Episode 199: Ezekiel's UFO

Ezekiel 1-3

1 ¹ Ezekiel said,

One day, the heavens opened, and I saw God.

⁴ A great fiery whirlwind came out of the north.

⁵ Out of the mist appeared four creatures that looked like men.

⁶ Each creature had four faces and four wings.

⁷ They sparkled and had straight feet, with soles like calves' feet.

⁸ They had human hands under their wings on four sides.

¹⁰ Each creature had the face of a man, lion, ox, and eagle.

¹¹ Two wings were joined together, and two covered their bodies.

¹³ The creatures looked like coals, lamps, fire, and lightning.

¹⁵ A wheel was on the ground by the creatures.

¹⁶ And there was a wheel within a wheel.

¹⁸ The rims of the wheels were dreadfully high, and they had eyes round about all four of them.

¹⁹ Wherever the creatures went, the wheels went with them.

²⁰ Because the spirit of the creatures was in the wheels.

²² The firmament or terrible crystal stretched over their heads.

²⁴ Their wings sounded like the voice of God from the firmament.

²⁶ Someone who looked like a man sat on a throne that was above the firmament.

The appearance of God's loins

²⁷ I saw his loins both upward and downward. His loins appeared to be on fire, with brightness round about.

²⁸ This appeared to be the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell on my face.

God chooses Ezekiel

2 ¹ God said to Ezekiel, "Son of man stand on your feet, and I'll speak to you."

² Then the spirit picked me up and set me on my feet.

³ And God said to me,

Son of man, I'm sending you to talk to the people of Israel, who have rebelled against me.

⁴ You'll say to them, "This is what God says."

⁵ Whether the people hear or refuse to hear, they'll know there's a prophet among them.

⁶ And you, son of man, don't be afraid of their words, or be upset by how they look at you.

⁷ Maybe they'll listen to you and maybe they won't. They're a tough crowd.

⁸ But you, son of man, listen to me.

Open your mouth and eat what I give you.

⁹ And when I looked, I saw a hand that held a scroll.

¹⁰ The book contained lamentations, mourning, and woe.

Eat this scroll

3 ¹ God said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll and fill your bowels with it."

So I did that. And it was as sweet as honey.

A forehead harder than flint

⁴ God said,

Son of man, go speak my words to the people of Israel.

⁷ But they won't listen to you. They don't listen to me either.

⁸ I've made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads.

⁹ Your forehead is harder than flint. So don't be afraid of them.

The noise of the wheels

¹² Then the spirit took me up, and I heard a voice say, "Blessed be the glory of the Lord."

¹³ I also heard the wings of the creatures and the noise of the wheels.

¹⁴ Then the spirit lifted me up and took me away. I wasn't happy about it, but God's hand was strong on me.

God's killing rules

¹⁶ Seven days later, the word of God came to me, saying,

¹⁷ I've made you a watchman for the people of Israel. Warn them for me.

¹⁸ When I say to wicked people, "You will die", and you fail to warn them, and I kill them for their wickedness, you'll be responsible for their deaths.

¹⁹ But if you warn the wicked people and they stay wicked, then I'll kill them, but you will have saved your own soul.

²⁰ When righteous people do something wrong because I lay a stumbling block before them, I'll kill them. And because you didn't warn them, you'll be responsible for their deaths.

²¹ If you warn the righteous and they stay righteous, I won't kill them, and you will save your soul.

House arrest

²² The hand of God was upon me, and he said,

Get up and go to the plain. I'll talk to you there.

²³ When I arrived at the plain, the glory of the Lord stood there. And I fell on my face.

²⁴ Then the spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and said,

Go shut yourself up in your house.

²⁵ Son of man, you will be tied up.

²⁶ And I'll make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you can't speak.

²⁷ Until I tell you to speak. Then you'll speak to the people, and say,

Whoever hears will hear. Whoever doesn't, won't.