Ezekiel 8:1-18

In the sixth year of our exile, on the fifth day of the sixth month, the elders of Judah and I were sitting in my home. Suddenly, I felt the mighty power of the Lord YAHWEH come over me. Behold, I saw a fiery human figure. His body looked like fire! Below the waist were flames of fire; above the waist he glistened as bright as glowing bronze. He reached out with what seemed like a hand and grabbed me by my hair. Then, in a great and wonderful vision from God, the Spirit lifted me up high in the air and transported me to Jerusalem. He took me to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court where the disgusting idol that provokes YAHWEH’s jealousy was standing. And all at once, the dazzling glory of the God of Israel appeared! It looked like what I had seen in the Euphrates Valley. Then God said, “Son of man, look now to the north.” So, I raised my eyes to the north, and standing there, north of the pathway entrance of the altar gate was this vile statue that infuriates God. And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing? Look at all the repulsive, loathsome things that the people of Israel are practicing here! Their disgusting deeds drive me farther and farther from my sanctuary. And you will see even more shocking things than these.” He next transported me to the entrance to the outer courtyard. I looked carefully and noticed there was a hole in the wall. He said, “Son of man, dig through the wall.” When I dug into the wall, I discovered a doorway. He said, “Now, go in and look at the shocking, despicable things they are doing inside.” So I went through the door, and I noticed the walls were covered with drawings of every kind of snake, bugs, creeping things, repulsive animals, and all the disgusting idols of the people of Israel. Worshiping these animals were seventy leaders of Israel, and standing among them was Jaazaniah son of Shaphan. Each one had an incense burner in his hand, from which rose a fragrant cloud of incense. God said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what these leaders of Israel are doing in secret, each one worshiping in his own personal shrine? They say, ‘Oh, YAHWEH cannot see us; he has left the land.’ ” Then God said, “This is not even the worst of the practices. You will see things more terrible than this.” Next he took me to the entrance of the north gate of the temple of YAHWEH where women were weeping over the death of the god Tammuz. He said, “Son of man, do you see their worship of Tammuz? You will see even more terrible things than that.” Next he transported me to the north gate to the inner court of his temple. And there, at the entrance to YAHWEH’s sanctuary, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men standing with their faces to the east worshiping the sun with their backs to YAHWEH’s sanctuary. They bowed down to the east, before the rising sun. God said to me, “Son of man, do you see this? It is bad enough that the people of Judah are doing these despicable things, but they also spread violence throughout the land and provoke my anger further! Look at how they insult me in every possible way they can. Therefore, with wrath I will deal with them. I will show neither pity nor mercy. They can cry to me as loudly as they want, but I will not listen to them.”