Eze 13:11 | KingComments | STEP | Ezekiel has announced in the previous chapters the judgment of the LORD on Jerusalem, the leaders and the king. Now he addresses the false prophets in Jerusalem. Jeremiah also spoke frequently against the false prophets ( ). The message of the false prophets in Jerusalem that flourished for so long in Judah has blown over to Babylon and flourished among the exiles as well. This chapter is one of those important chapters in the Old Testament that deal with false prophecy and puts this false prophecy in a clear light. The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel again ( ). The LORD calls him “son of man” again ( ). He is commanded to call the false prophets, who prophesy according from their own inspiration – literally “from their own heart” (cf. ) – to listen to the word of the LORD for them. These prophets are not called ‘the prophets of the LORD’, but are sarcastically referred to as “the prophets of Israel”. They are the spiritual leaders to whom the rebellious people love to listen. However, their message has no higher authority that their own heart. They can be compared to the false teachers in our day ( ). The word that follows unmasks these prophets and they hear harsh judgment pronounced on them. The “woe” sounds over those whom the LORD calls “foolish prophets” ( ). A fool is one who says in his heart: “There is no God” ( ). Such a person is an arrogant person who acts unscrupulously. These prophets are foolish and act without regard to God. They are also not following the Spirit of God, but their own spirit. They have seen nothing of the word of the LORD and yet they prophesy in His Name. The LORD speaks to Israel of those foolish prophets as “your prophets” ( ). They are not His prophets, but those of the people (cf. ). He compares those prophets to the wily foxes who search among the ruins for something of their liking (cf. ; ; ). Foxes make burrows in the ruins and undermine the foundations, making the ruins even bigger. Thus the false prophet undermines the foundations of the life of God’s people. He is the cause of the ruin that God’s people have become and is constantly making it bigger. False prophets have not gone up into the breaches ( ), which speaks of intercession and restoration ( ; ; ). Nor did they provide a wall to protect them. They have not acted for the benefit of the people, but have worked and still seek the calamity of the people. Therefore, the house of Israel cannot stand “on the day of the LORD”, which is the day when Jerusalem is taken by the enemy. This refers to the upcoming conquest by the armies of Babylon, but also to the destruction of Jerusalem in the end time. What these false prophets are doing is passing on their own fantasies which are falsehood and lying divination. They say that they received these visions from the LORD ( ), although they know very well that the LORD did not send them. Yet they believe that their word will come true. It is a great deception of themselves and of God’s people. The LORD once again holds them up as being engaged in false prophecy whereby they say that the LORD has spoken, when He has not spoken ( ). This attitude is a great insult to Him. Words are being put into His mouth that He has not spoken. To do such a thing is reprehensible. What would we say if people passed on words that we would have said, when we did not say them? Isn’t that shocking? The Lord GOD ( Adonai Yahweh ) will repay them for speaking false things and for having seen lies ( ). These sins He cannot leave unpunished. He will turn His hand in judgment against the false prophets because of their false visions and their lying divinations ( ). They will have “no place in the council” of His people, that is, the true Israel. The LORD knows exactly who belong to the counsel of His people, for they are all written down “in the register of the house of Israel” – cf. “the book of life” ( ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ). The names of these people are not in it (cf. ). Therefore, they miss the ultimate blessing of the land. They will never return to the land, nor will they ever enter the land, not even in the resurrection. When they – removed from all blessing – find themselves under the eternal judgment of God, they will recognize that He is the LORD ( ). The false prophets have led the people astray with their nice talk of peace ( ). There is no peace at all. How can there be peace when the people of Jerusalem live in rebellion against the LORD? But the pretty talk of the false prophets works. People think they can feel safe because of the words of the false prophets which seem like a protective wall. However, it is a shaky wall. The listeners of the prophets do not see this, because that wall is plastered with whitewash so that it still appears strong. With fine-sounding words the false prophets cover up all the iniquity of the people: It is not all that bad; they need not worry; peace will surely come (cf. ; ). And this, while calamity is imminent and also announced by the true prophets of God. The false prophets are “like whitewashed tombs” ( ). Ezekiel must tell these whitewash specialists that the wall will fall down ( ). For there will come “a flooding rain” with “hailstones and a violent wind”. Rain, hail and storm are symbols of the judgment (cf. ; ) that the Babylonians will bring on the city. Then their self-made wall of fancy talk will fall down. Then it will be said to them: ‘Where are your nice talks now?’ ( ). The LORD declares that the violent wind that breaks out comes from Him in His wrath on them ( ). His wrath on them is behind the all-splashing rain. The hailstones are an expression of His wrath. This violence of the enemy will lead to a devastating end of the city. These are not pretty talk, but this is raw reality. The wall with its plaster will be brought down to the ground ( ). The words of the false prophets turn out to have been hot air. All so-called protection disappears. The city is laid in ruins and in the midst of it lie the bodies of the fallen false prophets. Thus the false prophets will know that He is the LORD, Who does what He says. Here we see the tremendous contrast between the words of the false prophets and the words of the LORD. He will execute His wrath against all bluster about security and covering up iniquity ( ). Then He will point to the wall and its plasterers and show that they are no more. So true are His words. How utterly opposed these words are to all the falsehoods of the false prophets of Israel who have prophesied about Jerusalem that there will be peace, but have done so from their imagination, for there is no peace at all ( ). Only what the Lord GOD speaks is reliable. The words of God are trustworthy and come true in every detail.

