On the menu: Sweet leather scroll
1God said, “Human, I want you to eat this scroll with the words it contains. Then I want you to go and deliver my words to the people from Israel.” [1]2So, I took the scroll and opened my mouth to eat it. 3Then he said, “Human, eat this scroll. Let it fill you up.” I ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey.
4God said, “Human, it’s time now for you to go to the people from Israel and deliver my clear and direct messages to them. 5I’m not sending you to people who speak a different language or an unusual dialect. Those people would listen to you. 7I’m sending you to a tougher crowd —to your own people from Israel. They don’t want to hear from me. These are thick-headed Jews with stone-stubborn hearts. 8But I’ve made you stronger. Your head is solid with devotion. 9It’s hard as the hardest flint. Don’t be intimated by their anger. Expect it because they have turned their backs on me.
10Now listen, human. When I talk to you, I want you to hear what I say and take it to heart. 11Then go to your people there in exile and give them the message. Begin by telling them, ‘This is a message from the LORD God.’ Whether or not they’re willing to listen, deliver the message.
Ezekiel at takeoff
12The LORD’s Spirit lifted me and swept me away. I heard a rumbling sound as we began to move. 13It was the loud rumble of wheels and wings—the wings of those creatures brushing against one another as they flapped along the way. [2]14God’s Spirit carried me off. That made me angry. The LORD had just manhandled me. I couldn’t do anything but fume. 15I ended up at Tel-abib, [3] beside the Chebar Canal. [4] Stunned at what had just happened, I sat [5] there for seven days.
Ezekiel pulls guard duty over exiles
16That week, the Lord gave me a message:17“Human, I'm putting you on guard duty. You are going to watch over these people from Israel. Whenever I come to you with a message like this, I want you to give that message of warning to them. 18When I give you a warning to deliver to wicked people—such as ‘You’re going to die,’—you better deliver that message. These evil people will certainly die. But if they die without hearing this warning, their blood is on your hands. 19However, if you warn them and they continue to sin, at least you will have saved your own life.
20So, I want to make this perfectly clear. If good and godly people turn away from the righteous life and start sinning, I'm going to fire some warning shots in their direction—to encourage them to reconsider their bad behavior. If they don’t, they will die. And if they die without hearing the warning you were supposed to deliver, their blood is on your hands, and I will hold you accountable. 21If you warn the people not to sin and they embrace your warning, I’ll let them live. And I'll let you live, too.”
Ezekiel tied up and shut up
22Then the LORD came and took over. He said, “Get up. I want you to go to the valley so I can talk to you there.” 23So, I got up. I went to the valley. I saw God's glory [6] there just as I had seen it earlier by the Chebar Canal. Again, I dropped to the ground, face down.24God's Spirit came inside me and stood me up on my feet. He said, “Go back to your house and stay inside. 25Plan to stay there quietly for a while because some people are going to tie you up. 26When that happens, I’ll keep you from saying anything. You won't be able to warn them of the punishment that’s coming for them. They are a rebellious crowd of people.
27In time, I’ll let you speak again. When that happens, I expect you to start warning these people. Here’s your lead: ‘This is a message from the Lord God.’ After you say that, give them the message. Let them hear it. Those who are willing to listen will listen. Those who refuse will refuse. And there will be people like that who refuse because this is a rebellious crowd of people."
