False Prophets Condemned

The Believers Life Style Bible Study
Presents
False Prophets Condemned
Ezekiel 13: 1-23
May 2, 2015
Presented by Michael Webb

Open It

  1. For what different reasons do people listen to fortune-tellers and psychics?
  2. *When have you refused to face reality in a specific situation?

Explore It

  1. To whom did God tell Ezekiel to prophesy? (13:1-2)
  2. *Where did the false prophets get the message they were preaching? (13:2)
  3. What had the prophets of Israel actually seen? (13:3)
  4. To what animal did Ezekiel compare the false prophets? (13:4)
  5. *What had the false prophets not done that God expected of His prophets? (13:5)
  6. What verbal “signature” did the prophets use to give their words more weight? (13:6-7)
  7. What attitude did God take toward the false prophets? (13:8)
  8. In what way did the Lord promise to silence the false prophets? (13:9)
  9. With what pleasing message were Israel’s prophets leading the people astray? (13:10)
  10. What did God predict about the flimsy wall covered with whitewash? (13:11-12)
  11. What imagery did God use to portray the fate of the false prophets and their lies? (13:13-16)
  12. What practices did God condemn in the prophetesses of Israel? (13:17-19)
  13. What did God promise to do for the people who had been ensnared by the prophetesses? (13:20-21)
  14. *How did the false prophets have justice completely reversed? (13:22)
  15. What would God prove by delivering His people from the false prophets? (13:23)

Get It

  1.  Why is it a temptation for human beings to pass off their own ideas as God’s?
  2. What do you suppose the false prophets were telling the people of Jerusalem about their relationship with Babylon and their hope for the future?
  3. *Why should we be wary of any Christian teacher who makes us feel complacent and self-satisfied?
  4. *What forms of “flimsy, whitewashed walls” do you see being offered today for material or spiritual security?
  5. If the prophets were at fault for leading the people astray, for what weakness of character did God hold the people responsible?
  6. Why do we prefer to deliver good and flattering news rather than painful and difficult news?

Apply It

  1. *What false security offered to you by the world should you renounce before God in order to remain faithful to Him?
  2. How can you be sure that, when you speak the Word of the Lord, you are accurate to His intent?

Chapter 13

The reproof of lying prophets

1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 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;
3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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?
8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.
9 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.

and their false visions

10 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:
11 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.
12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?
13 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.
14 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.
15 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;
16 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.

Of prophetesses and their magic bands

17 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,
18 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?
19 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?
20 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.
21 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.
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:
23 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.