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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
EZEKIEL 13
MEMORY VERSE: JOHN 3:21
v IN EZEKIEL 12, WE LEARNED THAT TRUTH ISVERY IMPORTANT. SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE THE TRUTH WHEN THEY DO NOT. SOMETIMES ERROR ISSO SUBTLE THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THAT IT IS NOT THE TRUTH.
Ø THE PEOPLE OF EZEKIELS DAYTHOUGHT THEY KNEW THE TRUTH WHEN THEY BELIEVED THE FALSE PROPHETS.
§ THE FALSE PROPHETS WERE CAUSINGCONFUSION AMONG THE PEOPLE. SOME PROPHETS SAID EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT ANDTHE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY WOULD SOON END. OTHER PROPHETS LIKE EZEKIEL SAID THE BABYLONIANCAPTIVITY WOULD LAST 70 YEARS.
· HOW COULD A PERSON KNOW FOR SURE WHATWAS FROM GOD AND WHAT WAS NOT FROM GOD?
· SOME PEOPLE SAID THAT JUDGMENT WAS NOTGOING TO COME BECAUSE EVEN THE PROPHETS COULD NOT AGREE WITH EACH OTHER.
§ WHAT A PROBLEM THE PEOPLE HAD WHENTHEIR LEADERS DID NOT AGREE! WAS THERE SOME WAY THEY COULD KNOW THE TRUTH?
v IN EZEKIEL 13, WE WILL LEARN HOW TODETERMINE TRUTH FROM ERROR.
v READ EZE 13:1-5 THE MESSAGES BY FALSE PROPHETS
Ø FALSE PROPHETS PREACH OUT OF THEIR OWNSPIRITS (2)
§ EZEKIEL WARNS THE FALSE PROPHETS THATGOD IS AGAINST THEM BECAUSE THEIR MESSAGES COME FROM THEIR OWN IMAGINATIONS.
· GOD GIVES THE TRUE WORD THROUGH THEHOLY SPIRIT AND NOT FROM THE SPIRIT OF MAN.
§ HOW CAN THE BELIEVER THAT HEARS THEMESSAGE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A MESSAGE IMPLEMENTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ONE BROUGHT BY APERSONS OWN SPIRIT?
· YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION:
¨ WHO IS BEING GLORIFIED IN THE MESSAGE?
Ø IF THE SPEAKER TALKS MORE ABOUT HIMSELFTHAN HE DOES ABOUT GOD OR JESUS CHRIST, HE IS GLORIFYING HIMSELF.
Ø IF THE MESSAGE CAUSES YOU TO LOOK ATTHE SPEAKER WITH GREAT AWE AND ADMIRATION, HE IS GLORIFYING HIMSELF.
Ø IF THE SPEAKERS ATTITUDE IS THATHE IS SIMPLY AN EMPTY VESSEL THROUGH WHICH GODS WORDS FLOW, IT WILL BE OBVIOUS TOTHE DISCERNING HEARER. THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN USE THIS SPEAKER (THE EMPTY VESSEL) TO GIVE GODSMESSAGE.
Ø FALSE PROPHETS ARE DANGEROUS (4)
§ EZEKIEL SAYS THAT FALSE PROPHETS ARELIKE FOXES IN THE DESERT. WHAT DOES HE MEAN?
· FOXES ARE ABLE TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVEEVEN IN THE DESERT.
¨ FALSE PROPHETS EASILY FIND PEOPLE WHOBELIEVE THEM WHEN A SOCIETY IS IN RUINS.
Ø TODAY THERE ARE MANY FALSE PREACHERSWHO FIND A WILLING AUDIENCE AMONG PEOPLE WHO HAVE A RUINED LIFE. FOR EXAMPLE:
§ SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE DESPERATE FORPHYSICAL HEALING WILL BELIEVE ANYTHING ANDANYONE TO OBTAIN IT.
§ SOME PEOPLE, WHO ARE BOUND BY ALCOHOLAND DRUGS, BELIEVE ANYONE WHO PROMISES THEM FREEDOM BUT THESE FALSE PREACHERS CAN NEVERTRULY GIVE FREEDOM. USUALLY ONE TYPE OF BONDAGE IS EXCHANGED FOR ANOTHER.
