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Our last study was in Ezekiel 16:1-34. The passage was about a parable of the city of Jerusalem. Yahweh told the people of Israel that the city was started by the Amorites and Hittites. Yet, He loved the city and its people and made the city famous during the reigns of King David and King Solomon. But Jerusalem abandoned Him like a harlot. In the opening thirty-four verses, Yahweh used the words harlot and harlotries eighteen times to describe the people in Jerusalem. Most of us would have been angry if that had been said once or twice of us. But Yahweh said it repeatedly because He was concerned about them. They were engaged in occult worship and sexual activities that were part of that worship. So, they were harlots in more than one way. They abandoned Yahweh for idols, and part of that idol worship was abominable promiscuous sexual behavior. Also, they engaged in appalling cultic ritual sex, killed their children by sacrificing them to false idols, and made their children walk through the fires of Moloch. They were extremely evil people. That summarizes our last study.

Reasons for Yahweh’s Judgment on the Harlot

This study comes from the last half of Ezekiel 16:35-63. The parable ended with verse 34. Now in verse 35, Yahweh begins to announce the punishment that they deserved.

Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD. Ezekiel 16:35 (NASB)

Yahweh says, “O Harlot!” Wow, what a statement! But that accurately described the city of Jerusalem. The people needed to honestly evaluate their behavior and examine their hearts’ desires. They needed to listen and repent. Yahweh had already told the prophet Ezekiel that they would probably not listen and repent (Ezekiel 2:4-7; 3:11), and they did not.

Verse 35 is a summary of the rest of the chapter. It has four sections, and we are going to discover seven principles about the purpose of Yahweh’s discipline or punishment. The first section is verses 35-43 and is titled “Reasons for Yahweh’s Judgment on Jerusalem.” Here are verses 36-37,

Thus says the Lord GOD, “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your harlotries with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your sons which you gave to idols, therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, even all those whom you loved and all those whom you hated. So I will gather them against you from every direction and expose your nakedness to them that they may see all your nakedness.” Ezekiel 16:36-37 (NASB)

Now Yahweh gives Jerusalem a list of abominations associated with idol worship. He refers to their nudity and sexual activities with people from other nations, and the child sacrifices they offered to the idols. They had adopted the religions of certain nations they loved. These nations are referred to as Jerusalem’s lovers. The people of Jerusalem wanted to be like them. They wanted to enjoy their passing pleasures of sin. This is a summary of the sins of the people in Jerusalem. Therefore, Yahweh would gather those nations that Jerusalem loved and those nations that hated Jerusalem. Yahweh would draw these nations from every direction against Israel. Yahweh said they would strip Jerusalem so they see her nakedness.

Verses 38-39 now explains in more detail what Yahweh was saying.

“Thus I will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. “I will also give you into the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, strip you of your clothing, take away your jewels, and will leave you naked and bare. Ezekiel 16:38-39 (NASB)

Yahweh was saying that He would judge them like adulterous wives were judged under the Mosaic Law. If we read Leviticus 20:10, we discover that under the Mosaic Law the punishment for adultery was stoning. Deuteronomy 13:15 adds that idol worshipers were killed with a sword.

Then Yahweh connects the punishment of an adulterous wife to the destruction of the invasion of Jerusalem. They will destroy the places of worship and strip her “naked and bare.” Yahweh would motivate these nations to do that. Proverbs 21:1 tells us how Yahweh can do that.

The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;
He turns it wherever He wishes. Proverbs 21:1 (NASB)

Since Yahweh is sovereign, He can do whatever He wishes with a king. The expression “naked and bare” should remind us of verse 7 of this chapter. There Yahweh also described Jerusalem as being naked and bare” just before He made Jerusalem famous under King David and King Solomon. The point Yahweh made is that He would return Jerusalem to the condition it was in before He made it famous.

Throughout Scripture nakedness outside of marriage is described as shameful. Revelation 16:15 very clearly states that nakedness is shameful. Genesis 3:7-11 tells us that Adam and Eve covered their naked bodies and that Yahweh made clothes for them. This reveals that people in our culture today who claim that we should feel free to be scantily clad or naked have seared or warped consciences. The behavior they are promoting is shameful. Yahweh’s point is that He would embarrass Jerusalem. His judgment was intended to humble them. So, this gives us our first principle about Yahweh’s discipline upon us. If He disciplines us because we have sinned, the discipline is designed to humble us.

How would Yahweh humble Jerusalem? We are given the answer in verses 40-41 when Yahweh said,

“They will incite a crowd against you and they will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. They will burn your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. Then I will stop you from playing the harlot, and you will also no longer pay your lovers.” Ezekiel 16:40-41 (NASB)

As we have already discovered from Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 13:15, harlots will be killed by stoning or the sword. So in 588 B.C., Yahweh motivated the surrounding nations to invade and leave Jerusalem “naked and bare.” The population was slaughtered and the city and temple were burned to the ground. A massive number of people were killed.