‏ Ezekiel 13:11

Introduction

Ezekiel has announced in the previous chapters the judgment of the LORD on Jerusalem, the leaders and the king. Now he addresses the false prophets in Jerusalem. Jeremiah also spoke frequently against the false prophets (Jer 23:13-15 ; 21-22). The message of the false prophets in Jerusalem that flourished for so long in Judah has blown over to Babylon and flourished among the exiles as well. This chapter is one of those important chapters in the Old Testament that deal with false prophecy and puts this false prophecy in a clear light.

Judgment on the False Prophets

The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel again (Eze 13:1). The LORD calls him “son of man” again (Eze 13:2). He is commanded to call the false prophets, who prophesy according from their own inspiration – literally “from their own heart” (cf. Isa 59:13) – to listen to the word of the LORD for them. These prophets are not called ‘the prophets of the LORD’, but are sarcastically referred to as “the prophets of Israel”. They are the spiritual leaders to whom the rebellious people love to listen. However, their message has no higher authority that their own heart. They can be compared to the false teachers in our day (2Pet 2:1-2).

The word that follows unmasks these prophets and they hear harsh judgment pronounced on them. The “woe” sounds over those whom the LORD calls “foolish prophets” (Eze 13:3). A fool is one who says in his heart: “There is no God” (Psa 14:1b). Such a person is an arrogant person who acts unscrupulously. These prophets are foolish and act without regard to God. They are also not following the Spirit of God, but their own spirit. They have seen nothing of the word of the LORD and yet they prophesy in His Name.

The LORD speaks to Israel of those foolish prophets as “your prophets” (Eze 13:4). They are not His prophets, but those of the people (cf. Lam 2:14). He compares those prophets to the wily foxes who search among the ruins for something of their liking (cf. Lam 5:18; Song 2:15; Lk 13:32). Foxes make burrows in the ruins and undermine the foundations, making the ruins even bigger. Thus the false prophet undermines the foundations of the life of God’s people. He is the cause of the ruin that God’s people have become and is constantly making it bigger.

False prophets have not gone up into the breaches (Eze 13:5), which speaks of intercession and restoration (Eze 22:30; Psa 106:23; Isa 58:12b). Nor did they provide a wall to protect them. They have not acted for the benefit of the people, but have worked and still seek the calamity of the people. Therefore, the house of Israel cannot stand “on the day of the LORD”, which is the day when Jerusalem is taken by the enemy. This refers to the upcoming conquest by the armies of Babylon, but also to the destruction of Jerusalem in the end time.

