False Prophets Condemned
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the LORD. They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the LORD,’ although I have not spoken?”
The entire section (from chapter 13 to 18) is about the subject in the above paragraph. God, through His prophet Ezekiel, is prophesying against the spiritual leaders of Judah. The prophet is telling them that God knows the cause of the disobedience of the people: The false prophets. He will do the same thing in chapter 34 and talk about the false shepherds. Note:
Ezekiel 34:1-3 (ESV)
Prophecy Against the Shepherds of Israel
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.
The shepherds did not feed the sheep. The prophets fed the nation, but with false prophecy. That is the complaint throughout this section of Ezekiel’s message. God does not tolerate those who are in authority to lead and speak, who do so with deception and with their own desires in mind. Notice what Jesus said when He was confronted by the religious leaders of His day (who were teaching false doctrine):
John 10:1-2a (ESV)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.
Notice what Peter stated in his letter to the church:
2 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV)
False Prophets and Teachers
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
So there was false teaching in the days of Israel and Judah. There was false teaching in the days of Jesus and the disciples. And there was false teaching in the days of Peter and the early church. How will it be for us? Note Paul’s prophecy:
2 Timothy 3:1-9 (ESV)
Godlessness in the Last Days
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
Beware of false teaching in any age!!!
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