By The River Chebar Historical Literary And Theological Studies In The Book Of Ezekiel Daniel I Block by Daniel I. Block 9780227174395, 0227174399 instant download after payment.

To many readers the book of Ezekiel is a hopeless riddle. Many features of the man and his message seem difficult and sometimes even shocking or offensive. The bizarre opening vision catches us off guard and tempts us to stop reading. A persistent reader, however, who meditates long and hard on individual utterances and sign actions, will discover that despite the strangeness of the man, this is the most clearly organized of the major prophetic books. Individual prophecies are clearly marked by headings and often by conclusions. The priestly prophet knew his audience, something that is evident if one continues to delve deeper: he recognized in Judah's rebellion against YHWH the underlying cause of the divine fury that resulted in the exile of his people and the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BCE. However, he also recognized that YHWH's judgment could not be the last word: his covenant is eternal and irrevocable, and a day of spiritual renewal and national restoration is anticipated.
This is the first of two volumes of essays on Ezekiel and his book. The seven general essays and two studies of particular texts in this collection explore the times, the message, and the methods of the prophetic priest.
The present volume reflects the author's longstanding interest in Ezekiel, the man and his book. This collection is arranged as follows: a general essay on preaching the message of Ezekiel; a synthetic essay on the theology of the book; a series on more specific theological topics, two literary studies focused on specific texts that frame the first half of the Book (chs. 1 and 24). Additional essays dealing mostly with the second half of the book will available in the companion volume, 'Beyond the River Chebar: Studies in Kingship and Eschatology in Ezekiel'.