Ezekiel 13
Ezekiel has a new assignment: foolish prophets verse 1- 3
And the word of the LORD came to me
saying
Son of man – prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy
and say you to them that prophesy out of their own hearts
HEAR the word of the LORD
Thus says the Lord GOD
Woe to the foolish prophets – that follow their own spirit
and have seen NOTHING
Ezekiel tells people false prophets have lied to them verse 4- 7
O Israel – your prophets are like the foxes of the deserts
you 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 says – and the LORD has not sent them
and they have made others to hope that they would
confirm the word
Have you not seen a vain vision
and have you not spoken a lying divination
whereas you say
The LORD says it – albeit I have not spoken?
Ezekiel states judgment on false prophets by LORD verse 8- 9
THEREFORE
thus says the Lord GOD
BECAUSE you have spoken vanity – and seen lies
THEREFORE – BEHOLD – I am against you
says 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 you SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE Lord GOD
Ezekiel states that message of peace was false verse 10- 12
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 mortar
Say to them which daub it with untempered mortar
that it shall fall – there shall be an overflowing shower
And you – 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 you have daubed it?
Ezekiel states that whitewashed wall will come down verse 13- 16
THEREFORE thus says 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 you have daubed
with untempered mortar – and bring it down to the ground
SO that the foundation thereof shall be discovered
and it shall fall and you shall be consumed
in the midst thereof
and you 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 mortar – and will say to 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
says the Lord GOD
Ezekiel confronts false women prophets verse 17- 19
Likewise – you son of man
set your face against the daughters of your people
which prophesy out of their own heart
and prophesy you against them
and say
Thus says 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 you hunt the souls of MY people
and will you save the souls alive that come to you?
Will you pollute ME among MY people for handfuls of barley
and for pieces of bread
to slay the souls that should not die
to save the souls alive that should not live
BY your lying to MY people that hear your lies
LORD promises to take people from their grasp verse 20- 23
WHEREFORE thus says the Lord GOD
BEHOLD – I am against your pillows
wherewith you 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 you 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
You SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD
BECAUSE with lies
you 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 you shall see no more vanity
nor divine divinations
for I will deliver MY people out of your hand
AND you SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 Thus says the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing. (5036 “foolish” [nabal] means vile person, senseless, impious, wicked, ungodly, stupid, godless, or lacks understanding.
DEVOTION: We read about a man in the lifetime of David named Nabal. He was the husband of a wise woman. David had protected the sheep of Nabal, so that, no harm came to them. He approached Nabal who insulted his man and himself. David was on his way to kill all the males in the household of Nabal but his wife met him with a peace offering.
Here we have false prophets who are telling the people that the LORD is going to give them peace when they are lying to the people. They have had no message from the LORD. They were not going to receive a message of the LORD because HE would not speak through them. HE pronounced judgment on them for leading the people of Judah astray.
These men were describes as individuals who were following their own spirit. They wanted to be popular. They wanted individuals to listen to them talk even when they were not telling the truth. They had seen nothing from the LORD.
Ezekiel was a true prophet and he had to confront these false prophets because the LORD gave him instructions to do it. It had to be hard because these false prophets were popular and he was not popular.
The same is true today in our world. There are many false prophets who preach what people want to hear and they receive a reward for their preaching. Along comes a true preacher and people want to put him down because he is saying things they don’t want to hear. He is talking about judgment instead of blessing.
God only sends blessings with HIS people honor HIM and bring glory to HIS name. If this is not happening, and it isn’t, then a message of coming judgment needs to be preached. It will not be popular but it will be true. God wants HIS servants to speak the truth in love.
CHALLENGE: Does the faces of those who you are preaching or teaching affect what you have to say? Can you confront people with the truth when they are believing a lie? Our world needs true prophets of God who love the people of God enough to tell them the truth of HIS Word to them.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD says: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. (3176 “hope” [yachal] means wait, to look forward to the occurrence of or arrival of, await, to expect, or implying a resolution to the waiting)
DEVOTION: There were many false prophets who would say what they thought the people wanted to hear. They were imagining false visions and declaring lies obtained by human invention.
Satan started with lies to Adam and Eve in the garden and he has had individuals and even angels to continue these actions throughout time.
