Today he addresses prophets...the prophets that make things up. In his own words God says "Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!"
These prophets are likes jackals, seeing visions and lying divinations. Telling people THUS SAYS THE LORD when the Lord has not spoken to them nor shown them visions.
God calls them jackals... so I thought I'd look up what jackals are like. Smart little beasts who can make themselves smell like their prey.
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I am not sure I am totally understanding this all..but I think God is staying that the false prophets are like whitewash. Telling the people peace, where there is no peace. Calming them and settling them when they should be concerned about their relationship with God.
I've seen whitewashing done eh? Growing up in the farm it was done once or twice a year. What whitewash does it cover things up. it's easily wiped away, but it's just a coating that covers up the dirt and grime, spiderwebs and any muck that didn't get cleaned up well.
This is what the false prophets are...just folks that cover things up. Makes it look clean and sparkly but once you get beneath that, all the ickiness remains.
It wasn't only the men who were false prophets, there were women in the mix to. Women who sold "magic bands" to place on your wrists, and "veils for the heads of people of every stature". God says this is profanity!
Wow...hear these words "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds. Your veils also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the LORD. ”
Do you see truly what this is? It's a hunt for souls. It's not just people speaking out against the Lord, God sees it for what it truly is. A hunt for souls and God wants our souls to be free! He wants us to know that He is God, the Lord of all.
I read this and I just want to cry out to all those who don't know the Lord God. Don't let yourselves become prey. Be free. Know the Lord. Do NOT listen to the false teachers and prophets that abound in the world.
Let your souls be free!
[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. [10] Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, [11] say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. [12] And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’ [13] Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end. [14] And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the LORD. [15] Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it, [16] the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord GOD.
[17] “And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own hearts. Prophesy against them [18] and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive? [19] You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death souls who should not die and keeping alive souls who should not live, by your lying to my people, who listen to lies.
[20] “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds. [21] Your veils also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the LORD. [22] Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life, [23] therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. And you shall know that I am the LORD.”
(Ezekiel 13 ESV)