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Ezekiel 14:19 God using hyperbole to make a point - Day 254

Good afternoon fellow English majors

OK, I am not an English major.  But this passage makes me ponder how God uses extreme statements to prove a point.  

Blessings,

Jeff

The word hyperbole, from a Greek word meaning “excess,” is a figure of speech that uses extreme exaggeration to make a point or show emphasis.  Hebrew had hyperbole before the Greeks came along with a word for it.  Four disasters, each so severe that Noah, Daniel and Job would only save themselves. 

Reformation Study Bible note:"Noah, Daniel (not the prophet), and Job" would then designate non-Israelite figures from remote times known for their uprightness. They could not save the world in their own day and even together could not save the city of Jerusalem Ezekiel 14:14

The three most righteous men in OT history together would only save themselves.  Think back to the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah.  Abraham bargains with the angel of the Lord to preserve these two cities if a certain number of righteous men could be found there.  Starts with 50 and  eventually gets God down to 10 men. But the 10 righteous could not be found.

The verbal picture is memorable.  This is God breathed hyperbole.  God uses words for extreme exaggeration, which is saying a lot for the all wise Lord of lords.  Really, how can God exaggerate?


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