Ezekiel 13 False Prophets
God deals with the false prophets who have arisen in Babylon. The ones who tell the people that they will be saved by their own hands.
I wondered if the prophets Ezekiel is told to address were in Babylon or Jerusalem. When I asked that question, I found most commentaries agreed that it was false prophets in Babylon. This makes sense because the words spoken by the Lord say that those false prophets won’t enter the land of Israel.
The false teaching and ‘omens’ were not restricted to the men, but came through women too. God deals with BOTH groups. His words that they wouldn’t see false visions any longer reminds me of the prophetess in Acts whom the evil spirit was cast out of. She was denied her visions after tormenting Paul.
Let’s rejoin Ezekiel and see God handle the false prophets of his time. Holy Spirit, please lead this time with You today. Show me what You would have me take from Your words.
♥ ♦ ♥
Ezekiel has been back in his home for two days following his ‘exile’ demonstration. He still sees dirty looks directed his way from time to time. He knows it is because of conflicting prophecies. The people want the ones that ‘tickle’ their ears. They don’t want to hear of times of danger and distress. Of famine and pestilence. Of destruction and exile.
“There is nothing I can do about it. All I can speak are the words You give me Lord.”
God takes no time in responding to Ezekiel’s prayer.
“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?” (Ezekiel 13:2-7).
Ezekiel’s head is nodding along with God. This is exactly how he is feeling. God gives Ezekiel exactly what he is to say to them.
“Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God. Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’ Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end. And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the Lord. Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it, the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord God” (Ezekiel 13:8-16).
“This is just Lord. I will speak this in their hearing.” Ezekiel stands up to get ready to go and proclaim the Lord’s words. Just as his hand hits the door, the Lord continues His words for the people.
“And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own hearts. Prophesy against them 18 and say, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive? 19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death souls who should not die and keeping alive souls who should not live, by your lying to my people, who listen to lies” (Ezekiel 13:17-19).
Ezekiel’s eyes widen in shock. He didn’t know this was going on in Babylon. He had never heard of such a thing before, but leave it to man to pervert anything. Yes. THIS needs addressing too” agrees Ezekiel.
“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds. Your veils also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the Lord. Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life, therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. And you shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 13:20-23).
Ezekiel waits a few minutes, to be certain that the Lord is finished speaking before opening the door. He is a man on a mission now and nothing will stop him from declaring the words of the Lord to those who are mistreating his people.
Ezekiel goes to the center of the Jewish quarter of the city. This is the same marketplace he bought bread from a few days ago. There is a small section set to one side where the elders gather. This is where Ezekiel takes his stand.
The people are used to Ezekiel speaking for the Lord. Some grind their teeth when they see him, for they don’t like what he has to say. Others hang on his every word. Ezekiel climbs on top of one of the stones that the elders sit on. As soon as the people begin to notice him, they move in his direction. It doesn’t take long before a sizable crowd has gathered.
Ezekiel begins by pronouncing the words of the Lord and the ‘woe’ unto the false prophets. There are a few of them scattered among the crowd. They do NOT like what he is saying. They especially don’t like being told that they are ‘smearing the walls with whitewash’. They have convinced themselves that the visions they see ARE from the Lord. But God saying straight out that there IS NO PEACE flies in their faces.
Ezekiel turns his attention to the women selling ‘magic bands’ and ‘veils’. “Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds. Your veils also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
As Ezekiel is speaking these words, many of the bands worn by those around him snap and fall to the ground. The bands on the arms of the women selling them burn their flesh as they fall off. Yelps are heard from those who have been burned by their bands.
Even more astonishing, and telling of judgment, is the way the veils are attracting flies in vast numbers that rip the veils as they thrash within them. The women wearing these veils quickly rip them from their heads to avoid the flies. Their veils are ruined and torn. Exactly as God said He would do.
At these two signs, mouths drop open all around and the hearts of many who are skeptical begin to soften. They turn their glares towards the offending women and the false prophets.
After proclaiming the words of the Lord, Ezekiel steps down from the stone and turns his face towards his home. Many people follow him, wanting to know more. Ezekiel answers all the questions he can, and for those he doesn’t have answers to, he promises to bring them before the Lord.
When Ezekiel reaches his home, he spends time in prayer with the Lord, as is his custom. But he makes certain to bring the concerns of the people before the Lord. The answers he receives from the Lord, he will gladly share, when the Lord tells him to do so.
(to be continued)
I took a little ‘liberty’ there with the immediate results, but I can see it happening in my mind’s eye. I know that there were those who tried to make life miserable for Ezekiel. He was told in the beginning that there would be hateful looks and harsh words spoken against him. This is probably one of those times. Yet I believe that there were more who listened than those who wanted Ezekiel silenced.
God promised to protect Ezekiel no matter what happened. He gave him hard words to proclaim that could have angered some powerful people. But God wouldn’t let anything stop His words that He let flow through Ezekiel. I cannot imagine living his life without that protection!
Father God, You know ALL that is happening today as clearly as You did in Ezekiel’s time. False prophets promising anything one is willing to swallow. NOTHING surprises You. And NO ONE has a better understanding of what is still to come than You. Help me listen ONLY to YOUR sources; those that speak YOUR word and no other. In this crazy world now, I don’t know who to listen to. I know that I don’t have the answers for what comes next. I only have the portion You gave us in Your word and what You have filled my heart with. I feel like any day could be that day when You catch Your church away. But I also know that I DON’T know anything. I’ll keep looking to You and KNOW that You know the EXACT time for all that is still to come. “In Your Time Lord.”
