God

Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace!

You, O LORD, reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.

Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long?

Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,

unless You have utterly rejected us and remain angry with us beyond measure.

In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.

the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.

When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.

“Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.”

And as He spoke to me, the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and I heard Him speaking to me.

“Son of man,” He said to me, “I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me. To this very day they and their fathers have rebelled against Me.

They are obstinate and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’

But speak My words to them, whether they listen or refuse to listen, for they are rebellious.

And you, son of man, listen to what I tell you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

which He unrolled before me. And written on the front and back of it were words of lamentation, mourning, and woe.

“Son of man,” He said to me, “eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.”

So I opened my mouth, and He fed me the scroll.

“Son of man,” He said to me, “eat and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you.” So I ate, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak My words to them.

not to the many peoples of unfamiliar speech and difficult language whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.

But the house of Israel will be unwilling to listen to you, since they are unwilling to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.

Behold, I will make your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.

I will make your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or dismayed at their presence, even though they are a rebellious house.”

“Son of man,” He added, “listen carefully to all the words I speak to you, and take them to heart.