Ezekiel 8-9
From Ezekiel's Journal
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God called me to be a prophet, someone who tells the people His messages.
God didn't just tell me what He wanted me to say. He showed me and then explained.
At this time, I was in Babylon with other Israelites who had been taken as prisoners and slaves. One day as I sat with the elders of Judah, I looked and saw someone else in the room. He had the form of a man. From his waist down he was like fire and from there up he glowed brightly.
He stretched his hand out and took hold of my hair then lifted me up between earth and heaven. I was in a vision, being moved to Jerusalem to the inner court near the north gate. An idol had been put there by the Israelites who had been left behind. In front of me was the glory of the God of Israel.
He said to me, "Son of man, look to the north."
I did what He said.
"Do you see what they are doing--the terrible things the people of Israel are doing here? Things that will drive me far away from my sanctuary? Wait. I have more to show you."
Next he took me to the court's entrance. I saw a hole in the wall.
He said to me, "Dig into the wall."
I did as He said and saw a doorway.
He said to me, "Go in and see the terrible things the men are doing here."
I stepped inside. Paintings of all kinds of crawling things and horrible animals filled the walls. In front of the paintings, seventy Israelite elders stood with censers in their hands and a cloud of incense rising from it.They were worshiping the animals!
He said, "Have you seen what the Israelite elders are doing in the darkness? Each standing at a shrine of his own idol? They say, 'The Lord does not see us. The Lord has forsaken the land.' Come with me. There is more to be seen."
He took me to the inner court of the Lord's temple. At the entrance, between the portico and the altar were about twenty-five men. Their back turned toward the temple and their faces toward the east. They bowed down to worship the sun in the east.
He said to me, "Have you seen this? Is this a small sin? Must they also fill the land with violence and continually disobey me? Look at them putting the branch to their nose! I will deal with them in anger. I will not spare them with pity. And if they shout out to me, begging for mercy, I will not listen because they are not sorry in their hearts."
This was very sad for me to see. God had more to show me, though. I'll tell you about it next time.
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1. Where was Ezekiel when he saw the man?2. What did the man look like?
3. Where did God take Ezekiel in the vision?
4. What did God want to show Ezekiel?
5. Why did God show Ezekiel these things?
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