Our second principle about Yahweh’s discipline due to sin is that He punishes to motivate us to stop committing certain sins. For He says in verse 41, “Then I will stop you from playing the harlot, and you will also no longer pay your lovers.” So, Yahweh seeks to humble us to motivate us to stop committing certain sins.

Verses 42-43 concludes this first section about judgment, and reveals another reason why He disciplines us for our sins.

“So I will calm My fury against you and My jealousy will depart from you, and I will be pacified and angry no more. Because you have not remembered the days of your youth but have enraged Me by all these things, behold, I in turn will bring your conduct down on your own head,” declares the Lord GOD, “so that you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other abominations. Ezekiel 16:42-43 (NASB)

He says that He must satisfy His fury against us when we sin and are unrepentant. In the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9, we are told to pray “Hallowed be Your name.” The Greek word for “hallowed” refers to making someone holy. That is, we are supposed to pray that God the Father makes Himself holy. One way He does this is by not allowing sins to go unpunished. Since He is righteous, if we do not stop sinning, He must punish us. When He does, His fury will then become calm. The Hebrew word for “calm” in verse 42 can also be translated as “rested.” That is, His fury settles down and rests. The Hebrew word for “pacified” has the sense of “peaceful,” and the expression “no more” is obvious. The point is that His anger and fury increase against us when we refuse to stop committing certain sins.

In 1 John 2:2, we are told Jesus is the propitiation for our sins. That is, He satisfies God the Father’s wrath against our sins. So Christ protects believers from condemnation that would send us to hell (Romans 8:1). Yet, we must remember the Father will discipline us for unrepentant ongoing sin.

Notice that in verse 43 Yahweh said, “Because you have not remembered the days of your youth but have enraged Me by all these things, behold, I in turn will bring your conduct down on your own head.” Yahweh was also angry that Jerusalem did not remember what He had done for them. That should have motivated them to remember and be grateful for all that He had done. That should also motivate us to act holy. So, our third principle about discipline due to our sin is that Yahweh’s holiness demands He discipline us for ongoing unrepentant sin.

The Harlot Became Like Her Neighbors

The second section of our study in Ezekiel 16:44-52. It reveals that Jerusalem became like the nations around her. Verses 44 through 46 are about a proverb.

“Behold, everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb concerning you, saying, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and children. You are also the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. Now your older sister is Samaria, who lives north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lives south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. Ezekiel 16:44-46 (NASB)

A proverb is given to us in verse 1. It is “like mother, like daughter.” That is Jerusalem had become like her mother. In verse 3 of this chapter, Yahweh told us what He was referring to when He said mother and father. Jerusalem’s mother was the Hittites. Her father was the Amorites. Yahweh’s message is that Jerusalem had the characteristics of the Hittites. In verse 45, Yahweh said Jerusalem had the characteristics of her sisters which were Samaria in the north and Sodom in the south. The common sin for all of them is that they did not love people. They exploited other people and murdered their children.

Verses 47-50 continues the description.

“Yet you have not merely walked in their ways or done according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you acted more corruptly in all your conduct than they. As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “Sodom, your sister and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it. Ezekiel 16:47-50 (NASB)

Now Yahweh tells Jerusalem that her sins were more evil than the sins of her lovers. We have discovered earlier that there are degrees of sins. It is a lie that all sins are equal. Some sins are worse than others. Verse 47 says, “You acted more corruptly in all your conduct than they.” Jerusalem acted more corruptly in all their conduct—in everything they did.

Notice that Yahweh now condemned Jerusalem for its arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, while ignoring the poor and needy. Now it is easy to notice the contrast and conclude that the contrast is what Yahweh condemned. But we need to notice that Yahweh used the word arrogance which is a sin; then He included abundant food and careless ease. The message is arrogance, abundant food, and excessive ease are sins along with ignoring the poor and needy. But when Yahweh compares them, He is emphasizing the sins. In fact, ignoring the poor and needy is a sin of greed, and the absence of love. These sins are occurring in the United States.

Like a snake, these sins have slithered into the church. Some Christians think they are Yahweh’s blessings. We need to remember that He wants us with our wealth to advance His kingdom and help others. This gives us the fourth principle about discipline due to our sin. Yahweh may discipline us for what we have failed to do.

