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1 In the thirtieth year on the fifth day of the fourth month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3 the word of Adonai came to Ezekiel the kohen, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. (The hand of Adonai was upon him there.)
Vision of Supernatural Beings
4 I looked, and behold, a storm wind came from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire and brightness all around it, and something like a glowing alloy[a] out of the fire. 5 From within it came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had a likeness of a human, 6 but each one had four faces and each one of them had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight and the soles of their feet were like the hoof of a calf. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. 8 They had human hands under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had faces and wings: 9 their wings touched one another; they did not turn when they moved; each could move in the direction of any of its faces. 10 As for the form of their faces, each had a human face, the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings touching the wing of another, while another two were covering their bodies. 12 Now each being could move in the direction of any of its faces; wherever the Ruach would go, they went, without turning as they went.
13 As for the form of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, resembling torches moving between the living creatures. There was brightness to the fire, and lightning went forth from the fire. 14 The living creatures were running back and forth like flashes of lightning. 15 As I looked at the living creatures, behold, one wheel was on the ground next to each of the four-faced creatures. 16 The appearance and structure of the wheels was like the gleaming of beryl. The four had the same likeness, their appearance and their structure seemed to be a wheel within a wheel.
17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions without pivoting as they went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome—all four rims were full of eyes all around. 19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the Ruach wanted to go, they went, in the direction the Ruach wanted to go. The wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 Whenever the creatures went, the wheels went. When the creatures stood still, these wheels stood still. When the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Now over the heads of the living creatures there was something like an expanse, shining like the color of ice, stretched forth over their heads. 23 Under the expanse, their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other. Each had another pair covering its body.
24 When they moved, I could hear the sound of their wings like the sound of rushing waters, like the voice of Shaddai, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 There came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.
26 Above the expanse over their heads was something like a throne, resembling a sapphire stone. Above the shape of the throne was a figure of human appearance. 27 From what appeared as his waist upward, I saw a glowing metal, looking like a fire encased in a frame. From what was like his waist down, I saw the appearance of fire radiating around him. 28 Like the appearance of the rainbow[b] in the cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the radiance. It was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Adonai. I saw it, fell upon my face, and heard the voice of the One who was speaking.
A Rebellious House
2 Then He said to me: “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 As He spoke to me, the Ruach came upon me and stood me up on my feet. I heard Him speaking to me again.
3 He said to me, “Son of man, I send you to Bnei-Yisrael, to rebellious nations that have been rebelling against Me. They and their fathers have rebelled against Me to this very day. 4 The children have hard faces and stubborn hearts. I am sending you to them, and you are to tell them, ‘Thus says Adonai Elohim.’ 5 Whether they listen, or whether they will refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet was among them.
6 “But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them. Do not fear their words, though thistles and thorns are beside you and you sit among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words or be dismayed by their looks—for they are a rebellious house. 7 You will speak My words to them, whether they will listen or whether they will refuse to listen—for they are rebellious. 8 Now you, son of man, hear what I say to you: do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth, and eat what I am giving to you.”
9 I looked, and behold, a hand was stretched out to me, holding a written scroll. 10 He spread it out before me. It was written on, front and back. Written on it were lamentations, dirges and woe.
Eat the Scroll
3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find—eat this scroll. Then go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He gave me that scroll to eat, 3 as He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” I ate it and it tasted as sweet as honey.
4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak My words to them. 5 For you are not sent to a people of unintelligible speech and difficult tongue, but to the house of Israel, 6 nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult tongue, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel has a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. 8 Look, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 I will make your forehead like adamant, harder than flint. Do not fear them. Do not be dismayed by their faces, for they are a rebellious house.”
10 Furthermore, He said to me: “Son of man, receive in your heart and hear with your ears all My words that I will speak to you. 11 Go to the exiles, to the children of your people. Speak to them. Tell them, ‘Thus says Adonai Elohim.’ Whether they will listen or whether they will refuse to listen.”
12 Then the Ruach lifted me up. I heard behind me the sound of a great earthquake—“Blessed is the glory of Adonai from His place!”— 13 also the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, the sound of the wheels beside them and the sound of a great earthquake. 14 The Ruach lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit. The hand of Adonai was strong upon me. 15 I came to the exiles at Tel-Abib who lived by the river Chebar. I sat where they were dwelling. I sat there overwhelmed among them for seven days.
Yeshua Greater than Moses
3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partners in a heavenly calling, take notice of Yeshua—the Emissary and Kohen Gadol we affirm. 2 He was faithful to the One who appointed Him in His house—as was Moses also. [a] 3 For He has been considered worthy of more glory than Moses, even as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moses surely was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, for a witness of things to be spoken later. 6 But Messiah, as Son, is over God’s house—and we are His house, if we hold firm to our boldness and what we are proud to hope.
Listen and Obey, or Harden and Fall Away
7 Therefore, just as the Ruach ha-Kodesh says,
“Today if you hear His voice,
8 do not harden your hearts
as in the rebellion,[b]
on the day of testing[c] in the wilderness.
9 There your fathers put Me to the test,
though they saw My works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was provoked by this generation,
and I said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
and they have not known My ways.’
11 As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’”[d]
12 Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil heart of unbelief that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day by day—as long as it is called “Today”—so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partners of Messiah, if we hold our original conviction firm until the end. 15 As it is said,
“Today if you hear His voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”[e]
16 Now which ones heard and rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt with Moses? 17 And with whom was He provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest? Was it not to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter in because of lack of trust.
Adonai Rejoices in His Works!
Psalm 104
1 Bless Adonai, O my soul.
Adonai my God, You are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty—
2 wrapping Yourself in light as a robe,
stretching out heaven like a curtain,
3 laying beams for His upper rooms in waters,
making the clouds His chariot,
walking on the wings of the wind,
4 making His angels spirits,
His servants a flaming fire.
5 He set the earth upon its foundations,
so it should not totter forever and ever.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment—
the waters standing above the mountains.
7 At Your rebuke the waters fled.
At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
8 The waters go up the mountains,
then down to the valleys—
to the place that You assigned to them.
9 You set a boundary to the waters
that they may not cross over,
so they may not return to cover the earth.
10 You make springs gush into the valleys.
They run between the mountains.
11 They give drink to all the beasts of the field—
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Beside them the birds of the sky dwell—
they sing among the branches.
13 He waters mountains from His upper rooms.
The earth is full of the fruit of Your labors.
14 He causes grass to spring up for the cattle,
and vegetation for man to cultivate,
to bring forth bread out of the earth,
15 wine that makes man’s heart glad,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread that sustains man’s heart.
16 The trees of Adonai are satisfied,
the cedars of Lebanon that He planted,
17 where birds make their nests,
and the stork—her home is the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for wild goats,
the cliffs a refuge for rock badgers.
19 He made the moon for appointed times,
the sun knows its going down.
20 You bring darkness, so it becomes night,
when all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The young lions roar for prey,
seeking their food from God.
22 But when the sun rises, they gather
and lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work,
and to his labor until the evening.
24 One who hates, disguises it with his lips,
but he stores up deceit within him.
25 When he speaks favorably, do not believe him,
for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred may be concealed
by deceit, his evil will be exposed before the assembly.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.