Too often people would rather believe the lies than to genuinely hear the Word of the LORD. The Bible declares the word of the LORD to believers. In it the way the LORD truly works is found and HIS servants will understand how HE works and will listen to the Holy Spirit instead of false teachers.
Today we have to watch who we are listening to regarding what the LORD is genuinely saying to those who are trying to serve HIM. There are more false prophets in the pulpits of churches today than those who are genuinely preaching the Word of the LORD.
We have to watch who we are listening to and check them out by the teachings of the Bible and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life.
Our hope has to be based on the Word of God and the message of the Holy Spirit to us today. If we are listening properly, we will know what to do in any given situation.
CHALLENGE: The ministry of the Holy Spirit is still active in the lives of those who are genuine believers. Discernment is necessary today as it was them. Watch whose voice you are listening to!
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: 18 And say, Thus says 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 you hunt the souls of my people, and will you save the souls alive that come unto you? (3704 “pillows” [keceth] means band, fillet, covered amulets, false phylacteries, magic charm band or used by false prophetesses in Israel to support their demonic fortune-telling schemes.
DEVOTION: There were false prophets in Israel. There were false prophetesses. The false prophets were saying that there would be peace.
The LORD stated that they were giving false hope and a false peace. The people believed their lies. They claimed to have visions from the LORD – a lie. They were said to be building a wall with untempered mortar. The wall was going to fall down.
These prophetesses would fake people out by promising them special powers with the use of magic charm bands for their wrists or elbows. These charms would prevent them from going into captivity. They promised them a false peace.
They were helping the demons or Satan’s army to get a foothold into the minds of the children of Israel. They were hunting down all the people they could to deceive them with this false hope. People were thinking they were safe and saved from any problems.
The LORD told them to stop. With all this false hope going around the people who were true followers of the LORD were sad. The reason for the sadness was that these women who were giving false hope were strengthening the hands of those who practiced wickedness.
The wicked thought they were on good standing with God. The righteous wondered what was happening because of all the teachings of the false prophets. There was confusion.
Who are we listening to today? There are many people out there that promise that if you will support their ministry – you will be blessed with more money. There are many who promise that if you send them money – they will send you a healing cloth or something to give you special powers with God. These are false prophets.
If we give to the LORD with a motive of getting – it is wrong! We should give because we love the LORD and want to give glory to HIS name through a ministry. Our motives have to be eternal not personal.
Are we listening to the wrong voices today? Remember that if someone in ministry takes more than they need – they will answer to the LORD. But also remember that if the LORD does tell us to give to a ministry and we don’t – we will answer to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Check out the motive of those who are asking for money and your motive for giving the money. Our motive for giving should not be to get something in return.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 23 Therefore you shall see no more vanity nor divine divinations: for I will deliver MY people out of your hand: and you shall know that I am the LORD. (5337 “deliver” [natsal] means recover, escape, rescue, to pull out, save, to free from harm or evil, snatch away, extricate or to deliver from sin and guilt.)
DEVOTION: The children of Judah were believing both men and women who were telling them that there was no problem with the way they were living. They were going to live in peace and safety. Many of the people were believing these false teachers and false women who were telling them that they could trust in their amulets and holy clothes to protect them from evil.
These women were using witchcraft to influence God’s people. They were giving false hope through their magic spells. The only reason they were doing this was for the money. They had no relationship with the ONE TRUE GOD.
HE was not giving them the words to say it was the enemy of all believers who was behind their teachings and ways. We have these types of individual around today. They will do anything and say anything to gain money from those who want to believe they are doing right when they are genuinely doing wrong in the eyes of the LORD.
False hope is no hope at all. The truth of the Word of God is our only hope. God doesn’t give us an easy life. HE wants us to serve HIM in spirit and truth and not depend on easy living.
Today we find that many people who claim to be believers are looking at their horoscope instead of looking to the LORD in prayer and Bible reading. There are some false teachers who will send you a piece of cloth with healing in it because they have prayed over it. The women here in the text were selling magic charms to protect the people from evil. These were giving people the feeling that they were safe. It was a false hope again.
God promised to rescue HIS people, those who were trusting in HIM alone, from their enemies.
