13Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H5592“Son of man, prophesy against the false prophets of Israel who are inventing their own prophecies. Say to them, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord.H1121H120H5012H5030H3478H5012H559H5030H3820H8085H1697H30683This is what the Sovereign Lord says: What sorrow awaits the false prophets who are following their own imaginations and have seen nothing at all!’H559H136H3069H1945H5036H5030H1980H310H7307H72004“O people of Israel, these prophets of yours are like jackals digging in the ruins.H3478H5030H7776H27235They have done nothing to repair the breaks in the walls around the nation. They have not helped it to stand firm in battle on the day of the Lord.H5927H6556H1443H1447H1004H3478H5975H4421H3117H30686Instead, they have told lies and made false predictions. They say, ‘This message is from the Lord,’ even though the Lord never sent them. And yet they expect him to fulfill their prophecies!H2372H7723H3577H7081H559H3068H5002H3068H7971H3176H6965H16977Can your visions be anything but false if you claim, ‘This message is from the Lord,’ when I have not even spoken to you?H2372H7723H4236H1696H3577H4738H559H3068H5002H5598“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because what you say is false and your visions are a lie, I will stand against you, says the Sovereign Lord.H559H136H3069H1696H7723H2372H3577H5002H136H30699I will raise my fist against all the prophets who see false visions and make lying predictions, and they will be banished from the community of Israel. I will blot their names from Israel’s record books, and they will never again set foot in their own land. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.H3027H5030H2374H7723H7080H3577H5475H5971H3789H3791H1004H3478H935H127H3478H3045H136H306910“This will happen because these evil prophets deceive my people by saying, ‘All is peaceful’ when there is no peace at all! It’s as if the people have built a flimsy wall, and these prophets are trying to reinforce it by covering it with whitewash!H2937H5971H559H7965H7965H1129H2434H2009H2902H860211Tell these whitewashers that their wall will soon fall down. A heavy rainstorm will undermine it; great hailstones and mighty winds will knock it down.H559H2902H8602H5307H7857H1653H859H417H68H5307H5591H7307H123412And when the wall falls, the people will cry out, ‘What happened to your whitewash?’H7023H5307H559H2915H290213“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will sweep away your whitewashed wall with a storm of indignation, with a great flood of anger, and with hailstones of fury.H559H136H3069H1234H5591H7307H2534H7857H1653H639H417H68H2534H361714I will break down your wall right to its foundation, and when it falls, it will crush you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.H2040H7023H2902H8602H5060H776H3247H1540H5307H3615H8432H3045H306815At last my anger against the wall and those who covered it with whitewash will be satisfied. Then I will say to you: ‘The wall and those who whitewashed it are both gone.H3615H2534H7023H2902H8602H559H7023H290216They were lying prophets who claimed peace would come to Jerusalem when there was no peace. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!’H5030H3478H5012H3389H2374H2377H7965H7965H5002H136H3069
Judgment against False Women Prophets
17“Now, son of man, speak out against the women who prophesy from their own imaginations.H1121H120H7760H6440H1323H5971H5012H3820H501218This is what the Sovereign Lord says: What sorrow awaits you women who are ensnaring the souls of my people, young and old alike. You tie magic charms on their wrists and furnish them with magic veils. Do you think you can trap others without bringing destruction on yourselves?H559H559H136H3069H1945H8609H3704H679H3027H6213H4555H7218H6967H6679H5315H6679H5315H5971H2421H5315H242119You bring shame on me among my people for a few handfuls of barley or a piece of bread. By lying to my people who love to listen to lies, you kill those who should not die, and you promise life to those who should not live.H2490H5971H8168H8184H6595H3899H4191H5315H4191H2421H5315H2421H2421H3576H5971H8085H357720“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against all your magic charms, which you use to ensnare my people like birds. I will tear them from your arms, setting my people free like birds set free from a cage.H559H136H3069H3704H859H6679H5315H6524H7167H2220H5315H7971H5315H6679H652421I will tear off the magic veils and save my people from your grasp. They will no longer be your victims. Then you will know that I am the Lord.H4555H7167H5337H5971H3027H3027H4686H3045H306822You have discouraged the righteous with your lies, but I didn’t want them to be sad. And you have encouraged the wicked by promising them life, even though they continue in their sins.H8267H3820H6662H3512H3510H2388H3027H7451H7725H7563H1870H242123Because of all this, you will no longer talk of seeing visions that you never saw, nor will you make predictions. For I will rescue my people from your grasp. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”H2372H7723H7080H7081H5337H5971H3027H3045H3068
Ezekiel 14
The Idolatry of Israel’s Leaders
14Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with me,H935H582H2205H3478H3427H64402this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H5593“Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?H1121H120H582H5927H1544H3820H5414H4383H5771H5227H6440H1875H18754Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the Lord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves.H1696H559H559H136H3069H376H1004H3478H5927H1544H3820H7760H4383H5771H5227H6440H935H5030H3068H6030H935H7230H15445I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’H8610H1004H3478H3820H2114H15446“Therefore, tell the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your detestable sins.H559H1004H3478H559H136H3069H7725H7725H1544H7725H6440H84417I, the Lord, will answer all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts and so fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice.H376H1004H3478H1616H1481H3478H5144H310H5927H1544H3820H7760H4383H5771H5227H6440H935H5030H1875H3068H60308I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, eliminating them from among my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.H5414H6440H376H8074H226H4912H3772H8432H5971H3045H30689“‘And if a prophet is deceived into giving a message, it is because I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet. I will lift my fist against such prophets and cut them off from the community of Israel.H5030H6601H1696H1697H3068H6601H5030H5186H3027H8045H8432H5971H347810False prophets and those who seek their guidance will all be punished for their sins.H5375H5771H5771H5030H5771H187511In this way, the people of Israel will learn not to stray from me, polluting themselves with sin. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!’”H1004H3478H8582H310H2930H6588H5971H430H5002H136H3069
The Certainty of the Lord’s Judgment
12Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H55913“Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals.H1121H120H776H2398H4603H4604H5186H3027H7665H4294H3899H7971H7458H3772H120H92914Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, says the Sovereign Lord.H7969H582H5146H1840H347H8432H5337H5315H6666H5002H136H306915“Or suppose I were to send wild animals to invade the country, kill the people, and make the land too desolate and dangerous to pass through.H3863H7451H2416H5674H776H7921H8077H5674H6440H241616As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be made desolate.H7969H582H8432H2416H5002H136H3069H5337H1121H1323H5337H776H807717“Or suppose I were to bring war against the land, and I sent enemy armies to destroy both people and animals.H935H2719H776H559H2719H5674H776H3772H120H92918As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.H7969H582H8432H2416H5002H136H3069H5337H1121H1323H533719“Or suppose I were to pour out my fury by sending an epidemic into the land, and the disease killed people and animals alike.H7971H1698H776H8210H2534H1818H3772H120H92920As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved by their righteousness.H5146H1840H347H8432H2416H5002H136H3069H5337H1121H518H1323H5337H5315H666621“Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How terrible it will be when all four of these dreadful punishments fall upon Jerusalem—war, famine, wild animals, and disease—destroying all her people and animals.H559H136H3069H7971H702H7451H8201H3389H2719H7458H7451H2416H1698H3772H120H92922Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem.H3498H6413H3318H1121H1323H3318H7200H1870H5949H5162H7451H935H3389H93523When you meet them and see their behavior, you will understand that these things are not being done to Israel without cause. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”H5162H7200H1870H5949H3045H6213H2600H6213H5002H136H3069
Ezekiel 15
Jerusalem—a Useless Vine
15Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H5592“Son of man, how does a grapevine compare to a tree? Is a vine’s wood as useful as the wood of a tree?H1121H120H1612H6086H6086H2156H6086H32933Can its wood be used for making things, like pegs to hang up pots and pans?H6086H3947H6213H4399H3947H3489H8518H36274No, it can only be used for fuel, and even as fuel, it burns too quickly.H5414H784H402H784H398H8147H7098H8432H2787H6743H43995Vines are useless both before and after being put into the fire!H8549H6213H4399H6213H4399H784H398H27876“And this is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Jerusalem are like grapevines growing among the trees of the forest. Since they are useless, I have thrown them on the fire to be burned.H559H136H3069H1612H6086H6086H3293H5414H784H402H5414H3427H33897And I will see to it that if they escape from one fire, they will fall into another. When I turn against them, you will know that I am the Lord.H5414H6440H3318H784H784H398H3045H3068H7760H64408And I will make the land desolate because my people have been unfaithful to me. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”H5414H776H8077H4603H4604H5002H136H3069
Psalms 34
34[A psalm of David, regarding the time he pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, who sent him away.] I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.H1732H8138H2940H6440H40H1644H3212H1288H3068H6256H8416H8548H63102I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart.H5315H1984H3068H6035H8085H80553Come, let us tell of the LORD's greatness; let us exalt his name together.H1431H3068H7311H8034H31624I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.H1875H3068H6030H5337H40355Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.H5027H5102H6440H26596In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.H6041H7121H3068H8085H3467H68697For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.H4397H3068H2583H5439H3373H25028Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!H2938H7200H3068H2896H835H1397H26209Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.H3372H3068H6918H4270H337310Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing.H3715H7326H7456H1875H3068H2637H289611Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD.H3212H1121H8085H3925H3374H306812Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?H376H2655H2416H157H3117H7200H289613Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!H5341H3956H7451H8193H1696H482014Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.H5493H7451H6213H2896H1245H7965H729115The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.H5869H3068H6662H241H777516But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth.H6440H3068H6213H7451H3772H2143H77617The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.H6817H3068H8085H5337H686918The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.H3068H7138H7665H3820H3467H1793H730719The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.H7227H7451H6662H3068H533720For the LORD protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!H8104H6106H259H2007H766521Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.H7451H4191H7563H8130H6662H81622But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.H3068H6299H5315H5650H2620H816
Dublin, OH
in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?H1121
