Ezekiel 13: Exposing False Prophets and Prophetesses
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord;
Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.
They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The Lord saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God.
And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord God.
Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:
Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.
So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;
To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord God.
Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.
Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 13 stands as a stark warning against the dangers of false prophecy and spiritual deception. In this chapter, God, through Ezekiel, fiercely condemns the false prophets and prophetesses of Judah, highlighting their deceitful practices and the devastating consequences they brought upon the nation. This chapter serves as a critical reminder to discern truth from falsehood and to seek genuine spiritual guidance.
The Deceitful Words of False Prophets (Ezekiel 13:1-9)
Ezekiel begins by directly addressing the false prophets who were leading Judah astray. These individuals claimed to speak for God, but their prophecies were nothing more than products of their own imaginations (Ezekiel 13:1-3). Instead of delivering God's true message of repentance and warning, they offered comforting lies that aligned with the desires of the people and, likely, the political leaders. As Tony Evans notes, they were essentially "yes men," prioritizing personal gain over truth. This was especially damaging because the prophetic office was the last hope for a true word from God, since the civil leaders were mostly corrupt, and the priests were worshiping the sun in God’s temple (8:16).
These prophets are likened to jackals scavenging through ruins (Ezekiel 13:4). Instead of strengthening the spiritual defenses of Israel, symbolized by repairing the wall around the house of Israel to keep out the enemy (Ezekiel 13:5), they spread false hope and illusions. They proclaimed "peace" when there was no peace to be found, deceiving the people with empty promises (Ezekiel 13:5-6).
God's judgment against these lying prophets is severe. He declares that they will be excluded from the assembly of His people and will not be written in the register of the house of Israel (Ezekiel 13:8-9). The only word that would be fulfilled concerning these lying prophets, then, would be God’s pronouncement of judgment against them (Ezekiel 13:8-9).
Whitewashing Lies and Impending Collapse (Ezekiel 13:10-16)
The false prophets are further condemned for their superficial and deceptive practices. They are accused of "whitewashing" a flimsy wall, covering up its flaws with a thin layer of plaster (Ezekiel 13:10). This imagery represents how they concealed the true state of the nation's spiritual decay with false assurances and empty rhetoric. They led the people astray, making a false promise of peace when there was no peace to be found. They uttered deception, covering up their flimsy position before God by whitewashing over the truth with lies, the way a poor builder would try to hide his defective work (Ezekiel 13:10).
However, God promises to expose their lies and bring about the collapse of their deceptive wall. He will send a torrential downpour, hailstones, and a violent wind to tear down what they have built (Ezekiel 13:11). This symbolizes the coming judgment of God, which will reveal the emptiness of their prophecies and the devastation that awaits Judah. The prophets would be exposed when God unleashed the fury of his judgment on Judah and Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians (Ezekiel 13:13). At that time the whitewashed wall of lies they had built would collapse, and the city of Jerusalem would be laid open to the invaders who would destroy it. As a result, the people would come to know that the Lord alone is God, and the false prophets would be no more (Ezekiel 13:14-16).
Condemnation of False Prophetesses (Ezekiel 13:17-23)
The condemnation extends to the women who were also engaging in false prophecy and sorcery. God’s anger was also stirred against Judah’s prophetesses, who in this case were more like sorceresses or spiritists. Like their male counterparts, they were also speaking out of their own imagination (Ezekiel 13:17), using pagan occult objects such as magic bands to trick the gullible into believing they warded off evil spirits or brought good luck. In fact, these women ensnared lives by their trickery (Ezekiel 13:18), even using their evil powers to cause people who should not die to be put to death (Ezekiel 13:19). They are accused of hunting souls, both for their own gain and to mislead others.
These prophetesses used magical bands and veils to manipulate and control people (Ezekiel 13:18). They promised protection and prosperity in exchange for loyalty, further entangling the people in their web of deceit. They even used their evil powers to cause people who should not die to be put to death (Ezekiel 13:19).
God declares that He will tear off these bands and deliver the people from their grasp. He will put an end to their deceptive practices and ensure that they no longer lead His people astray (Ezekiel 13:20-23). If God’s people were where they should have been spiritually, these sorceresses would have been executed for their evil. But they were tolerated and patronized for their abilities. Therefore, God would take it upon himself to deal with them when he brought an end to Jerusalem and Judah.
Implications for Today
Ezekiel 13 serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of false teaching and spiritual deception. It reminds us to:
- Discern Truth: Be discerning and critical of the messages we hear, comparing them to the clear teachings of Scripture.
- Seek Authentic Guidance: Seek guidance from leaders who are grounded in the Word of God and committed to truth, even when it is unpopular.
- Examine Our Hearts: Examine our own hearts and motives, ensuring that we are not seeking comfort or validation from false sources.
- Stand Firm in Truth: Stand firm in the truth of God's Word, even when surrounded by lies and deception.
Just as God judged the false prophets and prophetesses of Ezekiel's time, He will ultimately judge all those who distort His truth and lead others astray. Let us strive to be people of integrity, committed to seeking and speaking the truth in love.