Then Yahweh says in verses 51-52,

“Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half of your sins, for you have multiplied your abominations more than they. Thus you have made your sisters appear righteous by all your abominations which you have committed. Also bear your disgrace in that you have made judgment favorable for your sisters. Because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. Yes, be also ashamed and bear your disgrace, in that you made your sisters appear righteous. Ezekiel 16:51-52 (NASB)

Now Yahweh reveals that He is counting our sins. He says that Samaria committed, “Half of your sins.” Thus, Samaria looked like a more righteous nation. We make the same type of comparisons. The United States in 2023 looks more wicked than other nations. In verse 52, Yahweh said that Jerusalem made Samaria to look even righteous. Again, Yahweh is counting Jerusalem’s sins and comparing. Then He adds Jerusalem should feel ashamed and feel the disgrace of their sins. The people of Jerusalem should have felt guilty for making the wicked people of Samaria appear more righteous. Notice that Yahweh did not say Samaria was righteous. He is comparing the sins of the nations. Yahweh is watching!

So, Yahweh both sees and compares our sins. Luke 10:13-14 also teaches us that He more severely judges the wicked according to their sins.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.” Luke 10:13-14 (NASB)

First Jesus condemned Chorazin and Bethsaida for not believing in Him. Then in verse 14, He revealed their punishment would be worse in hell. The point is that just as there are degrees of evil in various sins, there are also degrees of punishment for sin for the wicked both now and in eternity. There are also degrees of discipline for believers in this life, but not in eternity. So, this gives us the fifth principle about discipline due to our sin. Yahweh will more severely discipline us if our sins are more evil.

The Harlot and Her Neighbors Will Be Restored

The third section of our study is in Ezekiel 16:53-59. In this section, Yahweh announces He will restore Jerusalem and her neighbors. Verses 53-59 state,

“Nevertheless, I will restore their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and along with them your own captivity, in order that you may bear your humiliation and feel ashamed for all that you have done when you become a consolation to them. Your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to their former state, and you with your daughters will also return to your former state. As the name of your sister Sodom was not heard from your lips in your day of pride, before your wickedness was uncovered, so now you have become the reproach of the daughters of Edom and of all who are around her, of the daughters of the Philistines — those surrounding you who despise you. You have borne the penalty of your lewdness and abominations,” the LORD declares. For thus says the Lord GOD, “I will also do with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Ezekiel 16:53-59 (NASB)

Now Yahweh promises to restore Sodom and Samaria and their daughters. Why? Yahweh wants to humble and shame Jerusalem. Five times in this chapter (verses 51, 52, 54, 61, and 63) Yahweh says that His discipline is designed to shame Jerusalem. I believe true humility and shame occur when we truly admit our sin and repent to Yahweh. Proud people do not repent and seek forgiveness. Sometimes repentance requires apologizing to other people. That is humbling and it causes us shame. Now we have the sixth principle about discipline due to our sin. Yahweh designs our punishment to bring confession of our sin and stop us from continuing to sin.

Verse 56 and 57 can be hard to understand. The basic message of verse 56 is that before Jerusalem became wicked, she never or rarely mentioned the name of Sodom. She never mentioned Sodom because Sodom was not respected since its sins were so vile. Jerusalem was too proud to refer to her. So, the message in verse 57 is that Edom, the surrounding nations, and the sisters of the Philistines would despise Jerusalem after Yahweh punished her. Why? Verse 59 explains! Jerusalem would suffer punishment because it broke its covenant with Yahweh. This gives us a seventh principle about discipline due to sin. We reap what we sow.

Yahweh Faithfully Remembers His Covenant

The fourth section of our study is in Ezekiel 16:60-63 and is titled, “Yahweh faithfully remembers His covenant.” Here are verses 60-61,

“Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; and I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant.” Ezekiel 16:60-61 (NASB)

Now we come to the encouraging part of this study. Yahweh promises Jerusalem and all of the Jewish people that He will remember the covenant that He made with them in the early days. That is, Yahweh keeps His promises. The covenant was an everlasting one, and it would be fulfilled. This refers to the millennial kingdom and the eternal state which will be established along with the other nations (Zechariah 14:9-21).

Ezekiel 16:62-63 describes what will happen after Jerusalem repents in shame,

Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, so that you may remember and be ashamed and never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,” the Lord GOD declares. Ezekiel 16:62-63 (NASB)

Zechariah 12:10-14 captures these four verses. It reveals that at the second coming of Christ all of Israel, who are alive at the time of His coming, will be remembered and will be forgiven. They will be saved. In Zechariah 12:10-11, at the battle of Armageddon when Christ descends, Yahweh says this will happen,

“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo. Zechariah 12:10-11 (NASB)

Jerusalem will respond in shame. Then Yahweh says He will forgive her for all that she has done. That is because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Zechariah 12:10 makes that point. They will see Him whom they had pierced. Then they will enter the millennial kingdom. So, even though the vast majority of Israel were unbelievers, Yahweh will remember His covenant and save all of Israel that is left at the end of the tribulation. He keeps His promises.

