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| This is the New King James text of the passages. |
Ezekiel 13-15 Listen 
Ezekiel takes off on false prophets (Ezekiel 13)
1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ ”
3 ¶ Thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!
4 O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.
5 You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD.
6 They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, “Thus says the LORD!’ But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed.
7 Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, “The LORD says,’ but I have not spoken.”
8 ¶ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord GOD.
9 “My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
10 ¶ “Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar—
11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down.
12 Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, “Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?’ ”
13 ¶ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it.
14 So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
15 ¶ “Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar; and I will say to you, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it,
16 that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ ” says the Lord GOD.
17 ¶ “Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them,
18 and say, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive?
19 And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”
20 ¶ “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, I am against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds.
21 I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as prey in your hand. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
22 ¶ “Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life.
23 Therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”
Ezekiel didn't make the news; he just reported it. Here's the problem; there were these false prophets who made up their prophecies as they went - favorable prophecies despite the sins of Judah (verse 2). Ezekiel, like his fellow prophet, Jeremiah, back in Jerusalem, was constantly contending with these prophets who made up good news and passed it off to the exiles in Babylon as valid prophecies from God. Everybody likes good news. However, if your relative has terminal cancer, do you want a doctor who will tell you the truth or one who will tell you that it's just a temporary illness and restoration to health is just around the corner? That's the problem faced by both Jeremiah and Ezekiel; they competed against false prophets with favorable prophecies, yet they were false. So, here Ezekiel gets a prophecy from God against the false prophets and prophetesses. These prophetesses were gals who practiced witchcraft with their magic arm bands and head coverings (verse 18). Here's the big danger in verse 22: Their false prophecies discouraged righteousness among the people and encouraged the continuation of wickedness.
It is sobering to see the disdain God expresses through Ezekiel for these men and women who utter prophecies that were not authentic. They're just words, right? Look at verse 8, "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,' says the Lord GOD." Here's a fact from chapter 13: Those who issue uninspired prophecies did and do cause great damage to their recipients. God tells Ezekiel to speak out against them in verse 17, "Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them." And what's the big deal? There it is in verse 22, "Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life." The big deal is that false prophecies cause people to alter their attitude and conduct in a way that is not in tune with God. This whole chapter is dedicated to the damage these false prophets were doing among the people, and Ezekiel is commanded to speak out against them. May I suggest this: When there are those who claim to be speaking by revelation from God, and they really aren't being directed by God to do so, you should read Ezekiel 13 to them! Oh...and while you're at it, throw in Ezekiel 14:9 to reinforce your point, "And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I the LORD have induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel."
Incidentally, Jeremiah issues a similar prophecy against the false prophets back in Jerusalem during this same period in Jeremiah 23:9-40 (see notes).
Then there are those idolatrous elders (Ezekiel 14:1-11)
1 Now some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.
2 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
3 “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?
4 ¶ “Therefore speak to them, and say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols,
5 that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.” ’
6 ¶ “Therefore say to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.
7 For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the LORD will answer him by Myself.
8 I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
9 ¶ “And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I the LORD have induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.
10 And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired,
11 that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me, nor be profaned anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be My people and I may be their God,” says the Lord GOD.’ ”
Some of the Jewish leaders among the exiles came and sat before Ezekiel for some counsel. What to do, what to do? I mean, their coming is good news...right? Not exactly! Here's the big issue: They did come to Ezekiel to inquire of him a word from God, but they were not willing to surrender their false gods and idols. So, we see in this passage that Ezekiel is directed by God not to give them the information they seek, but rather to deal with their disgraceful practice of idolatry instead. This idolatry had to go as a first step to any counsel from God. The one true God is not willing to run with a pack of false gods.
You will also notice that Ezekiel again mentions the culpability of the false prophets who had caused these leaders to be comfortable in their idolatry with their false prophecies of future relief and success in verses 9-11.
There's a lesson for all time here regarding God, and here it is: The first step to receiving anything from God is to have a relationship with God. When those who are lost and without Christ have needs, the very first need which supersedes all others is their need for a savior, Jesus Christ. To pray for the other needs of one who has never trusted Christ as Savior is futile and even counter productive.
Jerusalem will fall (Ezekiel 14:12-23)
12 ¶ The word of the LORD came again to me, saying:
13 “Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it.
14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD.
15 ¶ “If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts,
16 even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.
17 ¶ “Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I cut off man and beast from it,
18 even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.
19 ¶ “Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast,
20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”
21 ¶ For thus says the Lord GOD: “How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it?
22 Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it.
23 And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it,” says the Lord GOD.
Here's an idea. Maybe a really righteous man before God could persuade God to spare Jerusalem - a man like Noah, Job or perhaps their contemporary Daniel serving Nebuchadnezzar right now (verse 14). God says, NO! The righteous can only save themselves. Though these famous men of the Bible should stand in the land on behalf of Israel, it wouldn't cause God to spare the land by overlooking the gross idolatry and worship of false gods there. Ezekiel continues to drive his point home regarding the fact that even these three righteous men couldn't intercede for the unrighteousness of Judah; the capper to this point comes in verse 21, "For thus says the Lord GOD: 'How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it?'"
However, there is a bright spot in this prophecy - the remnant of verses 22-23. These are those few in Jerusalem/Judah who will stand for God and righteousness - who will not bow to false gods and idols. About these it is said in verse 23, "And they will comfort you." One thing's for certain: Ezekiel could use a little comforting.
A vine parable (Ezekiel 15)
1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?
3 Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on?
4 Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work?
5 Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned?
6 ¶ “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
7 and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them.
8 Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,’ says the Lord GOD.”
Israel is frequently likened to a vine (Isaiah 5:1-7, see notes; Isaiah 27:2-6, see notes; Jeremiah 2:21, see notes; Jeremiah 12:10, see notes; Ezekiel 19:10-14, see notes; Hosea 10:1, see notes). We infer a question that may have been posed to Ezekiel by the leaders of the exiles from Jerusalem: "Won't God protect his vine, Israel?" Well...Israel had taken downturns in the past, but God never allowed them to be completely destroyed; they always sprang back...like a sprout of a vine. Could it not be that a tiny sprout of a remnant back in Jerusalem would be enough to cause Jerusalem to bounce back once again?
Ezekiel takes off on this vine metaphor. The Hebrew word here for vine (gheh´-fen) indicates a branch that is only substantial when it is bearing fruit. The wood is not substantial enough for any other purpose except to fuel a fire. Therefore, when Israel is not bearing fruit, the fire of God's judgment is imminent. Bottom line: Too little too late - this time Jerusalem will be destroyed. Ezekiel 15:8 says, "'Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,' says the Lord GOD."