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord;
Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.
They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The Lord saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God.
And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord God.
Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:
Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.
So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;
To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord God.
Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.
Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 13 stands as a stark warning against the dangers of false prophecy and spiritual deception. In this chapter, God, through Ezekiel, fiercely condemns the false prophets and prophetesses of Judah, highlighting their deceitful practices and the devastating consequences they brought upon the nation. This chapter serves as a critical reminder to discern truth from falsehood and to seek genuine spiritual guidance.
The Deceitful Words of False Prophets (Ezekiel 13:1-9)
Ezekiel begins by directly addressing the false prophets who were leading Judah astray. These individuals claimed to speak for God, but their prophecies were nothing more than products of their own imaginations (Ezekiel 13:1-3). Instead of delivering God's true message of repentance and warning, they offered comforting lies that aligned with the desires of the people and, likely, the political leaders. As Tony Evans notes, they were essentially "yes men," prioritizing personal gain over truth. This was especially damaging because the prophetic office was the last hope for a true word from God, since the civil leaders were mostly corrupt, and the priests were worshiping the sun in God’s temple (8:16).
These prophets are likened to jackals scavenging through ruins (Ezekiel 13:4). Instead of strengthening the spiritual defenses of Israel, symbolized by repairing the wall around the house of Israel to keep out the enemy (Ezekiel 13:5), they spread false hope and illusions. They proclaimed "peace" when there was no peace to be found, deceiving the people with empty promises (Ezekiel 13:5-6).
God's judgment against these lying prophets is severe. He declares that they will be excluded from the assembly of His people and will not be written in the register of the house of Israel (Ezekiel 13:8-9). The only word that would be fulfilled concerning these lying prophets, then, would be God’s pronouncement of judgment against them (Ezekiel 13:8-9).
Whitewashing Lies and Impending Collapse (Ezekiel 13:10-16)
The false prophets are further condemned for their superficial and deceptive practices. They are accused of "whitewashing" a flimsy wall, covering up its flaws with a thin layer of plaster (Ezekiel 13:10). This imagery represents how they concealed the true state of the nation's spiritual decay with false assurances and empty rhetoric. They led the people astray, making a false promise of peace when there was no peace to be found. They uttered deception, covering up their flimsy position before God by whitewashing over the truth with lies, the way a poor builder would try to hide his defective work (Ezekiel 13:10).
However, God promises to expose their lies and bring about the collapse of their deceptive wall. He will send a torrential downpour, hailstones, and a violent wind to tear down what they have built (Ezekiel 13:11). This symbolizes the coming judgment of God, which will reveal the emptiness of their prophecies and the devastation that awaits Judah. The prophets would be exposed when God unleashed the fury of his judgment on Judah and Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians (Ezekiel 13:13). At that time the whitewashed wall of lies they had built would collapse, and the city of Jerusalem would be laid open to the invaders who would destroy it. As a result, the people would come to know that the Lord alone is God, and the false prophets would be no more (Ezekiel 13:14-16).
Condemnation of False Prophetesses (Ezekiel 13:17-23)
The condemnation extends to the women who were also engaging in false prophecy and sorcery. God’s anger was also stirred against Judah’s prophetesses, who in this case were more like sorceresses or spiritists. Like their male counterparts, they were also speaking out of their own imagination (Ezekiel 13:17), using pagan occult objects such as magic bands to trick the gullible into believing they warded off evil spirits or brought good luck. In fact, these women ensnared lives by their trickery (Ezekiel 13:18), even using their evil powers to cause people who should not die to be put to death (Ezekiel 13:19). They are accused of hunting souls, both for their own gain and to mislead others.
These prophetesses used magical bands and veils to manipulate and control people (Ezekiel 13:18). They promised protection and prosperity in exchange for loyalty, further entangling the people in their web of deceit. They even used their evil powers to cause people who should not die to be put to death (Ezekiel 13:19).
God declares that He will tear off these bands and deliver the people from their grasp. He will put an end to their deceptive practices and ensure that they no longer lead His people astray (Ezekiel 13:20-23). If God’s people were where they should have been spiritually, these sorceresses would have been executed for their evil. But they were tolerated and patronized for their abilities. Therefore, God would take it upon himself to deal with them when he brought an end to Jerusalem and Judah.
Implications for Today
Ezekiel 13 serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of false teaching and spiritual deception. It reminds us to:
- Discern Truth: Be discerning and critical of the messages we hear, comparing them to the clear teachings of Scripture.
- Seek Authentic Guidance: Seek guidance from leaders who are grounded in the Word of God and committed to truth, even when it is unpopular.
- Examine Our Hearts: Examine our own hearts and motives, ensuring that we are not seeking comfort or validation from false sources.
- Stand Firm in Truth: Stand firm in the truth of God's Word, even when surrounded by lies and deception.
Just as God judged the false prophets and prophetesses of Ezekiel's time, He will ultimately judge all those who distort His truth and lead others astray. Let us strive to be people of integrity, committed to seeking and speaking the truth in love.