3:1 | He told me, "Son of man, eat what you see. Eat this book. Then go and speak to the family of Israel." |
3:2 | As I opened my mouth, he gave me the scroll to eat, |
3:3 | saying, "Son of man, eat this book that I am giving you. Make a full meal of it!" So I ate it. It tasted so good--just like honey. |
3:4 | Then he told me, "Son of man, go to the family of Israel and speak my Message. |
3:5 | Look, I'm not sending you to a people who speak a hard-to-learn language with words you can hardly pronounce. |
3:6 | If I had sent you to such people, their ears would have perked up and they would have listened immediately. |
3:7 | "But it won't work that way with the family of Israel. They won't listen to you because they won't listen to me. They are, as I said, a hard case, hardened in their sin. |
3:8 | But I'll make you as hard in your way as they are in theirs. |
3:9 | I'll make your face as hard as rock, harder than granite. Don't let them intimidate you. Don't be afraid of them, even though they're a bunch of rebels." |
3:10 | Then he said, "Son of man, get all these words that I'm giving you inside you. Listen to them obediently. Make them your own. |
3:11 | And now go. Go to the exiles, your people, and speak. Tell them, 'This is the Message of GOD, the Master.' Speak your piece, whether they listen or not." |
3:12 | Then the Spirit picked me up. Behind me I heard a great commotion--"Blessed be the Glory of GOD in his Sanctuary!" |
3:13 | --the wings of the living creatures beating against each other, the whirling wheels, the rumble of a great earthquake. |
3:14 | The Spirit lifted me and took me away. I went bitterly and angrily. I didn't want to go. But GOD had me in his grip. |
3:15 | I arrived among the exiles who lived near the Kebar River at Tel Aviv. I came to where they were living and sat there for seven days, appalled. |
3:16 | At the end of the seven days, I received this Message from GOD: |
3:17 | "Son of man, I've made you a watchman for the family of Israel. Whenever you hear me say something, warn them for me. |
3:18 | If I say to the wicked, 'You are going to die,' and you don't sound the alarm warning them that it's a matter of life or death, they will die and it will be your fault. I'll hold you responsible. |
3:19 | But if you warn the wicked and they keep right on sinning anyway, they'll most certainly die for their sin, but [you] won't die. You'll have saved your life. |
3:20 | "And if the righteous turn back from living righteously and take up with evil when I step in and put them in a hard place, they'll die. If you haven't warned them, they'll die because of their sins, and none of the right things they've done will count for anything--and I'll hold you responsible. |
3:21 | But if you warn these righteous people not to sin and they listen to you, they'll live because they took the warning--and again, you'll have saved your life." |
3:22 | GOD grabbed me by the shoulder and said, "Get up. Go out on the plain. I want to talk with you." |
3:23 | So I got up and went out on the plain. I couldn't believe my eyes: the Glory of GOD! Right there! It was like the Glory I had seen at the Kebar River. I fell to the ground, prostrate. |
3:24 | Then the Spirit entered me and put me on my feet. He said, "Go home and shut the door behind you." |
3:25 | And then something odd: "Son of man: They'll tie you hand and foot with ropes so you can't leave the house. |
3:26 | I'll make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so you won't be able to talk and tell the people what they're doing wrong, even though they are a bunch of rebels. |
3:27 | "But then when the time is ripe, I'll free your tongue and you'll say, 'This is what GOD, the Master, says: ...'From then on it's up to them. They can listen or not listen, whichever they like. They are a bunch of rebels! |