· FALSE PROPHETS DID NOT REPAIR THEBREAKS IN THE WALL (5)
¨ THE FALSE PROPHETS OF EZEKIELSDAY DID NOT REPAIR THE SINS OF SOCIETY. THEY DID NOT PREACH AGAINST IDOLATRY, CORRUPTION,AND VIOLENCE. THEY DID NOT STRENGTHEN SOCIETY MORALLY.
Ø FALSE PREACHERS TODAY DO NOT TELL YOUHOW TO REPAIR THE SIN IN YOUR LIFE. THEY EITHER MAKE AN EXCUSE FOR SIN, OR THEY IGNORE SINALTOGETHER.
· THE FALSE PROPHETS DID NOT PREPARE THEISRAELITES FOR THE BATTLE IN THE DAY OF THE LORD (5)
¨ THE PHRASE, THE DAY OF THE LORD,HAS A SPECIAL PROPHETIC MEANING. YOU WILL FIND THIS PHRASE THOUGHOUT THE BOOKS OF PROPHECYIN THE OLD TESTAMENT. IT USUALLY HAS A DOUBLE FULFILLMENT. (REMEMBER OUR VERY IMPORTANTPROPHETIC LAW OF DOUBLE REFERENCE.)
Ø THE DAY OF THE LORD REFERS TO A SHORTPERIOD OF TIME THAT IS RELATED TO THE JEWISH DAY.
§ A JEWISH DAY BEGINS AT SUNSET FOLLOWEDBY THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT AND THEN THE LIGHT OF A FULL DAY.
· THE DAY OF THE LORD BEGINS WITH A TIMEOF TROUBLE AND THE DARKNESS OF JUDGMENT, FOLLOWED BY THE BRIGHTNESS OF DELIVERANCE.
Ø THE DOUBLE FULFILLMENT IN THIS CONTEXTOF EZEKIEL:
§ WHEN EZEKIEL TALKS ABOUT THE DAYOF THE LORD, HE FIRST REFERS TO THE DARKNESS OF JUDGMENT BROUGHT BY THE BABYLONIANARMY. THE 70 YEAR BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY IS THE DARKNESS OF THE DAY OF THE LORD, FOLLOWED BYTHE BRIGHTNESS OF THE RETURN TO THE PROMISED LAND AT THE END OF THOSE 70 YEARS. THIS ISTHE FIRST FULFILLMENT.
§ WHEN EZEKIEL TALKS ABOUT THE DAYOF THE LORD, HE ALSO REFERS TO A SECOND FULFILLMENT WHICH IS THE TRIBULATION PERIODOF 7 YEARS FOLLOWED BY THE DAWN OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND THE FULL BRIGHTNESS OFCHRISTS KINGDOM IN THE MILLENNIUM.
v READ EZE 13:6-9 THE JUDGMENT UPON FALSE PROPHETS
Ø GOD WILL BRING JUDGMENT ON THESE FALSEPROPHETS OF EZEKIELS DAY BECAUSE THEIR WORDS ARE NOT FROM GOD BUT FROM SATAN.
§ THESE FALSE PROPHETS USED DIVINATION TOOBTAIN THEIR MESSAGES.(6-7)
· WHAT IS DIVINATION?
¨ READ DEU 18:9-14 OCCULT PRACTICES FORBIDDEN BY GOD.
Ø DIVINATION IS FORTUNE TELLING. IT ISUSING SOME MEANS OTHER THAN GOD TO DETERMINE THE FUTURE
Ø THERE ARE CHRISTIANS TODAY THATIGNORANTLY PLAY WITH THE OCCULT PRACTICES OF DEU 18, AND THEY THINK IT IS OK. I WANT TOTELLYOU THAT THESE PRACTICES ARE STILL AN ABOMINATION TO GOD.
