The sky spreading out above them looked as though it were made of crystal; it was inexpressibly beautiful.

The wings of each stretched straight out to touch the others’ wings, and each had two wings covering his body.  And as they flew, their wings roared like waves against the shore, or like the voice of God, or like the shouting of a mighty army.  When they stopped they let down their wings.  And every time they stopped, there came a voice from the crystal sky above them.  For high in the sky above them was what looked like a throne made of beautiful blue sapphire stones, and upon it sat someone who appeared to be a man.

From his waist up, he seemed to be all glowing bronze, dazzling like fire; and from his waist down he seemed to be entirely flame, and there was a glowing halo like a rainbow all around him.  That was the way the Glory of the Lord appeared to me.  And when I saw it, I fell face downward on the ground, and heard the voice of someone speaking to me:

And He said to me: “Stand up, son of dust, and I will talk to you.”  And the Spirit entered into me as He spoke, and set me on my feet.  “Son of dust,” He said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, to a nation rebelling against Me.  They and their fathers have kept on sinning against Me until this very hour.  For they are hard-headed, stiff-necked people.  But I am sending you to give them My messages - the messages of the Lord God.  And whether they listen or not (for remember, they are rebels), they will at least know they had a prophet among them.

Son of dust, don’t be afraid of them; don’t be frightened even though their threats are sharp and barbed and sting like scorpions.  Don’t be dismayed by their dark scowls.  For remember, they are rebels!  You must give them My message whether they listen or not (but they won’t, for they are utter rebels). Listen, son of dust, to what I say to you.  Don’t you be a rebel too!  Open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

Then I looked and saw a hand holding out to me a scroll, with writing on both sides.  He unrolled it, and I saw that it was full of warnings and sorrows and pronouncements of doom. Ezekiel

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:  “Who is this that questions My wisdom with such ignorant words?  Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.”

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?  Tell Me, if you know so much.  Do you know how its dimensions were determined and who did the surveying?  What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstones as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?”

“Who defined the boundaries of the sea as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and thick darkness?  For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.  I said, ‘Thus far and no farther will you come.  Here your proud waves must stop.”

Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the East?  Have you ever told the daylight to spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?  For the features of the earth take shape as the light approaches, and the dawn is robed in red.  The light disturbs the haunts of the wicked, and it stops the arm that is raised in violence.

Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?  Have you walked about and explored their depths?  Do you know where the gates of death are located?  Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?  Do you realize the extent of the earth?  Tell me about it if you know!

Where does light come from, and where does the darkness go?  Can you take it to its home?  Do you know how to get there?  But of course you know all this?  For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!

Have you visited the treasuries of the snow?  Have you seen where the hail is made and stored?  I have reserved it for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war.  Where is the path to the origin of light?  Where is the home of the East wind?  Who created a channel for the torrents of rain?  Who laid out the path for the lightning?  Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives?

Who sends the rain that satisfies the parched ground and makes the tender grass spring up?  Does the rain have a father?  Where does dew come from: Who is the mother of the ice?  Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens?  For the water turns to ice as hard as rock, and the surface of the water freezes.

Can you hold back the movements of the stars?  Are you able to restrain the Pleiades or Orion?  Can you ensure the proper sequence of the seasons or guide the constellation of the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?  Do you know the laws of the universe and how God rules the earth?

Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain?  Can you make lightning appear and cause it to strike as you direct it?  Who gives intuition and instinct?  Who is wise enough to count all the clouds?  Who can tilt water jars of heaven, turning the dry dust to clumps of mud?

Can you stalk prey for a lioness and satisfy the young lions’ appetites as they lie in their dens or crouch in the thicket?  Who provides food for the ravens when their young cry out to God as they wander about in hunger?

“Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?  You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”

Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Are you going to discredit My justice and condemn Me so you can say you are right?  Are you as strong as God, and can you thunder with a voice like His?  All right then, put on your robes of state, your majesty and splendor.  Give vent to your anger.  Let it overflow against the proud.  Humiliate the proud with a glance; walk on the wicked where they stand.  Bury them in the dust.  Imprison them in the world of the dead.  Then even I would praise you, for your own strength would save you. Job

I don’t want your sacrifices - I want your love; I don’t want your offerings - I want you to know Me. Hosea

O My people, listen!  For I am your God.  Listen!  Here are My charges against you: I have no complaint about the sacrifices you bring to My altar, for you bring them regularly.  But it isn’t sacrificial bullocks and goats that I really want from you.  For all the animals of field and forest are Mine!  The cattle on a thousand hills!  And all the birds upon the mountains!  If I were hungry, I would not mention it to you - for all the world is Mine and everything in it.

No, I don’t need your sacrifices of flesh and blood.  What I want from you is your true thanks; I want your promises fulfilled.  I want you to trust Me in your times of trouble so I can rescue you, and you can give Me glory. Psalms

Listen you leaders of Israel, you men of Sodom and Gomorrah, as I call you now.  Listen to the Lord.  Hear what He is telling you!  I am sick of your sacrifices.  Don’t bring Me any more of them.  I don’t want your fat rams; I don’t want to see the blood from your offerings.  Who wants your sacrifices when you have no sorrow for your sins?  The incense you bring Me is a stench in my nostrils.  Your holy celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath, and your special days for fasting - even your most pious meetings - all are frauds!  I want nothing more to do with them.  I hate them all; I can’t stand the sight of them.  From now on, when you pray with your hands stretched out to heaven, I won’t look or listen.  Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear, for your hands are those of murderers; they are covered with blood of your innocent victims.

Oh, wash yourselves!  Be clean!  Let Me no longer see you doing all these wicked things; quit your evil ways.  Learn to do good, to be fair and to help the poor, the fatherless, and the widows.

Come, let’s talk this over!  Says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow.  Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!  If you will only let Me help you, if you will only obey, then I will make you rich!  But if you keep turning your backs and refusing to listen to Me, you will be killed by your enemies; I, the Lord, have spoken. Isaiah

But now is the time.  Never forget the warning, “Today if you hear God’s voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against Him, as the people of Israel did when they rebelled against Him in the desert.” Hebrews

If you will humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, in His good time He will lift you up.  Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. 2 Peter