One day the LORD has promised to extricate believers out of HIS tribulation time period. It is still coming in the future. We have to realize that what we are going through today is nothing compared to what is going to happen in the future in our world.
God is going to pull out HIS own people at some time in the future. I believe that there is going to be a seven year period of Tribulation that is coming and that during that time period there will be 144, 000 witnesses of Jewish heritage that will take the place of those who are genuine believer today. The church which is made up of only genuine believers will be raptured and these witnesses will reach individuals who are not believers at this time.
Study the Word of God to see what the future holds but don’t believe every person who comes with false promises that there is no judgment coming. Judgment is coming to the world because of its rejection of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Word of God. There are many false teachers who are both men and women that will tell you what you want to hear but they will not be genuine. God always tells us what we need to hear not what we want to hear.
CHALLENGE: Watch out for false teachers who tell you that you can live as you please as long as you do what they say. We have to do what the Bible says!!
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORD verse 1, 2
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 2, 5- 7, 14
Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master) verse 3, 8, 9, 13, 16
GOD – Jehovah verse 3, 8, 9, 13, 16
Lord GOD verse 3, 8, 9, 13, 16, 18, 20
I have not spoken verse 7
I am against you verse 8
Mine hand shall be upon the prophets
that see vanity and that divine lies verse 9
Know that I am the LORD GOD verse 8, 21
Judgment of God verse 9- 23
I will even rend ti with a strmy wind in
MY fury, and there shall be an
overflowing shower in MINE anger
and great hailstones in MY fury to
consume it verse 13
I will break odwn the wall that you have
daubed with untampered mortar,
and bring it down to the ground
so that the foundation thereof shall
be discovered and it shall fall, and
you shall be consumed in the midst
thereof verse 14
You shall know that I am the LORD verse 14
I will accomplish MY wrath verse 15
I am against your pillows verse 20
I will tear them form your arms verse 20
Your kerchiefs will I tear and deliver MY
people out of your hand verse 21
I will deliver MY people out of your hand verse 23
You shall know that I am the LORD verse 23
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Those that speak vanity an lies will not be
in the assembly of God’s people
neither shall they be written in
the writing of the house of Israel
neither shall they enter inot the
land of Israel verse 9
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Prophecy out of their own heart verse 2, 17
Foolish prophets verse 3
Follow their own spirit verse 3
Seen vanity verse 3, 6, 9, 23
Lying divination verse 6, 7, 23
Give false hope verse 6
Vain vision verse 7
Spoken vanity verse 8
Seen lies verse 8
Divine lies verse 9
Seduced God’s people verse 10
Give false peace verse 10, 16
Women who give false hope verse 17- 23
Lies verse 19, 22
Wicked verse 22
Strengthen hand of the wicked verse 22
Not return from wicked way verse 22
False promises verse 22
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Prophesy verse 2, 17
Hear the Word of the LORD verse 2
Stand in the gap verse 5
Being sent by God verse 6
Hope verse 6
Confirm the word verse 6
Know the LORD verse 9, 14, 21, 23
Righteous verse 22
Deliver verse 23
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Son of man = Ezekiel verse 2, 17
Told to prophesy against the prophets
of Israel
Set your face against the daughters
of your people which prophecy
out of their own heart – you
prophesy against them
False prophets of Israel verse 2
Israel verse 2, 4, 5, 9, 16
Like foxes in the deserts verse 4
House of Israel verse 5
LORD has not sent false prophets verse 6
Jerusalem verse 16
False prophets with vision of peace when
there is no peace verse 16
Daughters of the people verse 17
pollute God among God’s people
for pieces of bread, to slay
the souls that should not die
and to save the souls alive
that should not live
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Day of the LORD verse 5
Great hailstones shall fall and
a stormy wind shall rent verse 11
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QUOTES regarding passage
13:17–23 In addition to the false prophets, false prophetesses were singled out for a special word of condemnation (vv. 17–19). This passage is one of only four Old Testament prophetic passages specifically critical of women (cf. Isa 3:16–4:1; 32:9–13; Amos 4:1–3). Only four female prophets, all true prophets of God, are mentioned by name in the Old Testament: Deborah (Judg 4:4–5:31), Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14), Miriam (Exod 15:20), and Noadiah (Neh 6:14). By contrast the false prophetesses of Ezekiel’s day suffered the same condemnation as their male counterparts. God preserved neither their names nor their specific ministries (cf. Ezek 13:9).
