Ezekiel 13
Ezekiel 13 addresses false prophets in Israel who mislead the people with lies and empty promises. God, through Ezekiel, condemns these prophets for spreading false visions and deceiving Israel into complacency and rebellion against God’s truth. God’s judgment is pronounced on them, revealing that their prophecies are like weak walls built without a proper foundation, destined to collapse. This chapter emphasizes God’s intolerance of false teachings that lead His people away from His will.
Ezekiel 13:1-2 (NKJV)
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!’”
God instructs Ezekiel to confront the prophets in Israel who speak from their own desires rather than from divine revelation. These self-made prophets spread messages that come from their imaginations, not from God’s truth. This opening statement establishes the primary issue of the chapter: unauthorized voices misrepresenting God’s word.
Ezekiel 13:3-5 (NKJV)
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.”
God condemns these prophets, likening them to cunning foxes that do nothing to protect Israel. Instead of strengthening the people with truth, they exploit them for personal gain. They fail to “stand in the gaps,” meaning they do not address the spiritual and moral issues Israel faces, leaving the nation vulnerable to judgment.
Ezekiel 13:6-7 (NKJV)
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.”
These prophets deceive the people by claiming divine authority for their empty visions, hoping that events will align with their predictions by chance. God exposes their deceit, emphasizing that He has not communicated with them, making their claims fraudulent and misleading.
Ezekiel 13:8-9 (NKJV)
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.”
God declares judgment on the false prophets, stating that they will lose their status among His people and be excluded from Israel’s future. This punishment underscores the severity of leading God’s people astray and affirms God’s authority and commitment to uphold truth.
Ezekiel 13:10-12 (NKJV)
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?’”
The prophets’ false message of “peace” is compared to a poorly constructed wall made with untempered mortar. This weak wall symbolizes the shallow hope they give the people, which will collapse when real trials and God’s judgment come. The inevitable fall exposes the futility of the prophets’ promises.
Ezekiel 13:13-14 (NKJV)
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.”
God’s response to the false prophets is depicted as a fierce storm, which will dismantle their “wall.” This judgment reveals the true instability of their words and strips away any illusion of security. When the wall collapses, it will prove that these messages were ungrounded and deceptive.
Ezekiel 13:15-16 (NKJV)
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.
God’s wrath will ensure that both the “wall” (the false security) and the prophets who built it are destroyed. This serves as a warning to all who misrepresent God’s words, particularly in claiming peace where there is impending judgment. This outcome reinforces God’s insistence on truth and accountability.
Ezekiel 13:17-19 (NKJV)
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?”’”
God condemns certain women who engage in occult practices, using magical charms and veils to manipulate others and distort divine truth. They exploit people’s fears for trivial rewards, harming the innocent and supporting the wicked. Their actions profane God’s name and exploit the vulnerabilities of His people.
Ezekiel 13:20-21 (NKJV)
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.”
God declares that He will dismantle the false practices and release His people from these deceptions. By freeing the people from spiritual bondage, God reasserts His sovereignty and demonstrates that these deceptive tactics have no power against His will.
Ezekiel 13:22-23 (NKJV)
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.”
The false prophets have caused grief to the righteous and emboldened the wicked, misleading the people into a false sense of security and preventing genuine repentance. God’s judgment ensures that they will no longer deceive His people, affirming that He alone is the true source of guidance and hope.