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Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 120

"Woe to the foolish prophets"

Text: Ezekiel 13:3

A STRONG WORD AGAINST THE FALSE PROPHETS

The false prophets had an enormous impact on Israel. There was only one way to speak to them. The LORD sent a strong word of rebuke to the false prophets.

“Thus says the Lord God:
‘Woe to the foolish prophets,
who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!
O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.
You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall
for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD.'”
Ezekiel 13:3-5

1. Woe to the false prophets.

a) They were deemed “foolish”.

b) They had spoken from their heart.

c) They had followed their own spirit.

d) They had no vision from God and thus they had seen nothing.

e) Nevertheless, they survived in Israel as “prophets” in Israel.

i) They had followers.

ii) They were well-supported though they gave empty promises.

2. A word of admonition to Israel.

a) The LORD addressed Israel too.

b) The nation did nothing to resist the prophets.

c) God had to address the nation concerning the false prophets.

i) The false prophets were compared to foxes.

ii) Foxes were cunning animals who knew how to survive.

3. What Israel failed to do as a nation.

a) There should have been protective walls.

b) The walls made had many “gaps”.

c) Foxes were known to have squeezed through the gaps and destroy vineyards.

d) The false prophets were compared to these cunning and destructive foxes.

4. What Israel should have done.

a) On the spiritual war front they should have built strong walls.

b) In the teachings of Moses, false prophets were condemned and even executed (Deuteronomy 13).

c) They should have built strong walls but they did not.

d) The day of the Lord would find Israel seriously wanting in more ways than one.