The activities attributed to these women suggest that they were more like witches or sorcerers than prophets. Perhaps they were like the witch of Endor mentioned in 1 Sam 28:7. As Greenberg notes, the terms translated “magic charms” and “veils” are of uncertain meaning, and the practices are unknown. Nevertheless, it is clear that some type of magic was involved that was intended to “ensnare people” (vv. 18, 20) in some sense. By their forbidden activities in Israel they profaned God for a “few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread” (v. 19), which was the price of their services. Perhaps in addition to promises of peace their lies consisted of predicting death for some and life for others regardless of guilt or innocence. Thus they “disheartened the righteous” and “encouraged the wicked,” enticing both to trust in them and their magic rather than in God and the words of his prophets. But God warned these false prophetesses that he was going to take away their clients (v. 21), an obvious reference to the captivity. He said, “You will no longer practice divination” (v. 23), meaning his judgment on Judah would put them out of business.
A review of the characteristics of false prophets and prophetesses as presented by Ezekiel helps to show how these men and women led a whole nation astray. This passage stands out in the Old Testament as one clear description of the characteristics of these false prophets and prophetesses and of the jealousy and compassion God feels for his people when they are being led astray (note the repeated “my people” throughout chaps. 13–14). This is a message that needs to be reviewed in every generation because everyone is vulnerable to the leadership of those who claim to have a word from God but who in fact have none.
These false representatives of God exhibited at least ten negative characteristics. First, they spoke out of their own will, not God’s will (vv. 1–3, 17). Second, they made the people a prey instead of performing a ministry for them (v. 4). They scavenged among ruined lives for personal gain and self-gratification. Third, they had no crisis ministry (v. 5). They could not strengthen the breaks in the walls (i.e., people or nations) or fortify broken lives. Fourth, they claimed their revelations were divine to deceive their followers (vv. 6–7) and easily deceived others because they were deceived themselves. Fifth, they failed to stand against sin (vv. 6–9) and declared an empty message without truth. Sixth, they preached a message of peace, prosperity, and safety in the face of imminent judgment (vv. 10–12) because they failed to relate the consequences of sin. Seventh, their ministry provoked the wrath of God and invited his judgment (vv. 13–16). Eighth, they often used false methods and occult practices to legitimize their work and control their victims (vv. 17–21). Ninth, they encouraged iniquity by word and personal example (vv. 22–23). Tenth, they set up the worst idols, their own self-will (14:1–7).
Through their methods, messages, and ministries these men and women led the nation to believe that those in Babylon would soon be returned and Israel restored. They condemned Ezekiel and Jeremiah as troublemakers. Instead of impending judgment they preached peace, prosperity, freedom, and a do-as-you-please (really a do-as-we-please) philosophy that kept the people under their control. They appealed to what the people wanted to hear as a means of maintaining control. All this sounds uncomfortably familiar when applied to many self-styled “prophets” today. In days of moral crisis there are always those who seek personal profit by establishing counterfeit ministries, who preach man-made systems instead of divine truth, proclaim peace instead of repentance, use materialistic methods, and set up idols in human hearts (14:1–11). (Cooper, L. E. (1994). Ezekiel (Vol. 17, pp. 156–158). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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20–23 These verses contain the judgment verdict Ezekiel announced against these prophetesses. God would tear off their cloth bands and their veils with which they hunted people and bound them. In doing so he would free the righteous in Judah from the grip of these witches and sorceresses (vv.20–21).
The Lord reasserted the reasons for the punishment that would come on these prophetesses (v.22). They had used deceptive and counterfeit means to dishearten the righteous, pulling them into their cultic snare and influence. At the same time they encouraged the wicked to disobey God’s ways. When the righteous turned from his righteous ways, and when the wicked stayed in his wicked ways, both would die physically. This is what was happening.
Therefore, God would cause the false visions and cultic divinations of these false prophetesses to cease, delivering his people from their wicked hands (v.23). Regrettably many of God’s people had followed them. But God would judge these women and free his righteous people. When he would do that, then these prophetesses would know that he was the ever-present one, the Lord, faithful and immutable. Again, judgment was designed to bring people to a knowledge of God. (Alexander, R. H. (1986). Ezekiel. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 803). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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13:22–23. The prophetesses had disheartened the righteous with their lies and encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways. This directly opposed God’s purposes for the people.
When God would judge the prophetesses the people would then realize that these women had lied. And the prophetesses themselves would be forced to admit their sin. God would banish false visions and divination (see comments on Deut. 18:10) from Israel and save His people from their terrible deception. (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Ezekiel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1252). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
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The lying sorceresses (Ezek. 13:17–23). The gift of prophecy wasn’t given exclusively to men, for several prophetesses are named in Scripture: Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Jud. 4:4–5), the wife of Isaiah (Isa. 8:3), Hulda (2 Kings 22:14), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:8–9). Noadiah (Neh. 6:14) was apparently a self-styled prophetess and not a true servant of God.
The Jewish women Ezekiel was exposing were more like sorceresses who claimed to be prophetesses. They practiced the magical arts they had probably learned in Babylon, all of which were forbidden to the Jews (Deut. 18:9–14). They manufactured magic charms that people could wear on various parts of the body and thus ward off evil. They also told fortunes and enticed people to buy their services. Like the false prophets, they were using the crisis situation for personal gain and preying on the fears of the people. A Christian executive in Chicago told me that during the Depression, worried businessmen frequently visited a fortuneteller who sold her services from a fine restaurant.
But these women weren’t helping people; they were hunting them and catching them like birds in a trap to take their money. They told the people lies, they didn’t expose their sins, and they kept them from trusting the true and living God and depending on His Word alone. Instead of condemning the evil and rewarding the good, they were slaying the good and rewarding the evil! Through their divinations, they gave false hope to the wicked and condemned the just, and they were willing to do it for just a handful of barley and a scrap of bread! But their end would come. God would strip them of their charms and amulets and then take His people back to their land, leaving these evil women behind to die. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2000). Be reverent (p. 63). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor/Cook Communications.)
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Where conscience was at all active the heart was saddened by all this wicked perversion of the truth of God. The righteous were grieved as they saw the wicked lulled into a state of carnal security, from which only judgment would awaken them, when it would be too late for repentance. False teaching always tends to strengthen people, who accept it, in their wickedness and to make them believe that no matter how they live they will be secure from divine wrath.
God may seem tolerant of that which is untrue and unreal for a time, but He will deal eventually with those who propagate error, and will deliver His people from their hand. (Ironside, H. A. (1949). Expository notes on Ezekiel, the prophet. (p. 86). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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Ver. 23. Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations, &c.] They should not be suffered any longer to impose upon the people; and they should be so sufficiently exposed, that the people would not give heed to their vain visions and lying divinations any more; and no gain coming to them hereby, they would not be disposed to make pretensions to them, as they had done: or the sense is, that they should perish in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem; and so they and their false prophecies would cease together: for I will deliver my people out of your hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord; see ver. 21. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, p. 58). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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17–23. A rebuke to the false prophetesses, and a declaration that God will confound them, and deliver their victims from their snares. Women were sometimes inspired by the true God, as were Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, and Huldah; but an order of prophetesses was unknown among the people of God, and the existence of such a class in the last days of the Kings of Judah was a fresh instance of declension into heathen usages. (Barnes, A. (1879). Notes on the Old Testament: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Jeremiah, Lamentations & Ezekiel. (F. C. Cook & J. M. Fuller, Eds.) (p. 333). London: John Murray.)
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And there were false women prophets among Israel likewise. This is a significant fact. Women became religious leaders and teachers in the days of Jerusalem’s downfall and the worst degradation followed upon that. They also prophesied out of their own hearts and added other wicked things to it. They sewed pillows upon all elbows and made veils for the head to hunt for souls. This has been interpreted in different ways. It means that they used amulets, little idol images and other things by which they practised the so-called divination—the soothsaying. It is sorcery to which these women prophets gave themselves up. The veils which they used were to give to it a priestly air of mysticism. They practised the sinister art of magic, or as we call it nowadays, occultism. It was witchcraft, this binding on of pillows and other things. This they did for hire and to slay souls which should not be slain and to sustain the wicked in their wickedness. Here is also undoubtedly a hint about their wicked incantations, the spells they claimed to cast that the innocent souls should die and the guilty should live. But the Prophet declares now that the Lord will deal with them, expose their wicked practises, tear off their devices and deliver His people out of the snare.
