{"id":10257,"date":"2020-07-15T20:00:46","date_gmt":"2020-07-16T03:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/?p=10257"},"modified":"2020-07-12T17:10:34","modified_gmt":"2020-07-13T00:10:34","slug":"ezekiel-13_1-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/ezekiel-13_1-23\/","title":{"rendered":"Giving and Receiving Prophetic Words"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ezekiel 13:1-23\u00a0\u00a0Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Ezekiel 13:1-23.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Ezekiel 13:1-9 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The word of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0came to me:
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the\u00a0LORD!
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0This is what the Sovereign\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins.
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the\u00a0LORD.
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, “The\u00a0LORD\u00a0declares,” when the\u00a0LORD\u00a0has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled.
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The\u00a0LORD\u00a0declares,” though I have not spoken?
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign\u00a0LORD.
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign\u00a0LORD.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 1-9:\u00a0 Here God gives Ezekiel a word to speak against the false prophets of Israel, who claim to hear from God but who actually only \u201cprophesy out of their own imagination\u201d (v2) and who \u201cfollow their own spirit\u201d (v3) but \u201chave seen nothing\u201d (v3).\u00a0 God calls their visions false and their divinations (i.e. their attempts to discern God\u2019s will) a lie (v6-7).\u00a0 Because of their false visions and lying divinations, God says that the false prophets will face two consequences.\u00a0 First, God is against them (\u201cI am against you\u201d \u2013 v8b; \u201cMy hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations\u201d \u2013 v9a). Second, the false prophets will ultimately be cut off from God\u2019s people (\u201cThey will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel\u201d \u2013 v9b).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. When you hear what may be presented to you as \u201ca prophetic word\u201d, be careful to test it.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0As 1 John 4:1 says, \u201cDear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.\u201d \u00a0How do you test a prophetic word?\u00a0 Here are three things you can do:\u00a0 (1) Test what you hear against the written Word of God, for God will never say anything that contradicts what He has already said in Scripture.\u00a0 (2) Test what you hear by bouncing it off other believers whose relationship with God you respect.\u00a0 (3) Test what you hear by asking the Holy Spirit to give you peace about it if it is truly a word from God.<\/li>\n
  2. Be humble and careful when sharing what you think may be a prophetic word for someone else.<\/strong>\u00a0 First, make sure that your motive is to strengthen, encourage and comfort the person you are speaking to, not to tear that person down or exalt yourself.\u00a0 As 1 Corinthians 14:3 says, \u201ceveryone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort\u201d (1 Corinthians 14:3).\u00a0 Second, ask the Holy Spirit to help you to hear from Him and to discern His voice correctly.\u00a0 Third, recognize that since we are all human, there is a chance that we could be hearing or interpreting wrong, so instead of taking a dogmatic approach and saying, \u201cThus saith the Lord\u201d, take a more humble approach and say, \u201cThis is what I sense for you as I pray and I invite you to test it\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ezekiel 13:10-16 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
    \n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“‘Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,
    \n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth.
    \n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”
    \n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury.
    \n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the\u00a0LORD.
    \n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So I will spend my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it,
    \n16\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign\u00a0LORD.”‘<\/em><\/p>\n

    On verses 10-16:\u00a0 The false prophets of Israel were falsely prophesying peace over Israel.\u00a0 In so doing they were giving those remaining in the land of Israel a false sense of security.\u00a0 Relying on these false prophecies, those living in Israel did nothing to strengthen the wall protecting their city.\u00a0 Instead, they would just cover the wall with whitewash, making cosmetic changes to the wall to make it look better but doing nothing to actually strengthen the wall.\u00a0 Storms would later come (v11, 13) and show how easily the wall would break.\u00a0 In the end those living in Israel would pay dearly for listening to the false prophets.<\/p>\n

    What can we learn from this?<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. When we build our lives on lies and false visions, our lives will not stand up when the storm comes.\u00a0 But when we build our lives on the sure rock of God\u2019s Word, what we build will not fall apart when the storms come (see Matthew 7:24-27).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. It is in the midst of storms and attacks that you really get to see the strength or weakness of what you have built.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Ezekiel 13:17-19 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
        \n17\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them
        \n18\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?
        \n19\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.
        \n<\/em>
        \nOn verses 17-19:\u00a0 Certain women in Israel thought they could make a living by pretending to be prophets and fortune tellers (v17-18). \u00a0Those who listened to them would suffer and even be killed as a result of following false advice (v19).<\/p>\n

        What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0The ministry of prophecy is serious business.\u00a0 It affects people in a real way and should never be taken lightly.<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Ezekiel 13:20-23 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
        \n20\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign\u00a0LORD\u00a0says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.
        \n21\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the\u00a0LORD.
        \n22\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,
        \n23\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the\u00a0LORD.'”
        \n<\/em>
        \nOn verses 20-23:\u00a0 \u00a0Satan loves to ensnare and enslave people by getting them to believe in a lie, whether that lie is about God, themselves, or others.\u00a0 As Jesus describes him, Satan is \u201ca liar and the father of lies\u201d (John 8:44).\u00a0 What lies do you think most often trap or enslave the people around you?\u00a0 What lies are you most prone to being trapped or enslaved by?\u00a0\u00a0Satan\u2019s goal is to trap and ensnare you with his lies, but God is passionate about rescuing you and setting you free with His truth.<\/strong>\u00a0 As Jesus says, \u201cThen you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.\u201d (John 8:32) \u00a0Don\u2019t want to be enslaved by Satan\u2019s lies?\u00a0 Get to know God\u2019s truth about Himself and about you.\u00a0 Replace the lies you once believed with God\u2019s truth.<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Also, notice that the phrase \u201cthen you will know that I am the\u00a0LORD\u201d\u00a0is repeated often in this chapter (v9, 14, 21, 23).\u00a0 Each time, it is mentioned in the context of God exposing the lies that the false prophets have been sharing.\u00a0 What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0God reveals\u00a0Himself<\/em>\u00a0by exposing lies with the truth, for He is the truth (John 14:6).<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Heavenly Father, may we be careful to build our lives life on the truth of Your Word and not the lies of the enemy.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

        Today\u2019s passage is Ezekiel 13:1-23.\u00a0 Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

        On verses 1-9:\u00a0 Here God gives Ezekiel a word to speak against the false prophets of Israel, who claim to hear from God but who actually only \u201cprophesy out of their own imagination\u201d (v2) and who \u201cfollow their own spirit\u201d (v3) but \u201chave seen nothing\u201d (v3).\u00a0 God calls their visions false and their divinations (i.e. their attempts to discern God\u2019s will) a lie (v6-7).\u00a0 Because of their false visions and lying divinations, God says that the false prophets will face two consequences.\u00a0 First, God is against them (\u201cI am against you\u201d \u2013 v8b; \u201cMy hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations\u201d \u2013 v9a). Second, the false prophets will ultimately be cut off from God\u2019s people (\u201cThey will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel\u201d \u2013 v9b).<\/p>\n

        What can we learn from this?<\/p>\n

        When you hear what may be presented to you as \u201ca prophetic word\u201d, be careful to test it.\u00a0\u00a0As 1 John 4:1 says, \u201cDear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.\u201d \u00a0How do you test a prophetic word?\u00a0 Here are three things you can do:\u00a0 (1) Test what you hear against the written Word of God, for God will never say anything that contradicts what He has already said in Scripture.\u00a0 (2) Test what you hear by bouncing it off other believers whose relationship with God you respect.\u00a0 (3) Test what you hear by asking the Holy Spirit to give you peace about it if it is truly a word from God.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10258,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10257"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10260,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10257\/revisions\/10260"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}