Ezekiel 13

Ezekiel 13:1-9

Note are more sharply treated in Scripture than the folly prophets. They were the chief conics of the people’s vain. The prophet here favors the sin and punishment. 1. Of the folly prophets, ver. 1—16. 2. Of the folly prophesies, ver. 17—23.

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 faith the LORD God; Wo 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 g 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 divinations, laying, The LORD faith; 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 faith it, albeit I have not spoken? 8. Therefore thus faith the LORD God, Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore behold I am against you, faith 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.

The false prophets abounded, both in Judea and among the captives in Babylon, and by their flattering speeches the hearts of the unwary people were beguiled: against them therefore the prophet is ordered to direct his word. They are called the prophets of Israel: probably they arrogated that this so themselves, and persecuted the few faithful prophets because

they remonstrated against and contradicted their falsehood and falseness.

1. A heavy charge is laid against them. They were during imposition, pretended a million and instruction from God, when he never sent them, forging visions which they never saw, the mere contrivances of their own brain: instead of being guided by the spirit of truth, they followed their own deceived hearts; and dared to advance that as the dictates of inspiration which they knew to be a lie: crazy and ravenous as the foxes of the desert, they prayed on the deluded people; yet, with as they accounted themselves in their deceits, they were in full foolish prophets, fath in spiritual ignorance and sin; they used no efforts to prevent the impending judgments, v. 5, nor ever stand up in the breach against the overflowing of unguilted, with sharp and faithful rebukes against the wicked, or fervent and importunate prayer to God, in order to avert his vanity, when he arose as an enemy against them. Nay, they widened the gap they should have made up, by baldly becoming men’s fouls, flattering them to their ruin, promising them peace, and with their solemn pretensions and effervescence unbalancing the people to hope that the event would correspond with their predictions; hardening them in sin, and haltering their destruction. Note, (1) To pretend a million from the Holy Ghost, when men are conscious they never were inwardly moved by him, is daring blasphemy and impatity. (2) They who run, though God never sent them, will shortly be flopped in their career, and perish in their lie. (3) A foolish prophet had never yet a million from God; they cannot be called who are not qualified. (4) A greedy prophet shews who sent him, not God but Mammon. (5) They who study to please men’s ears, instead of faithfully addressing their consciences, are justly to be supported as deceivers.

2. Vengeance is denounced against them, v. 9. God is their enemy; and wo unto those against whom he rises up in anger. As they have justly forfeited them, they are for ever excluded from all the privileges of God’s Israel; they shall either be cut off by death, or be excommunicated from the church, or, when the issue hath proved the falsehood of their predictions, they shall be confounded, and ashamed to look those in the face whom they have deluded: they shall be an more confident, but abhorred as deceivers; shall die in a miserable exile, and never be enrolled with the other captives when they return to their own land, excluded from their mercy, an earnest of eternal exclusion from the heavenly Canaan. And in these judgments, inflicted on the false prophets, God will make known the glory of his justice, holiness, and truth.

3. ¶ Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace, and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and is, others daubed it with untempered matter. 11. Say unto them which damb it with untempered matter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing flower, and ye, O great halftones, shall fall, and a stormy wind shall rent 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 faith the LORD God, I will even rent it with a stormy wind in my fury: and there shall be an overflowing flower in mine anger, and great halftones in my fury to continue it. 14. So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered matter, 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 matter, and will say unto you, The wall is no mere, neither they that daubed it; 16. Ye will, the prophets of Israel, which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, faith the LORD God.

Ezekiel 13:10-16

The false prophets are further rebuked and threatened.

1. They deceived the people. They cried peace, as if God would give them deliverance from the Babylonian yoke, when there was no peace, no prospect as yet of their return from captivity, or hope of their being able to support themselves in rebellion against the Chaldeans. Thus they fudged God’s people, those who in profession at least were footh, and who had been separated from other nations for his service. Our built up a wall, pretending Jerusalem was impregnable, and that the enemy should never break through; and, this being found pleasing to the people, let others daubed it with untempered matter, happening with specious arguments the affliction: when, alas! their wall, however solid it appeared, was weak and watering, and ready to fall before the first attacks of the befingers. Such are the plausible errors which heretick introduce, and the smooth prophecies of ministers who dare not honestly offend by their simplicity,