adam, or son of man (since the Hebrew word adam means man.) The phrase “son of man” is common enough throughout the Scriptures, as meaning simply man, but is never used in an address to a prophet, except to Ezekiel and Daniel. One of my arguments in 1945 for Ezekiel's Palestinian ministry con cerned the idiom "Son of man, set your face." He is appropriately so called as being type of the divine "Son of man" here revealed as "man" (see on [1018]Eze 1:26). Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. He came “in the flesh” (1 John 4:2). Stand upon thy feet; arise, resume thy wonted strength of soul and body, which seem lost by thy fall to the ground. “And He said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee” (Ezekiel 2:1). This seems quite remarkable, as this title also was Christ's favourite title (using it 80 times), always applying it to Himself. Ezekiel was receiving powerful revelations directly from God, and perhaps God called Ezekiel “son of man” to keep him humble (much like He later humbled Paul with his “ thorn in the flesh ” in 2 Cor 12:7-10). Like it’s use in Ezekiel, ‘son of man’ can simply mean, ‘human being.’ But of course, Jesus also was speaking to his identity as the Messiah. (b) Meaning, man who is but earth and ashes, which was to humble him, and cause him to consider his own state, and God's grace. The son of man, or rather "one like unto a son of man" mentioned in Daniel, is primarily the Hebrew people, as is expressly noted in the prophecy itself; but Jesus must have looked upon Himself as the representative of the people of God, in the same way as, in the Old Testament generally, the reigning sovereign was regarded as the representative of the nation. 2 And he said to me, x “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in this city; 3 y who say, z ‘The time is not near 1 to build houses. I argued that Ezek. One possibility as to why these two prophets are addressed as "son of man/adam" is to symbolize the condition of the nation of Israel. Son of man is a rather common term in the Bible, and it simply means “man.”. So the term "son of man" in Ezekiel stresses Ezekiel's humility in contrast to God's glory. And he that sat upon the throne, Jesus Christ, whose messenger Ezekiel must be to the Jewish captives, now gone into captivity to Babylon. Kimchi mentions this, but assigns another reason; that because he saw the face of a man in the above vision, he let him know that he was right and good in the eye of God; and was the son of man, and not the son of a lion, &c. which is exceeding weak and trifling. On the one hand, saying he was the Son of Man would have been a very ordinary thing to say. And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. 2 And he said to me, x “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in this city; 3 y who say, z ‘The time is not near 1 to build houses. Ezekiel 12:2 Context. Ezekiel is never called “ the son of man”; he is always just a “son of man,” as in one among many. God called the prophet Ezekiel “son of man” 93 times. In the Book of Daniel and in post-biblical literature, the similar terms bar-anosh and bar-nasha also appear. 8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Song of Solomon of man; a phrase very familiar with Ezekiel in this prophecy, and he useth it for distinction, being now among angels, perhaps to keep him humble, who had such great revelations, which might occasion him to think of himself above what was meet, as prophecy. "Son of man" is the translation of one Hebrew and one Aramaic phrase used in the Hebrew Bible. It was through human networks that God planned to carry His message of salvation to lost human beings. Some say that Ezekiel was called the “son of man” to show his humanness and to differentiate himself from the supernatural and bizarre visions he had—some of which occur in these chapters. Son of Man is a title of humility. Adoni is the title a servant would give his master, his lord. 18 When I tell wicked people they will die because of their sins, you must warn them to turn from their sinful ways so they won’t be punished. They have been disposed of their land and exiled to Babylon, the general location of the Garden of Eden. In fact, Ezekiel is the only prophet regularly called the “son of man” by God. xxxii. Ezekiel 20:3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Do you come to inquire of Me? as that of a god. Ezekiel 12:2 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY) 6:1-10 was intrusive in its present context, that it originally stood before 21:1 (=20:45, English),14 so that in immediate sequence Ezekiel faced first Here is his commission: Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. Ezekiel & the Son of Man Ezekiel, the son of man, was appointed as a prophet to Israel, at thirty years old, by a river, like Jesus. This is particularly interested to Christians since Jesus took the title "Son of Man" upon himself (ὁ υἱός τοῦ ἀνθρώπου). In Ezekiel, “son of man” means “human being.” It’s a poetic Hebrew expression that’s used with that same meaning in several other places in the Old Testament, for example, in Psalm 8, where the ESV translates the Hebrew terms literally: “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Ezekiel 33:2-9 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: …. And I saw among them Jaazaniah v the son of Azzur, and w Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2 Corinthians 12:7. This is the most common Hebrew construction for the singular, appearing 93 times in the Book of Ezekiel alone and 14 tim Abendana, besides these, mentions some other reasons given; as that because he saw the "mercavah" or chariot, and ascended to the dignity of the angels on high, it is as if it was said, there is none born of a woman, as this; or because he was carried out of the holy land, as Adam was drove out of Eden; and therefore called the son of the first Adam, being drove out of Jerusalem, and out of the temple, where he was a priest. God reveals himself to Ezekiel as Adoni YHWH. The phrase was no doubt taken from Chaldean usage during the sojourn of Daniel and Ezekiel in Chaldea. Son of man—often applied to Ezekiel; once only to Daniel (Da 8:17), and not to any other prophet. Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me … 1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel 33:2-9 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: … In the prayer in which this thought is expressed, "man" is used in distinction to the "people of Israel"; indeed, "children of men" appears to mark a contrast to "children of Israel" in the Song of Moses (Deut. 2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a … YHWH is the divine name associated with the … Danielic Son of Man figure and the Son of Man Christology. To Daniel it is used only once (Daniel 8:17), while to Ezekiel it is used above ninety times. He could have used other means. 2 Chronicles 19:10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass. He was alluding to Daniel 7, claiming his Messiahship and his role in the redemption of the world. As I live,” declares the Lord God, “ I will not be inquired of by you.”’ Ezekiel 12:2 New King James Version (NKJV). Ezekiel 12:2 English Standard Version (ESV) 2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. 2 And he said to me, c “Son of man, 1 d stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 And as he spoke to me, e the Spirit entered into me and f set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 2 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Son of man is simply a periphrastic term for “human.” Jesus Christ was truly a human being. 1. In the Gospel account of John 3:13 [NIV], we told a statement by Jesus: "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man." Ezekiel 2:3. Song of Solomon 5:7 The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. The phrase "son of fatness" is a Hebrew idiom for "very fat" or very fertile. Ezekiel’s Call. English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. It is worth noting that the Hebrew word used for “man” in Ezekiel (as in “son of man”) is “ adam.” It emphasizes the humanity of a person. 2 “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre: This is what the Lord God says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods . 1 Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. Eze Ezk). Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. The meaning of the “Son of man” in Ezekiel The Lord called Ezekiel as the “ son of man ” (ben–’adam), to remind him of the truth that he is a member of the human family. Ezekiel 14:3 Context. So listen to what I say, then warn them for me. So when God calls Ezekiel "son of man," it is a way of saying he is completely a man, a mere human creature in contrast to the Creator. 2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of the rebellious house, that have eyes to see, and see not, that have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house. Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. 7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. In the indefinite form used in the Hebrew Bible it is a form of address, or it contrasts human beings against God and the angels, or contrasts foreign nations, which are often represented as animals in apocalyptic writings, with Israel … (Ezekiel 2:1) This is the first of more than 90 times in which the prophet Ezekiel is addressed by God as " Son of man." Significance of the “Son of Man” appellation in Ezekiel. Ezekiel is the only prophet regularly referred to by God as "son of man" ( ben adam ). The Hebrew expression "son of man" appears one hundred and seven times in the Hebrew Bible. Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular, Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular, To lean forward, to peer into the distance, to observe, await, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct, Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular, Preposition | first person common singular, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular, The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular, Direct object marker | third person masculine plural, Untranslatable mark of the accusative case, OT Prophets: Ezekiel 3:17 Son of man I have made you (Ezek. "Son of man" is a common term in the Psalms, used to accentuate the difference between God and human beings. Ezekiel is called “son of man” over 90 times, with the first reference being in 2:1, which says “And He (the LORD God) said to me, ‘Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you’” (NKJV). In Hebrew, the term is ben-adam, while in Aramaic its equivalent bar-adam is used. "Son of man", "son of Adam", or "like a man", are phrases used in the Hebrew Bible, various apocalyptic works of the intertestamental period, and in the Greek New Testament. And I will speak unto thee; get thyself into a fit posture and readiness, and I will speak: what that was appears in what followeth, Ezekiel 2:3. son of man; as he was to be that spake unto him; and so it may denote relation, affection, and familiarity; or otherwise it is expressive of humiliation; of the frail, mean, and low estate of man, through the fall, Psalm 8:4; wherefore some think Ezekiel is thus addressed, lest he should be lifted up, and think himself as one of the angels, because he had seen so great a vision; just as the Apostle Paul was humbled, lest he should be exalted above measure, through the visions and revelations he had, 2 Corinthians 12:7. I have. 8, R. V.). 1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Song of Solomon 3:3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? In this way, God was simply calling Ezekiel a human being. And I saw among them Jaazaniah v the son of Azzur, and w Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. This is the first of more than 90 times in which the prophet Ezekiel is addressed by God as “Son of man.” This seems quite remarkable, as this title also was Christ’s favorite title (using it 80 times), always applying it … It may be observed, that this is a name which our Lord frequently took to himself in his state of humiliation; and that none but Ezekiel, excepting once the Prophet Daniel, is called by this name; and no doubt the reason of it is, because he was an eminent type of Christ; and particularly in his mission and commission, as a prophet, to the rebellious house of Israel: stand upon thy feet; for he was fallen upon his face, at the sight of the vision, Ezekiel 1:28; when a divine Person speaks, men ought to stand and hear, and be in a readiness to do his pleasure: and I will speak unto thee; which is said for his encouragement, being spoken by him who has the words of truth and grace, and of eternal life. 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