(a) Ezekiel saw God in His great glory and fell down upon his face. There and then the spirit (of God) entered into him and set him upon his feet. A voice told him that he was being sent to the people of Israel-a nation of rebels — they and their fathers had been unfaithful to God. The Israelites were impudent / stubborn, but he should speak to them. With God's authority, he should tell them: "Thus says the Lord God ...' Whether they would hear or not, they would know that a prophet had risen among them. As for Ezekiel himself he must not be afraid of them / their words. Though they were briers / thorns / scorpions, he must not rebel like them. (He was then ordered to open his mouth and eat what was offered him) and a scroll was given to him to eat. He ate it, and it tasted like honey. God reminded Ezekiel that though, the people of Israel were stubborn and hard-hearted, He had made Ezekiel's face harder than those of the Israelites. God assured him that though the people of Israel were stubborn and hard-hearted, He had made Ezekiel's face harder than those of the Israelites. Ezekiel should not be dismayed by their looks, but should receive all the words / instructions of God in his heart / with his ears. He should then get to the exiles and prophesy to them.

(b) Lessons from Ezekiel's experiences.
(i) God commissions people for service.
(ii) God equips man for service. God does not send without equipment
(iii) God can make use of anyone no matter his background.
(iv) The message from God must be digested / clearly understood at the time of the commissioning.
(v) The message must be delivered no matter the level of opposition / confrontation.
(vi) God's word is delightful.