Ø THE CONSEQUENCES FALSE PROPHETS MUSTPAY FOR THEIR DECEPTION:
§ 1. THEY WILL NO LONGER BELONG TO THECOUNCIL OF GODS PEOPLE. (9)
· THESE FALSE PROPHETS HAD ENJOYED A GOODREPUTATION AMONG THE LEADERS OF ISRAEL. WHEN THE BABYLONIANS DESTROY THE CITY AND THETEMPLE, THEIR WORDS WILL PROVE THEMSELVES FALSE. THEN THEY WILL LOSE THEIR CREDIBILITYWITH THE LEADERS AND THE PEOPLE.
§ 2. THEY NAMES WILL NOT BE WRITTEN INTHE WRITING OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL (9)
· THEIR NAMES WILL NOT BE LISTED INISRAELS LIST OF CITIZENS. THEREFORE, THEY WILL LOSE THEIR RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP.
· THERE IS A MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCETHAN JUST LOSING ONES REPUTATION, POSITION, AND CITIZENSHIP IN SOCIETY. VERSE 9 CANALSO BE INTERPRETED TO MEAN THEY WILL LOSE ETERNAL LIFE BECAUSE THEIR NAMES WILL NOT BEWRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE. (2PET 2:1-9)
§ 3. THEY WILL NOT ENTER THE LAND OFISRAEL (9)
· THESE FALSE PROPHETS WILL NOT BE AMONGTHOSE WHO RETURN FROM THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY TO THE PROMISED LAND. THE ASSUMPTION ISTHAT THEY WILL DIE BEFORE THAT.
· OF COURSE, IF THEIR NAMES ARE NOT INTHE BOOK OF LIFE, THEY WILL NOT BE PART OF GODS KINGDOM IN THE MILLENNIUM OR INETERNITY.
v READ EZE 13:10-16 THE FLIMSY WALL PAINTED WHITE
Ø ONE BUILT UP A WALL, AND, LO,OTHERS DAUBED IT WITH UNTEMPERED MORTAR (10)
§ MANY PEOPLE GIVE FLIMSY EXCUSES FORTHEIR FAILURE TO SEEK GOD. WE HAVE EXAMINED SOME OF THEM ALREADY IN CHAPTERS 12 AND 13:
· 1. WORDS ABOUT A COMING JUDGMENT HAVEBEEN SPOKEN SO LONG AND THERE HAS BEEN NO FULFILLMENT. (THE SCOFFERS)
· 2. JUDGEMENT IS SO DISTANT IN THEFUTURE, IT WILL NOT OCCUR IN MY LIFETIME. (THE DENY-ERS)
· 3. PROPHETS DISAGREE ABOUT JUDGMENT, SONO ONE CAN KNOW FOR SURE IT IS TRUE. (THE CONFUSED)
· 4. WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CANHUMANLY DO TO PREPARE FOR AN INVASION.
¨ THIS IS THE EXCUSE GIVEN ACCORDING TOEZEKIELS EXAMPLE OF A FLIMSY WALL PAINTED WHITE.
Ø THESE PEOPLE HAVE DONE NOTHING TOPREPARE SPIRITUALLY. BECAUSE THEY HAVE DONE A FEW THINGS HUMANLY SPEAKING, THEY THINK THEYARE PREPARED.
Ø THE WALL OF PROTECTION IS POORLY BUILT.A THIN COAT OF WHITE CEMENT HIDES ITS POOR CONSTRUCTION. OUTWARDLY IT APPEARS STRONG, BUTIN FACT IT IS VERY WEAK AND PROVIDES NO REAL PROTECTION.
· 5. OUR OWN RELIGIONS WILL BE PROTECTIONENOUGH FOR US, WE DONT NEED YOUR GOD. (18)
¨ THIS IS THE EXCUSE GIVEN IN THE NEXTSECTION OF EZEKIEL 13.
v READ EZE 13:17-23 THE FALSE PROPHETESSES
Ø WHO WERE THESE WOMEN?
§ IN ISRAEL AT THAT TIME, THERE WEREWOMEN INVOLVED IN CULT PRACTICES. THEY USED THEIR CULT RELIGIONS TO MAKE FALSE PROPHECIES.
