788_True and False Prophets (Ezekiel 12-13)
Ezekiel 13:1-9 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “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!’ 3 Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. 5 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. 6 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. 7 Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?”
8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God.
A king once asked his advisors their opinion of his reign and the state of his kingdom. Some praised his wisdom while others assured him that everything was going well. Almost all of them carefully avoided any uncomfortable disclosures. Except for one man. He told the king the truth. The king was wise enough to realize the value of this truthful counselor. For hearing what we want to hear may make us feel good, but hearing what we need to hear may be lifesaving.
Ezekiel 12 and 13 record the days when Jerusalem was approaching its final judgment, yet many people still refused to believe it. They preferred to listen to the comfortable words of their own prophets. But God sent Ezekiel with a very different word. Through him, God exposed the difference between a message from God and one that merely comes from the human heart.
In chapter 12, Ezekiel acts out the coming exile, by God’s command. He packed his bags and dug through the wall, moving out his goods in the sight of the people. This was a living representation of the impending fall of Jerusalem. The people saw and heard all this, yet they refused to understand. God says in Ezekiel 12:2, “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.”
And yet God continues to speak. No longer would God delay the judgment. As verse 25 says, “For I am the LORD; I will speak the word that I will speak, and it will be performed.” And verse 28 declares with finality, “None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be performed.”
And this defines the true prophet. He does not seek to flatter people’s ears with a message fitted to their desires. He speaks what God has told him to communicate. The authority of the message is not based on his personality, confidence, or eloquence. It comes from God.
And thus chapter 13 exposes the false prophets. It says, “The prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, when there is no peace, hear the word of the LORD… have seen nothing!”
The problem was not simply their incorrect predictions. It was that they were only pretending to have heard from God. Ezekiel 13:2 says that they “prophesy out of their own hearts.” They followed their own spirit and not God’s word.
We often think that false prophecy will be obviously bizarre or overtly dangerous. But Ezekiel shows us the subtlety of false prophecy. These people were comforting people with promises of peace when there was no peace. They were building foolish sinful confidence rather than truthfulness and heartfelt repentance, which would have saved their people.
The Lord compares their message to a badly built wall that has been whitewashed. It may look impressive from the outside, but in crisis, its weakness becomes evident.
In the same way, telling people that God will help them does not change their unhealthy spiritual condition. Ignoring sin does not make it harmless. Reassuring sinners when God is calling out their sin and warning them of judgment is not a loving act.
But the message of God is not always severe and uncomfortable, any more than a false message is always positive and encouraging. Scripture contains tremendous promises of grace, forgiveness, restoration, peace, and hope. The issue is not the emotional temperature of the message but whether the Lord has truly said it or not.
For this reason, the true messenger must first be a true listener. Listening to God comes before speaking for him. God called Ezekiel, telling him, “Receive in your heart all my words that I shall speak to you, and hear with your ears” (Ezekiel 3:10). For only then could he faithfully deliver the word of the Lord.
This principle applies not only to preachers and teachers but to every Christian. There are many occasions when we are tempted to speak before we have listened—to give advice before praying, to express an opinion before opening Scripture, or even to say, “God wants you to…” when what we really mean is, “This is what I think you should do.”
That is dangerous territory. Whenever we attach God’s name to our own opinions, we usurp his authority. There is a huge difference between saying, “I think this may be helpful,” and saying, “God says.” The first acknowledges our limitations. The second requires the authority of God’s revealed Word.
As speakers or listeners, therefore, one of the most important disciplines of Christian life is learning to distinguish God’s voice from our own desires. Paul warned Timothy that a time would come when people would accumulate teachers “to suit their own passions” and would turn away from listening to the truth (2 Timothy 4:3–4). The danger is not only that false teachers exist. It is that we may prefer listening to them because their message agrees with what we already want to believe.
When we hear a word professing to be from the Lord, let us not merely seek to feel good, but let us ask if it is true, whether it agrees with scripture. Let us examine it to make sure it calls us to love God with our whole heart, to humbly repent, obey, and depend on the Lord.
Because that is where Ezekiel’s message leads. Again and again, through judgment, warning, and even restoration, God declares His purpose: “And you shall know that I am the LORD.” The goal of God’s Word is not merely to show us the future, but to bring us to our God.
God’s word may confront or comfort us. It may bring us assurance of mercy for our weakness. It may expose the sin we have become comfortable with. It may strengthen us to resist temptation or fight against evil. It may disturb our security when we rest on something other than God. Whatever its purpose, it always brings us to the truth.
This was how our Lord spoke. He was never afraid to speak comforting words to the broken, but neither did He offer false peace to those who refused to repent. He said, “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). He is full of grace and truth. The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus: not merely information about God, but reconciliation with God.
But beyond asking “Who are the true and false prophets?”, let us also ask ourselves, “What kind of voice am I becoming?” Do I listen to the Lord before I speak? Is my advice grounded on my meditation on God’s word? Do I speak the truth or falsely promise peace?
The safest place for us is where we humbly receive God’s word. It is where we are ready to see what is wrong with us, and correct it with faith and obedience.
For God’s Word does not come merely to make us comfortable. It comes as the truth. And when we receive that truth with humility, it leads us not to despair, but to repentance, restoration, and the knowledge of the Lord. God bless
Take a few moments to reflect on these questions
What are the differences between the true word of God and the kind of message described in Ezekiel 13 as coming “out of their own hearts,” and why are those differences important in our daily lives?
How can we cultivate the habit of listening carefully to God’s Word before speaking, advising, or making spiritual conclusions about ourselves or others?
What areas of your life might require you to move beyond seeking reassuring words and honestly allow God’s Word to correct, challenge, or redirect you?
Let us pray
Heavenly Father, Your Word is true and trustworthy. We open our hearts to your Spirit that we may recognize your word and reject what comes merely from our own hearts. We will listen to you before we speak, and love your truth even when it is uncomfortable. We will respond to your word in repentance and faith and obedience. Our words will be from you, and like you, they will be truthful and gracious. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen