| Idols of the Heart
In this verse, we find the core of all that was wrong with Israel. The hearts of God's people had forced out the true and living God for gods of their own making. Of course, these "gods" were not real gods in any fashion. Yet in blatantly rejecting a vital relationship with God based on love, they replaced Him with "gods" that supported the sins that had seduced their hearts. These gods represented the various pagan belief systems around them—everything from sexual practices to worshiping the gods and goddesses of fertility to the sacrifice of children upon fiery altars to receive personal blessing and prosperity. These idols had taken up the place in their hearts through the self-serving seduction of false prophets (13:1-19). False prophets and prophetesses gained great wealth in the process. In a real sense, things have not changed much since. We still seek out religious, philosophical, and political voices that validate our own sinful desires. How strange this must look from heaven's perspective. A God of love creates all things for us to enjoy as an act of love. Yet we soon seek to find a way to benefit and find blessing in the world He created without having to give our hearts to Him who has freely given us all things. In the end, our hearts become slaves to forces of darkness that relish the thought of robbing God of the one thing we can give Him—that is to choose to use our free will to love Him. When this misuse of our heart begins to rule our lives, our families, churches, and nations, we will suffer the consequences. We only need to look at human history from the day Cain rose up and slew his brother Abel. When our hearts are filled with self idolatry rather than selfless love, we become the source of every imaginable evil. Our hearts were made for God. Our lives will find meaning, fulfillment, and prosperity to the degree that love for God is at the center of our lives. Beware of any seduction that would rob you of loving God and being loved by Him. | |||
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Ezekiel 13:1-15:8 Woe to Foolish Prophets 1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, '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 O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. 5 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. 6 They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, 'Thus says the LORD!' But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. 7 Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, 'The LORD says,' but I have not spoken." 8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord GOD. 9 "My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD. 10 "Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar— 11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. 12 Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?'" 13 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. 14 So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. 15 "Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar; and I will say to you, 'The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it, 16 that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,'" says the Lord GOD. 17 "Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them, 18 and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive? 19 And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive 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 charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds. 21 I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as prey in your hand. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. 22 "Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life. 23 Therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD."'" Ezekiel 14 Idolatry Will Be Punished1 Now some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. 2 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 3 "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? 4 "Therefore speak to them, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, 5 that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols."' 6 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations. 7 For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the LORD will answer him by Myself. 8 I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. 9 "And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I the LORD have induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. 10 And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired, 11 that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me, nor be profaned anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be My people and I may be their God," says the Lord GOD.'" Judgment on Persistent Unfaithfulness12 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying: 13 "Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. 14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness," says the Lord GOD. 15 "If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, 16 even though these three men were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate. 17 "Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, 'Sword, go through the land,' and I cut off man and beast from it, 18 even though these three men were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered. 19 "Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, 20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness." 21 For thus says the Lord GOD: "How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it? 22 Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it. 23 And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it," says the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 15 The Outcast Vine1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 2 "Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest? 3 Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on? 4 Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work? 5 Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned? 6 "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 7 and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them. 8 Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,' says the Lord GOD." | |||
