Daily Text and Bible Reading: Monday, September 8 [Press play below]

1.1 In the 30th year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiled people by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened and I began to see visions of God.
1.2 On the fifth day of the month—that is, in the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
1.3 the word of Jehovah came to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest by the river Chebar in the land of the Chaldeans. There the hand of Jehovah came upon him.
1.4 As I was looking, I saw a tempestuous wind coming from the north, and there was a huge cloud and flashing fire surrounded by a bright light, and from the midst of the fire was something that looked like electrum.
1.5 Within it were what looked like four living creatures, and the appearance of each one was like that of a human.
1.6 Each one had four faces and four wings.
1.7 Their feet were straight, and the soles of their feet were like those of a calf, and they were shining like the glow of burnished copper.
1.8 They had human hands under their wings on all four sides, and the four of them had faces and wings.
1.9 Their wings were touching one another. They would not turn when they went; they would each go straight forward.
1.10 Their faces had this appearance: Each of the four had a man’s face with a lion’s face on the right, a bull’s face on the left, and each of the four had an eagle’s face.
1.11 That is how their faces were. Their wings were spread out above them. Each had two wings that were touching one another and two wings covering their bodies.
1.12 They would each go straight forward, going wherever the spirit would incline them to go. They would not turn as they went.
1.13 And the living creatures had the appearance of burning coals of fire, and something that looked like torches of bright fire was moving back and forth between the living creatures, and lightning was flashing out from the fire.
1.14 And when the living creatures would go forth and return, their movement had the appearance of flashes of lightning.
1.15 As I was watching the living creatures, I saw one wheel on the earth beside each of the living creatures with four faces.
1.16 The wheels and their structure appeared to glow like chrysolite, and the four of them looked alike. Their appearance and structure looked as though a wheel were within a wheel.
1.17 When they moved, they could go in any of the four directions without turning as they went.
1.18 Their rims were so high that they inspired awe, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.
1.19 Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels would move along with them, and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels would also be lifted up.
1.20 They would go where the spirit inclined them to go, wherever the spirit went. The wheels would be lifted up together with them, for the spirit operating on the living creatures was also in the wheels.
1.21 When they moved, these would move; and when they stood still, these would stand still; and when they were lifted up from the earth, the wheels would be lifted up together with them, for the spirit operating on the living creatures was also in the wheels.
1.22 Over the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an expanse that sparkled like awesome ice, stretched out above their heads.
1.23 Under the expanse their wings were straight, one to the other. Each one had two wings for covering one side of their bodies and two for covering the other side.
1.24 When I heard the sound of their wings, it was like a sound of rushing waters, like the sound of the Almighty. When they moved, it was like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they would let their wings down.
1.25 There was a voice above the expanse over their heads. (When they stood still, they would let their wings down.)
1.26 Above the expanse that was over their heads was what looked like a sapphire stone, and it resembled a throne. Sitting on the throne up above was someone whose appearance resembled that of a human.
1.27 I saw something glowing like electrum that was like a fire radiating from what appeared to be his waist and upward; and from his waist down, I saw something that resembled fire. There was a brilliance all around him
1.28 like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. That was how the surrounding brilliant light appeared. It was like the appearance of the glory of Jehovah. When I saw it, I fell facedown and began to hear the voice of someone speaking.
Chapter 2

2.1 He then said to me: “Son of man, stand up on your feet that I may speak with you.”
2.2 When he spoke to me, spirit came into me and made me stand up on my feet so that I could hear the One speaking to me.
2.3 He went on to say to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to rebellious nations that have rebelled against me. They and their forefathers have transgressed against me down to this very day.
2.4 I am sending you to sons who are defiant and hardhearted, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says.’
2.5 As for them, whether they listen or refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will certainly know that a prophet was among them.
2.6 “But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them, and do not be afraid of their words, although you are surrounded by briars and thorns and are dwelling among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words, and do not be terrified by their faces, for they are a rebellious house.
2.7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or not, for they are a rebellious people.
2.8 “But you, son of man, listen to what I am telling you. Do not become rebellious like this rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”
2.9 When I looked, I saw a hand stretched out to me, and in it I saw a written scroll.
2.10 When he spread it out before me, it had writing on both front and back. Dirges and mourning and wailing were written on it.
Chapter 3

3.1 Then he said to me: “Son of man, eat what is before you. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
3.2 So I opened my mouth, and he made me eat this scroll.
3.3 He went on to say to me: “Son of man, eat this scroll that I am giving you, and fill your stomach with it.” So I began to eat it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
3.4 He said to me: “Son of man, go in among the house of Israel and speak my words to them.
3.5 For you are not being sent to a people who speak an unintelligible language or an unknown tongue, but to the house of Israel.
3.6 You are not being sent to many peoples speaking an unintelligible language or an unknown tongue, whose words you cannot understand. If I would send you to them, they would listen to you.
3.7 But the house of Israel will refuse to listen to you, for they do not want to listen to me. All those of the house of Israel are hardheaded and hardhearted.
3.8 Look! I have made your face exactly as hard as their faces and your forehead exactly as hard as their foreheads.
3.9 I have made your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or be terrified by their faces, for they are a rebellious house.”
3.10 He went on to say to me: “Son of man, take to heart and listen to all my words that I speak to you.
3.11 Go in among the exiles of your people and speak to them. Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.”
3.12 A spirit then carried me along and I heard behind me a great rumbling sound that said: “May the glory of Jehovah be praised from his place.”
3.13 There was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they were brushing against one another, and the sound of the wheels next to them, and the sound of a great rumbling.
3.14 And the spirit carried me along and took me, and I went in bitterness and in the rage of my spirit, and the hand of Jehovah rested strongly on me.
3.15 So I went to the exiled people at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the river Chebar, and I stayed there where they were dwelling; and in a dazed condition, I stayed among them for seven days.
3.16 At the end of seven days the word of Jehovah came to me:
3.17 “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman to the house of Israel; and when you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them from me.
3.18 When I say to someone wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him, and you fail to speak in order to warn the wicked one to turn from his wicked course so that he may stay alive, he will die for his error because he is wicked, but I will ask his blood back from you.
3.19 But if you warn someone wicked and he does not turn back from his wickedness and from his wicked course, he will die for his error, but you will certainly save your own life.
3.20 But when someone righteous abandons his righteousness and does what is wrong, I will put a stumbling block before him and he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die for his sin and his righteous acts will not be remembered, but I will ask his blood back from you.
3.21 But if you have warned the righteous one not to sin, and he does not sin, he will surely keep alive because he was warned, and you will have saved your own life.”
3.22 The hand of Jehovah came upon me there, and he said to me: “Get up, go to the valley plain, and I will speak with you there.”
3.23 So I got up and went to the valley plain, and look! the glory of Jehovah was there, like the glory that I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell facedown.
3.24 Then spirit entered into me and made me stand up on my feet, and he spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house.
3.25 As for you, son of man, they will put ropes on you and tie you with them so that you cannot go out among them.
3.26 And I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, and you will become mute, unable to reprove them, because they are a rebellious house.
3.27 But when I speak with you I will open your mouth, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says.’ Let the one listening listen, and let the one refusing to listen refuse, because they are a rebellious house.