I looked up and saw someone who was wearing linen clothes and a belt of fine gold.

His body shone like a jewel. His face was as bright as a flash of lightning, and his eyes blazed like fire. His arms and legs shone like polished bronze, and his voice sounded like the roar of a great crowd.

Once more he took hold of me, and I felt stronger.

I was trying to understand what the vision meant, when suddenly someone was standing in front of me.

While I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came flying down to where I was. It was the time for the evening sacrifice to be offered.

Above the dome there was something that looked like a throne made of sapphire, and sitting on the throne was a figure that looked like a human being.

Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness.

He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death--- his death on the cross.

and among them there was what looked like a human being, wearing a robe that reached to his feet, and a gold band around his chest.

Then a hand took hold of me and raised me to my hands and knees; I was still trembling.

He touched my lips with the burning coal and said, "This has touched your lips, and now your guilt is gone, and your sins are forgiven."

Then the LORD reached out, touched my lips, and said to me, "Listen, I am giving you the words you must speak.

Then, when I speak to you again and give you back the power of speech, you will tell them what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying. Some of them will listen, but some will ignore you, for they are a nation of rebels."

The evening before he came, I had felt the powerful presence of the LORD. When the man arrived the next morning, the LORD gave me back the power of speech.

At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God.

because I will give you such words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to refute or contradict what you say.

I am like a slave standing before his master. How can I talk to you? I have no strength or breath left in me."

I heard what he said, but I did not understand it. So I asked, "But, sir, how will it all end?"

But Moses said, "No, LORD, don't send me. I have never been a good speaker, and I haven't become one since you began to speak to me. I am a poor speaker, slow and hesitant."

But Moses answered, "No, Lord, please send someone else."

"Neither," the man answered. "I am here as the commander of the LORD's army." Joshua threw himself on the ground in worship and said, "I am your servant, sir. What do you want me to do?"

Gideon said to him, "If I may ask, sir, why has all this happened to us if the LORD is with us? What happened to all the wonderful things that our fathers told us the LORD used to do---how he brought them out of Egypt? The LORD has abandoned us and left us to the mercy of the Midianites."

Gideon replied, "But Lord, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least important member of my family."

Then Manoah prayed to the LORD, "Please, LORD, let the man of God that you sent come back to us and tell us what we must do with the boy when he is born."

Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

I was left there alone, watching this amazing vision. I had no strength left, and my face was so changed that no one could have recognized me.

When I heard his voice, I fell to the ground unconscious and lay there face downward.

The visions I saw alarmed me, and I was deeply disturbed.

This is the end of the account. I was so frightened that I turned pale, and I kept everything to myself.

Gabriel came and stood beside me, and I was so terrified that I fell to the ground. He said to me, "Mortal man, understand the meaning. The vision has to do with the end of the world."

I was depressed and ill for several days. Then I got up and went back to the work that the king had assigned to me, but I was puzzled by the vision and could not understand it.

The wiser you are, the more worries you have; the more you know, the more it hurts.