God’s Truth Stands

In the past chapter, God reassured Ezekiel He would indeed fulfill His Words concerning Israel. God then gave Ezekiel a message for Israel’s false prophets.

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!” (Ezekiel 13:1-3).

  • False prophets spoke out of their imagination—they made it up as they went along!
  • Instead, God called Israel’s prophets to hear His Word.
  • Do not rely on your own words.
  • “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
  • Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil” (Proverbs 3:5, 7)
  • True prophets were inspired by God and His Word.
  • All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
  • God called woe upon the false prophets—He announced His judgment on them.
  • They followed their own guidance, literally, their own “breath.”
  • They liked to hear themselves talk.
  • They had seen no supernatural visions from

*In what ways do we rely on our own words when sharing God’s Word with others?

*How can we apply these concepts from Ezekiel to our conversations with others about God?

 “Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord” (Ezekiel 13:4-5).

  • They were “like jackals among ruins.”
  • According to Baker, “Israel had driven out her prophets from God, so that they were forced to live in ruins and were ostracized like foxes.”1
  • They were sent to the wilderness, in this case, land that was ruined by God’s judgment.2
  • The prophets did not believe battle would really come—on the day of the Lord.
  • They had not repaired the walls so Israel could stand firm in the day of battle.
  • Regarding the breaches in Israel’s walls, Baker wrote, they were “the failures of God’s people to follow Him, misled by false prophets.”3
  • In other words, both sides were at fault: the prophets misled the people, and the people failed to follow God and drove out the prophets.
  • The false prophets did not build a “wall of stones of truth and justice to stand in the day of battle.”4
  • In contrast, God’s people who follow Him stand firm on the True Cornerstone.
  • “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line…” (Isaiah 28:16-17).
  • James wrote,
  • When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed” (James 1:13-14).
  • They did not have their people’s best interests at heart.

 *Who tempted who to stray from God in this scene?

*How do we see similar contradictions between leaders and people in the church today in terms of following God?

*What is the significance of God’s precious cornerstone and stones of truth and justice for us?

 “Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent them, they say, ‘The Lord declares,’ and expect him to fulfill their words. Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, ‘The Lord declares,’ though I have not spoken?” (Ezekiel 13:6-7).

  • False visions. They did not see with true prophetic insight from the Lord.
  • Untruthful divinations. False prophecy is in direct opposition to God.5
  • Their divinations included pagan rites to discern “the future or other events.”6
  • Although they prophesied “in God’s name,” they spoke empty lies, deception, and evil.7
  • These prophets absolutely could not be trusted.
  • They claimed to be from the Lord.
  • The Lord did not send the false prophets to Israel—they appointed themselves.
  • God had not spoken.
  • (This is like reading today’s news!)

*Where or how do we see false visions and untruthful divinations leading people astray?

*How do we often interpret what we think God says from our own perspective?

‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord” (Ezekiel 13:8-9).

  • God was against their false preaching.
  • His hand and mighty strength would be against them.
  • They would not be included in the assembly of God’s people.
  • They would not be listed as part of the house of Israel.
  • They would not be allowed to (re)enter the land.
  • As in the days of Elijah on Mt. Carmel, God showed He is Sovereign over all other gods.
  • Even though the prophets claimed their words were from God, they were not.
  • Jesus said,

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the [Holy] Spirit will not be forgiven” (Matthew 12:30-31).

  • Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
  • Ezekiel changed his theme phrase slightly this time with the addition of the word “Sovereign.”
  • In these verses, we see two words for God written together.
  • “Lord,” or “my Lord,” sometimes translated Adonay (Adonai).This is God’s divine name (YHWH, or Yahweh), referring to His supreme authority and power.8
  • “God,” a form of His covenant name, I It means “He who is or is present,” or “He who will be who He will be.”9

*How does God show He is Sovereign over all gods today?

*How would you rewrite the phrase “Sovereign Lord” or “Lord God” using the meanings of these names for God?

 

  1. Warren Baker, D.R.E., Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D. The Complete WordStudy Dictionary: Old Testament. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003). 1114
  2. Ibid., 375
  3. Ibid., 922
  4. Ibid., 189
  5. Ibid., 502
  6. Ibid., 661
  7. Ibid., 1003, 1107
  8. Ibid., 18
  9. Ibid., 426-427

Bible Hub.

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ezekiel/13-8.htm

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ezekiel/13-9.htm

 

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