Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

He Watches Over You

Psalm 121

1 In the thirtieth year on the fifth day of the fourth month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens opened, and I saw visions of God. ² In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, ³ the word of Adonai came to Ezekiel the kohen, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar. (The hand of Adonai was upon him there.)

Vision of Supernatural Beings

⁴ I looked, and behold, a storm wind came from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire and brightness all around it, and something like a glowing alloy^[a] out of the fire. ⁵ From within it came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had a likeness of a human, ⁶ but each one had four faces and each one of them had four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight and the soles of their feet were like the hoof of a calf. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. ⁸ They had human hands under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had faces and wings: ⁹ their wings touched one another; they did not turn when they moved; each could move in the direction of any of its faces. ¹⁰ As for the form of their faces, each had a human face, the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side and the four had the face of an eagle. ¹¹ Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings touching the wing of another, while another two were covering their bodies. ¹² Now each being could move in the direction of any of its faces; wherever the Ruach would go, they went, without turning as they went.

¹³ As for the form of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, resembling torches moving between the living creatures. There was brightness to the fire, and lightning went forth from the fire. ¹⁴ The living creatures were running back and forth like flashes of lightning. ¹⁵ As I looked at the living creatures, behold, one wheel was on the ground next to each of the four-faced creatures. ¹⁶ The appearance and structure of the wheels was like the gleaming of beryl. The four had the same likeness, their appearance and their structure seemed to be a wheel within a wheel.

¹⁷ When they went, they went in any of their four directions without pivoting as they went. ¹⁸ Their rims were high and awesome—all four rims were full of eyes all around. ¹⁹ When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. ²⁰ Wherever the Ruach wanted to go, they went, in the direction the Ruach wanted to go. The wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹ Whenever the creatures went, the wheels went. When the creatures stood still, these wheels stood still. When the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

²² Now over the heads of the living creatures there was something like an expanse, shining like the color of ice, stretched forth over their heads. ²³ Under the expanse, their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other. Each had another pair covering its body.

²⁴ When they moved, I could hear the sound of their wings like the sound of rushing waters, like the voice of Shaddai, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings. ²⁵ There came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. Whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.

¹⁹ and when he had taken food, he was strengthened. Now for several days, he was with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰ Immediately he began proclaiming Yeshua in the synagogues, saying, “He is Ben-Elohim.”

²¹ All those hearing him were amazed. They were saying, “Isn’t this the one who made havoc in Jerusalem for all those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to bring them as prisoners before the ruling kohanim?” ²² But Saul kept growing stronger, and he was confounding the Jewish people living in Damascus by proving that Yeshua is the Messiah. ²³ When many days had passed, these Jewish people plotted to kill him— ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night, to kill him. ²⁵ But the disciples took Saul by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

²⁶ When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he made attempts to join up with the disciples—but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him in and brought him to the emissaries. He described to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and the Lord had spoken to him, and how he had spoken boldly in the name of Yeshua.

²⁸ So Saul was with them, going in and out in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He was speaking and arguing with the Hellenists, but they were trying to kill him. ³⁰ When the brothers found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹ So Messiah’s community throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had shalom and was built up. Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Ruach ha-Kodesh, it kept multiplying.