Study Desk

They are stubborn and hardheaded. But I, the Lord God, have chosen you to tell them what I say.

Those rebels may not even listen, but at least they will know that a prophet has come to them.

Don't be afraid of them or of anything they say. You may think you're in the middle of a thorn patch or a bunch of scorpions. But be brave

But the people of Israel will refuse to listen, because they have refused to listen to me. All of them are stubborn and hardheaded,

But if you do warn them, and they listen to you and stop sinning, I will let them live. And you will be innocent.

But the time will come, when I will tell you what to say, and you will again be able to speak my message. Some of them will listen; others will be stubborn and refuse to listen.

But the people of Jerusalem rebelled and refuse to obey me. They ignored my laws and have become even more sinful than the nations around them.

will insult you and make fun of you, but they will also be shocked and terrified at what I did in my anger.

I will let some of the people live through this punishment, but I will scatter them among the nations,

These people used to offer incense to idols at altars built on hills and mountaintops and in the shade of large oak trees. But when they see dead bodies lying around those altars, they will know that I am the Lord .

A signal has been blown on the trumpet, and weapons are prepared for battle. But no one goes to war, because in my anger I will strike down everyone in Israel.

You will put on sackcloth to show your sorrow, but terror will overpower you. Shame will be written all over your faces, and you will shave your heads in despair.

They will break into my temple and leave it unfit as a place to worship me, but I will look away and let it happen.

You will be terrified and will desperately look for peace—but there will be no peace.

But I will show you something even worse than this."

God asked me, "Can you believe what these women are doing? But now I want to show you something worse."

God said, "Ezekiel, it's bad enough that the people of Judah are doing these disgusting things. But they have also spread violence and injustice everywhere in Israel and have made me very angry. They have disgraced and insulted me in the worst possible way.

They say things like, ‘Let's build more houses. This city is like a cooking pot over a fire, and we are the meat, but at least the pot keeps us from being burned in the fire.'

This city is indeed a cooking pot, but the bodies of those you killed are the meat. And so I will force you to leave Jerusalem,

You will be killed in your own country, but not before you realize that I, the Lord , have done these things.