All this is also done in the very midst of Christendom in the twentieth century. Women prophets, the most subtle instruments of Satan, are plentiful in these days. The fact has often been pointed out that the prominent leaders in the evil cults of the last days are women. There has been a strange modern day revival of occult practices upon Christian ground. Spiritualism, Theosophy and Christian Science belong to this class. All three started with women. Spiritualism with its mediums, fortune-tellers and necromancers is almost entirely in the hands of women, who claim to be religious leaders. The same is true of Theosophy, with its Hindu philosophy and occultism, surrounded with an air of unholy mysticism. Christian Science is closely related to these two cults. Its founder practised for a time the calling of a medium.
Significant is the description of the work of these false prophets and prophetesses in verse 22: “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.” The righteous in Israel were saddened by their evil work. To the wicked they promised life, that there was no future punishment for their sins. Hence the wicked continued in his wickedness.
And is the work of the false teachers, the false women-cults, any different? The righteous are saddened. Each one of the false teachers and movements like Spiritualism, Theosophy, Russellism, Christian Science and others deny the eternal punishment of the wicked. They strengthen the hands of the wicked by promising him life. (Gaebelein, A. C. (1918). The prophet Ezekiel: an analytical exposition (pp. 90–92). New York: Publication Office “Our Hope.”)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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Given the weakness of our flesh, the curse of sin, the persistence of temptation, and the many earthly distractions that vie for our attention and affections, whole-hearted, single-minded love for Christ is frustratingly elusive. (p. 56)
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The diligent Ephesians are a sharp contrast to many people today who think of church as little more thatn a theater, meant for their amusement and gratification. Many modern churches are full of spectators. (p. 61)
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From the outset, the early church was under assault from false teachers. The Judaizers and their legalism; the Gnostics and their elevated, secret knowledge; the Antinomians and their licentiousness – false gospels and heresies abounded in the first-century world. (p. 62)
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Doctrinal discernment is hard work, but the legacy of a pure and protected church is one of the greatest offerings we can give to God. (p. 63) (Christ’s Call TO REFORM the Church by John MacArthur)
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God uses Gideon’s 300 men to rout the entire Midianite army.
INSIGHT
“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” is the work of the Lord accomplished (Zechariah 4:6). Few stories illustrate that principle more clearly than that of Gideon and his army of 300. God wants prepared men to fight His battles with His weapons in His way. His weapons are not earthly but spiritual. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We want to offer God our strength and our weapons and our insight but He does not need them. We need Him. Rather than trying to get God to accept our plans, strategies, and goals, we ought to strive to understand His. His way is the way of victory. (Quiet Walk)
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GOD’S REVELATION
…the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21
Salvation is something that comes altogether from God. And when we put it like that, do we not see very clearly why it is that so many people reject it? The natural man dislikes the whole idea of revelation. Why? Because he is wise and prudent, so full of his own intellect and understanding. He boasts, “I am not going to be treated like a child. I have it within me and in my own power to arrive at any knowledge that I may desire.” Revelation gives the lie to that.
But men and women do not like that, and Paul puts it like this in 1 Corinthians 1:21: When “the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” Here is a great principle, and if we are wrong at this point, how can we be right anywhere else? The gospel starts by proclaiming that it is a way of salvation. Its message is not something that man has thought of or achieved, but something that comes out of the mind of God. It is something that God shows and gives, that He has revealed; it is altogether from His side, and man contributes nothing to it.
Why is God’s way of salvation a matter of revelation? One of the reasons why it must be revelation and not discovery is the greatness of God. “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast…revealed….” Oh, how easy it is to talk cleverly about God and to understand the philosophy of God, to have our religious arguments and discussions. But isn’t half our trouble that we forget altogether who God is and what He is? From eternity to eternity, He is the Creator and sustainer of everything that is.
A Thought to Ponder: The gospel is altogether from God’s side, and man contributes nothing to it. (From The Heart of the Gospel, p. 112, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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