Study Desk

God said, "Mortal man, get a brick, put it in front of you, and scratch lines on it to represent the city of Jerusalem.

So God said, "Very well. I will let you use cow dung instead, and you can bake your bread on that."

"Therefore, as I am the living God—this is the word of the Sovereign Lord —because you defiled my Temple with all the evil, disgusting things you did, I will cut you down without mercy.

He reached out what seemed to be a hand and grabbed me by the hair. Then in this vision God's spirit lifted me high in the air and took me to Jerusalem. He took me to the inner entrance of the north gate of the Temple, where there was an idol that was an outrage to God.

There I saw the dazzling light that shows the presence of Israel's God, just as I had seen it when I was by the Chebar River.

God said to me, "Mortal man, look toward the north." I looked, and there near the altar by the entrance of the gateway I saw the idol that was an outrage to God.

God said to me, "Mortal man, do you see what is happening? Look at the disgusting things the people of Israel are doing here, driving me farther and farther away from my holy place. You will see even more disgraceful things than this."

God asked me, "Mortal man, do you see what the Israelite leaders are doing in secret? They are all worshiping in a room full of images. Their excuse is: ‘The Lord doesn't see us! He has abandoned the country.'"

So he took me to the north gate of the Temple and showed me women weeping over the death of the god Tammuz.

Then I heard God shout, "Come here, you men who are going to punish the city. Bring your weapons with you."

Then the dazzling light of the presence of the God of Israel rose up from the winged creatures where it had been, and moved to the entrance of the Temple. The Lord called to the man dressed in linen,

And I heard God say to the other men, "Follow him through the city and kill. Spare no one; have mercy on no one.

God said to them, "Defile the Temple. Fill its courtyards with corpses. Get to work!" So they began to kill the people in the city.

God answered, "The people of Israel and Judah are guilty of terrible sins. They have committed murder all over the land and have filled Jerusalem with crime. They say that I, the Lord , have abandoned their country and that I don't see them.

God said to the man wearing linen clothes, "Go between the wheels under the creatures and fill your hands with burning coals. Then scatter the coals over the city." I watched him go.

The noise made by the creatures' wings was heard even in the outer courtyard. It sounded like the voice of Almighty God.

I recognized them as the same creatures which I had seen beneath the God of Israel at the Chebar River.

God said to me, "Mortal man, these men make evil plans and give bad advice in this city.

Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

The living creatures began to fly, and the wheels went with them. The dazzling light of the presence of the God of Israel was over them.