What these false prophets are doing is passing on their own fantasies which are falsehood and lying divination. They say that they received these visions from the LORD (Eze 13:6), although they know very well that the LORD did not send them. Yet they believe that their word will come true. It is a great deception of themselves and of God’s people.

The LORD once again holds them up as being engaged in false prophecy whereby they say that the LORD has spoken, when He has not spoken (Eze 13:7). This attitude is a great insult to Him. Words are being put into His mouth that He has not spoken. To do such a thing is reprehensible. What would we say if people passed on words that we would have said, when we did not say them? Isn’t that shocking?

The Lord GOD (Adonai Yahweh) will repay them for speaking false things and for having seen lies (Eze 13:8). These sins He cannot leave unpunished. He will turn His hand in judgment against the false prophets because of their false visions and their lying divinations (Eze 13:9). They will have “no place in the council” of His people, that is, the true Israel.

The LORD knows exactly who belong to the counsel of His people, for they are all written down “in the register of the house of Israel” – cf. “the book of life” (Exo 32:32; Psa 69:28; Isa 4:3; Dan 12:1; Lk 10:20; Phil 4:3; Rev 3:5 ; Rev 20:12 ; Rev 21:27; Mal 3:16). The names of these people are not in it (cf. Rev 13:8). Therefore, they miss the ultimate blessing of the land. They will never return to the land, nor will they ever enter the land, not even in the resurrection. When they – removed from all blessing – find themselves under the eternal judgment of God, they will recognize that He is the LORD (Phil 2:10).

The false prophets have led the people astray with their nice talk of peace (Eze 13:10). There is no peace at all. How can there be peace when the people of Jerusalem live in rebellion against the LORD? But the pretty talk of the false prophets works. People think they can feel safe because of the words of the false prophets which seem like a protective wall. However, it is a shaky wall.

The listeners of the prophets do not see this, because that wall is plastered with whitewash so that it still appears strong. With fine-sounding words the false prophets cover up all the iniquity of the people: It is not all that bad; they need not worry; peace will surely come (cf. Deu 29:19-20; Jer 6:14 ; Jer 8:11). And this, while calamity is imminent and also announced by the true prophets of God.

The false prophets are “like whitewashed tombs” (Mt 23:27). Ezekiel must tell these whitewash specialists that the wall will fall down (Eze 13:11). For there will come “a flooding rain” with “hailstones and a violent wind”. Rain, hail and storm are symbols of the judgment (cf. Job 38:22-23; Isa 29:6) that the Babylonians will bring on the city. Then their self-made wall of fancy talk will fall down. Then it will be said to them: ‘Where are your nice talks now?’ (Eze 13:12).

The LORD declares that the violent wind that breaks out comes from Him in His wrath on them (Eze 13:13). His wrath on them is behind the all-splashing rain. The hailstones are an expression of His wrath. This violence of the enemy will lead to a devastating end of the city. These are not pretty talk, but this is raw reality. The wall with its plaster will be brought down to the ground (Eze 13:14). The words of the false prophets turn out to have been hot air. All so-called protection disappears. The city is laid in ruins and in the midst of it lie the bodies of the fallen false prophets. Thus the false prophets will know that He is the LORD, Who does what He says.

Here we see the tremendous contrast between the words of the false prophets and the words of the LORD. He will execute His wrath against all bluster about security and covering up iniquity (Eze 13:15). Then He will point to the wall and its plasterers and show that they are no more. So true are His words. How utterly opposed these words are to all the falsehoods of the false prophets of Israel who have prophesied about Jerusalem that there will be peace, but have done so from their imagination, for there is no peace at all (Eze 13:16). Only what the Lord GOD speaks is reliable. The words of God are trustworthy and come true in every detail.