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| Ezekiel 13:1-15:8 v. 2 those who prophesy out of their own heart – Prophecy is only as true and powerful as its source. The source of these prophets' words is their own heart, not the word of the Lord. v. 3 who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! – Their source is their own human heart/spirit. Therefore they do not declare truth, are not able to predict the future, nor do they call to holiness and repentance. v. 5 You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall – The prophet's responsibility was to identify sin and weakness and call to repentance and repair. That way people and nation would be able to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. But these "prophets" had abandoned their call and the people were weak as a result. v. 6 they hope that the word may be confirmed – Israel was given the test of a true prophet in Deuteronomy 13:1-5. God clearly says that false prophets test our hearts to see what we believe and desire. v. 8 "I am indeed against you" says the Lord GOD – False prophets misrepresent God and bring God's personal opposition and judgment. v. 10 saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace – One of the greatest dangers of a false prophet is that they give a sense of security and passivity when destruction and judgment for sin are imminent, and repentance is needed. v. 11 with untempered mortar – Or plaster. Used to hold together as well as cover and protect. Their prophecies are like unproven, impure mortar and will not make a strong wall or protect them from the coming judgment. v. 14 I will break down the wall – The "wall" of these prophecies that the people are basing their security on are not prophecies from God. He will personally break them down and those who trusted in them will be consumed. v. 15 I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it – With God's judgment is not only on the wall of false prophecy but those who have built it to give false security to others who they should have warned in truth. v. 18 "Woe to the women who sew magic charms – These are other false women prophets or witches who make magic charms and use incantations to either give security, or to curse others and perhaps try to shift the destruction to others. v. 18 Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive? – God sees these witches as "hunters of souls" killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live. They make these charms and curses for profit and are paid with handfuls of barley and pieces of bread. v. 21 they shall no longer be as prey in your hand – The Lord will deliver His people from these false prophets just like the others and judge them. v. 22 righteous – These witches lies are a curse on both the righteous, and the wicked as well because they are strengthened … so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life. Ezekiel 14v. 1 Now some of the elders of Israel came to me – This chapter continues the judgment of false prophecy, this time judging those who have sought prophecy from a corrupt motive or encouraged false teachers. v. 3 Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? – They seek counsel and prophecy but are in fact idolaters at heart. God will not answer them without directly confronting their idolatry and hypocrisy. v. 5 seize the house of Israel by their heart – God's target is the corrupted heart and knows that is where the change must occur. What He means by seizing their heart is explained in the following verses. v. 6 Repent, turn away from your idols – The first step in seizing the heart (v. 6-8) is to purge the idolatry. Repent means to acknowledge and turn the other away. v. 7 then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me – These hypocrites have separated themselves from God, but seek Him as if He is some kind of magic oracle where they can get answers about their problems or futures, while still having evil affections, and idolatrous hearts. v. 8 I will cut him off from the midst of My people – If they do not repent, the Lord answers their hypocrisy and their unwillingness to repent by cutting them off and destroying them. v. 9 I the LORD have induced that prophet – Both the "seeker" and the "prophet" are corrupt (v. 7, 9). So God gives a deceptive prophecy according to the desires of their heart that He might expose and condemn their hearts (1 Kings 22). v. 10 the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired – A prophet who would answer their inquiry without addressing their sin first is a false prophet who does not have God's priorities of addressing their sin first (v. 3) and is also guilty. v. 13 persistent unfaithfulness – In addition to first giving the Law as a standard, God has provided teachers to continually instruct and call to repentance. The pattern has been to persist in rejecting these warnings and calls from God. v. 14 Noah, Daniel, and Job – The presence of righteous men do not prevent the judgment of wicked, spare the children, or protect the land from invasion and destruction. v. 15 If I cause – Four means of judgment are listed in this chapter: famine (v. 12-14), beasts (v. 15-16), sword (v. 17-18), and pestilence (v. 19-20). God is very clear that He is the "sender" of these, He wants them to connect these events to His judgment of their sin. v. 19 pestilence – General term for epidemic disease, crop blights, or infestations of insects or vermin which devastate the nation. v. 22 there shall be left in it a remnant – There will be those who escape, to both speak of God's judgment (see notes on 12:16) as well as His faithfulness to the righteous. v. 22 they will come out to you – This is spoken to those already in exile. v. 23 I have done nothing without cause – The judgment of God on sin is not random violence. It is intentional and accomplishes God's purposes. He is still in control and will bring it to the ends He intends. Ezekiel 15v. 2 the wood of the vine – Vines are merely large, long, plant stems and are not technically wood like a branch. The picture of a vine is regularly used in the Bible as a metaphor for the nation of Israel, and spiritual life. This image is repeated through the next few chapters. v. 3-5 no object could be made from it – A vine has its value and life in being connected to the root from which it gets its life and bears its fruit. Once vines are cut from the root they cannot be used for any useful purpose and are burned as waste. v. 6 Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest – This is a contrasting picture of how the nation had become unfruitful and unusable because of their idolatry and rebellion and are fit only for destruction (John 15). v. 7 They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them – Multiple disasters are about to happen and there will be no escape for the unrighteous. v. 8 because they have persisted in unfaithfulness – Again, God connects the cause of the coming destruction with the judgment of their sin (14:13, 23). | |||
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| Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? –Ezekiel 14:3 Lord, we know that in our sinful, fallen conditions we have to continually guard our hearts against making material things into idols. Show us, God, reveal to us where we are idolizing the things that You have blessed us with. | |||
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14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?
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