Ezekiel 13:10

False Prophets

I. The marks of a false prophet.

A. They lead people into a false sense of security.

1. Here they were saying peace, when war and desolation

had been determined by the Lord.

2. The people had only one hope, and that is to repent and

seek the mercy of the Lord.

3. Because of the false prophets they were going on in

their iniquity down the path of destruction, not

realizing the urgency of repentance.

4. They were assuring the people in sin that God would not

bring judgment upon them.

5. What they say sounded good, and what they were doing

seemed good, they were building a wall that looked

sturdy, but they were daubing it with untempered

mortar.

B. They cause people to trust in a false hope.

1. They were assuring them that salvation was coming from

Egypt.

2. A false prophet today would lead you to trust in

something other than Jesus Christ for your salvation.

3. Many people are looking to psychology for their answers

today.

4. Many are being led to the powers within. The

enlightened consciousness.

5. Others are saying that through hypnosis, you can solve

your problems. Stop smoking, quit biting your nails, or

sleep better at night.

6. Still others are looking to the stars and their

influence on their lives to lead them into success.

7. The bottom line is what are they leading you to trust

in?

C. Another characteristic of the false prophet is their desire to

reach into your pocket.

1. God spoke of the prophetesses who were polluting God

among the people for handfuls of barley or pieces of

bread.

2. When Peter warns of the false prophets in his second

epistle, he declared that with feigned lips they will

seek to make merchandise of the people.

3. The big event of the evening is the offering.

4. I am always amazed that these men who teach so much on

faith, and are always encouraging you to give in faith,

and expect God to give you a miracle, never seem to

have enough faith to believe that God can supply their

needs, or the needs of their ministry.

II. The effects of the false prophet.

A. They bring the people into destruction.

1. They would keep the people from the very thing that

would save them.

2. There are many false prophets in the world today just

as there has been in every age.

a. There are men in pulpits today who deny the

existence of heaven and hell.

b. They deny the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

c. They deny the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

d. They deny the inspiration and inerrancy of the

scriptures.

e. They preach the gospel of self esteem, and to

them being born again is to come into a healthy

appreciation of your self worth.

f. There are false prophets who are teaching

people that they are gods, and that faith is

the greatest force in the Universe, and if you

will only understand how to use faith, you can

create your own realities, and you can control

the issues of your life. They mock the prayer

of Jesus when He said, "Nevertheless, not what

I will but Thy will be done."

3. Jesus warned the people to beware of false prophets who

were really wolves but they came in sheep's clothing.

4. Any man who would lead you to trust in anything other

than the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross for

your sins, for your salvation and hope of eternal life

is a false prophet. Jesus said, "I am the way, the

truth and the life, no man cometh to the Father but by

Me."

5. Any man that would comfort you in your sinful state as

to your eternal destiny is a false prophet. This is

basically what was happening in Jerusalem. The false

prophets were giving false hope to the people who were

in gross sins of the flesh.

a. As Paul was listing the works of the flesh that

included adultery, fornication, sexual

perversion, hatred, wrath strife, he ended the

list with these words, "And we know that they

that do such things shall not inherit the

kingdom of God.

b. Any man that would tell you any different is

as false prophet.

6. Notice in verse 22 what God says about the false

prophets, they had strengthened the hands of the

wicked, that he should not turn from their wicked way,

by promising them life.

a. The people were not warned that they must

repent or face the judgment of God. They were

just encouraged to feel good about themselves.

b. As a result the people and the city were

destroyed.

7. Much as the Pharisee's in the days of Jesus, they would

not enter into the kingdom, but they also hindered

those that would.

III. God's word to the false prophets.

A. First of all, God said, "I am against you."

1. Paul said, "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

2. One of the greatest comforts of my soul is that God is

for Me.

3. I cannot imagine how horrible it would be for God to

say that He was against me. Who is able to stand

against God?

B. The hand of the Lord would be against them.

1. They had destroyed others with their lies now they are

to be destroyed.

C. They would not be allowed in the assembly of God's people.

1. There would be no place for them in heaven.

2. When God's people would be assembled in heaven from all

ages, they would be absent.

D. Their names would not be found in the book of life, here called

the book of the house of Israel.

1. In Revelation 20:15 we read, "And whosoever was not

found written in the book of life was cast into the

lake of fire."

IV. Words of warning.

A. Beware when a man would seek to comfort you in your sin.

B. Beware when a man would tell you that God needs your money.

1. God's word teaches us that we do owe to God a tenth of

all the increase that He gives to us.

2. We are told that God loves a cheerful giver.

3. We are never told that we are to give because God needs

it.

C. Beware when men add to the word of God, telling you that the

Bible is not enough.

1. Peter tells us that God, in the scriptures, has given

to us all that is necessary for life and godliness.

2. There are those who would discourage you from just

reading the Bible. They say that you need them to

interpret the Bible for you.

3. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was given to guide us

into all truth.

4. Read the Bible and ask the Spirit to teach you.

D. Beware when a man would lead you to trust in anything other

than Jesus Christ for salvation and the hope of eternal life.