Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord and he heard a voice saying:
"I am choosing you to speak my message to the people.

Whether the people listen to you or not,
you must keep on proclaiming my message.

You are to be a sentry to the House of Israel,
a lookout who warns them of danger coming."

第 1 – 3 章

第一批猶太人流放到巴比倫約五年後，
Ezekiel（以西結/厄則克耳）與其他
流放者在巴比倫時，收到異象。

Ezekiel看到主的榮耀，並聽到聲音說：
「我揀選你向民眾說我的信息。

無論民眾是否聽從，
你要繼續宣講我的話。

你要成為以色列家族的哨兵，
作警告他們危難來臨的把風者。」

Lord, please help people listen to your message and obey it

主，請幫助我們聆聽並服從你的話

Ezekiel used many images to describe the fall of Jerusalem.
But the people and their leaders would not believe him.

God used Ezekiel to say to the exiles:

"I will bring you back to your homeland of Israel.
I will give you a new heart and a new spirit.

Then you will keep my commandments.
Then you will know that I am the Lord."

第 4 – 11 章

Ezekiel以各種形像描述耶路撒冷的淪陷，
但民眾和他們的首長都不相信他。

神利用Ezekiel對流放者說：

「我會領你們回到祖國以色列。
我會給你們一顆新的心和新的靈。

然後，你們會遵守我的誡命。
那麼，你們會知道我是主。」

Grant to us, O Lord, a  heart renewed

噢主，賜給我們一顆新的心

Ezekiel spoke God's message for the false prophets:

"You have misled my people.
You have not bothered to protect my people".

Ezekiel also called on the people to stop their idolatry.
He reminded them how to follow the Lord:

- A good person is law-abiding and honest.
- A good person oppresses no one, never steals
- a good person gives food and clothing to the poor.

"God takes no delight in the death of a sinner.
God hopes the sinner will renounce wickedness and live."

第 12 – 18 章

Ezekiel對假先知說神的話：

「你們誤導了我的百姓，
你們沒有盡力保護我的百姓。」

Ezekiel還呼籲人們停止崇拜偶像。
他提醒他們如何跟隨主：

- 善人守法和誠實。
- 善人不欺壓人、從不偷盜
- 善人給窮人食物和衣服。

「神不喜歡罪人的死亡。
神希望罪人放棄邪惡和存活。」

Lord, please help me to avoid evil.....and do more good

主，請幫助我遠離邪惡.....和多行善

"Since my people have forgotten me and followed false ways,
therefore they will be scattered around the world.

But eventually my people and peoples of all nations
will learn that I alone am their Creator, their God.

第 19 – 32 章

Ezekiel繼續宣講神的話：

「因我的百姓已經忘記了我並走上歧途，
所以，他們會分散到世界各地。

但最終，我的百姓和所有國家的人民會知道，
惟獨我才是他們的造物主，他們的神。」

Lord, please help all peoples know and love you

主，請幫助所有人認識和愛慕你

God told Ezekiel to say this to Israel's leaders:

"Punishment is coming for you shepherds who have fed yourselves
but not looked after the sheep.

You have failed to make the weak sheep strong,
or to care for the sick ones.

You have failed to bring back stray sheep
or look for lost sheep.

On the contrary, you have been cruel to the sheep
and treated them badly.

Therefore I will look after my flock myself.
I will rescue them from where they have been scattered.

I will look for the lost one, bring back the stray,
bandage the injured, and make the weak strong.

I will also judge the sheep themselves.
I will judge the fat sheep which have bullied the weak sheep.

I will raise up a special shepherd
and put him in charge of all my sheep."

第 33 – 34 章

神吩咐Ezekiel對以色列領袖說：

「懲罰將臨於你們這些牧者，
你們只餵養自己，卻沒有看顧羊群。

你們沒有扶弱成強，
也沒有照顧病羊。

你們沒有領回迷路羊，
也沒尋找遺失的羊。

相反，你們對羊群殘暴不仁
和惡劣對待。

因此，我會親自照顧我的羊群，
從他們分散到的地方拯救他們。

我會尋找遺失的、領回迷路的、
包紮受傷的、扶弱成強。

我亦會審判羊群，
審判那些欺壓瘦小的肥羊。

我要提拔一位獨特的牧者，
並派他看守我所有的羊。」

Lord, please help all leaders care for their people,
like Jesus the Good Shepherd

主，請幫助所有領袖關心他們的人民，
好像耶穌善牧一樣

God said he would bring back Israel's exiles to their homeland.
He would give them a new start in life,
like a skeleton coming back to life.

God said the people would re-build the Temple in Jerusalem,
and religious practice would once again flourish.

The people would once again remember God.
The people would once again be blessed by the Lord.

第 35 – 48 章

神藉著Ezekiel不斷呼籲百姓，
離棄他們的罪孽，謹記他們的造物主，

神說他會將以色列的流放者帶回祖國。
他會給他們一個新的生命，
像骷髏復生。

神說百姓會重建耶路撒冷的殿宇，
而宗教活動會再次蓬勃發展。

百姓會再次記起神。 
百姓會再次蒙主祝福。

Lord, please help nations which have forgotten you
to come back to you

主，請幫助那些忘記了你的國家
歸向你