· THEYSEWED MAGIC CHARMS FOR THEIR WRISTS, AND THEY MADE VEILS FOR THEIR HEADS.
¨ THESE WERE MAGIC RITUALS FROM BABYLONTHAT INVOLVED MAGIC KNOTS AND BANDS TIED TO VARIOUS PARTS OF THE BODY TO PROTECT A PERSONFROM EVIL SPIRITS AND TO BRING PHYSICAL HEALING.
Ø WE HAVE THE SAME PRACTICES TODAY.PEOPLE WEAR GOOD LUCK CHARMS. THEY SEND MONEY TO MINISTRIES THAT SELL ANOINTEDOIL, ANOINTED HANDKERCHIEFS, AND OTHER TOKENS. PEOPLE BUY THEM AND PUT THEIR FAITH INTHESE RELIGIOUS ICONS INSTEAD OF IN GOD. THEY THINK GOD WILL NOT HEAL THEM WITHOUT THESETHINGS.
§ EZEKIEL SAYS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARECAUGHT AND TRAPPED LIKE BIRDS. (20)
¨ THESE FALSE PROPHETESSES HUNTEDTHE SOULS OF MEN. (18, 20)
Ø THEIR WHOLE PURPOSE WAS TO DECEIVEPEOPLE AND WIN THEM AWAY FROM THE ONE TRUE GOD.
v SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
Ø DISCUSSION:
§ WHY DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE PREFERREDTO HEAR THE FALSE PROPHETS?
§ IS IT POSSIBLE TO THINK THAT YOU AREHEARING GODS VOICE WHEN IT IS REALLY THE VOICE OF A FALSE PROPHET?
Ø THERE IS A TEST YOU CAN APPLY TO DETERMINE WHETHER A MESSAGE OR DOCTRINE IS FROMGOD. YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS:
§ 1. IS IT TRUE TO THE SON, JESUS CHRIST?
· REV 19:10 JOH 16:13-14
§ 2. DOES IT LINE UP WITH SCRIPTURE?
· 2TIM 3:16 ISA 8:19-20
§ 3. DOES IT LEAVE YOU WITH PEACE INSIDE?
· COL 3:15 DEU 13:1-5
§ 4. DOES IT LEAD YOU INTO LIBERTY ORBONDAGE?
· 2PET 2:17 ROM 8:15
§ 5. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE LIFE OFTHE ONE BRINGING THE MESSAGE? GAL 5:22 1TIM 3:1-13
§ 6. IS THE MESSAGE CONFUSING OR DOES ITCHANGE DOCTRINE?
· DEU 18:2-22
§ 7. IS THERE AN ANOINTING FROM GOD BYTHE HOLY SPIRIT ON THE MESSAGE? 1JOH2:20
¨ HOW CAN YOU TELL?
Ø THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU WILL REVEALIT TO YOU. (JOH 16:13)
Ø SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER:
§ 1. ONLY JESUS IS THE TRUTH. (JOH 14:6)
§ 2. ANY MESSAGE ANOINTED BY THE HOLYSPIRIT WILL TESTIFY OF JESUS CHRIST ANDGLORIFY HIM (JOH 15:26 JOH 16:14)
§ 3. GODS PEOPLE WILL KNOW(RECOGNIZE) THE VOICE OF GOD. (JOH 10:4-5)
HOMEWORK
EZEKIEL 14
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORKANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EZE 13
Ø WHAT FLIMSY EXCUSES DO YOU GIVE FOR NOTFOLLOWING JESUS MORE CLOSELY?
Ø WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT THE EXCUSES THISWEEK?
v PREPARATION FOR EZE 14
Ø READ EZE 14:1-11
§ WHAT IS THE STUMBLING BLOCK OFTHEIR INIQUITY? (3)
Ø READ EZE 14:12-23
§ WHAT FOUR METHODS WILL GOD USE TO BRINGJUDGMENT?
§ WHAT DO YOU THINK EZEKIEL MEANS WHEN HESAYS, THEY SHALL DELIVER ONLY THEIR OWN SOULS? (14, 20)
v MEMORY VERSE: 2TIMOTHY 2:15