Conclusion

I want to close with a reminder that this should be an encouragement for everyone who has believed in Christ. God keeps His promise to believers too! 1 John 2:1-2 reminds us that,

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 2:1-2 (NASB)

The message is that God has promised believers that our sins have been forgiven forever, and our Savior Jesus Christ will defend us until we enter heaven.

We will begin our study of Ezekiel 15:1-8 by turning first to John 15:1-6. This passage is about a vine, its branches, and its fruit. Jesus says,

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. John 15:1 (NASB)

Jesus is the true vine! Acts 4:12 echoes this truth that salvation can be found only in Jesus Christ and no one else. It says,

And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 (NASB)

Only Christ can save us from the penalty of our sinful behavior. Only He can forgive our sins and save us from an eternal life in hell. That is what Jesus described in John 15:1 when He said “I am the true vine.”

Then He added, “My Father is the vinedresser.” Every vineyard needs an owner who cares for it. The owner plants it, prunes it by cutting off the dead branches, and prunes the healthy branches so they will produce more grapes. That is Jesus’ message in verse 1.

In verse 2, Jesus takes the illustration to the next logical point. He says,

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2 (NASB)

Now Jesus says that there are two types of branches in Him. In a real vineyard, every vine has branches that are alive and some that are dead. The branches that are alive produce fruit, but the dead ones never produce fruit. So, a wise vinedresser removes them. Jesus described what happens in the real world.

In this illustration, Jesus includes everyone who identifies with him! He includes believers and unbelievers. Earlier in John 6:60-66 we are told that many of Jesus’ disciples complained about a statement He made in the preceding verses. We will skip those verses and look at verse 60. It says,

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?” John 6:60-61 (NASB)

Some of the disciples did not like what He said. Then in verse 64, Jesus said that not all of these disciples were real disciples. He said,

“But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. John 6:64 (NASB)

This is an important statement. Jesus knew that some did not believe in Him from the very beginning. The Greek tense also tells us that these unbelieving individuals were continuously not believing. That is, they were never believers. But notice verse 60 called them disciples. They had been spending time with Jesus, listening to Him, and following Him. When Jesus said that some betrayed Him, He did not just refer to Judas. Notice that verse 66 says that many left Him and stopped walking with Him. So, many were never real disciples. This means one can appear to be a real disciple of Jesus but not be a Christian or a true believer in Him.

I knew a man years ago who faithfully attended the church I pastored. He seemed to be very committed. He loved Jesus, sang the Christian songs, and listened to the sermons. He preached Christ and passed out water bottles and Christian literature to the homeless. But one day he told me that he was leaving the church because he did not believe Jesus was God. He had not been a true disciple of Christ. That man was a good example of those described in John 6:60-66. A person can appear to be a follower of Jesus but not actually be one.

Now let us go back to John 15:2. This helps us understand that the dead branches are apostate or unbelieving followers. They have no spiritual life. So the Father takes them away. The verse says, “every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

Then in verse 3, Jesus tells the disciples, who were listening to Him, that they were already clean. They were already forgiven. They were real believers. Next, in verses 4-5 He said,

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5 (NASB)

What was Jesus’ message in these verses? True believers will produce fruit. Verse 5 says that true believers produce much fruit—not a little.

We know this is true from Philippians 1:5-6 which reveals the apostle Paul is speaking to Christians. Then verse 6 says,

. . . He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

That is, when God the Father saves us, He begins a good work and will continue working on us until the day of Christ Jesus. That is, once a person is a true Christian, they remain a true Christian. They will produce much fruit.

So, what have we learned? We have learned that a person can call themselves a Christian and yet be a dead branch on the vine, just like the man who did not believe Jesus was God. Then John 15:6 says that God the Father will cast that dead branch into the fire where it will be burned.

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. John 15:6 (NASB)

They will go to hell for eternity. It is with great sorrow that I must say that. But that is the message from our God. This gives us an important principle. God the Father will remove unbelievers, even unbelievers who have been exposed to His blessings and the Scriptures and cast them into hell. The proof they deserve punishment is that they do not produce fruit, which means they never believed in Christ.

The Illustration In Ezekiel 15

Now we are ready for the study in Ezekiel 15. The chapter can be divided into two sections. Verses 1-5 provide the illustration, and verses 6-8 give us the application. Here is verses 1-2,

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest? Ezekiel 15:1-2 (NASB)

The prophet Ezekiel was given another word from the Lord. It begins with an illustration. It is about a vine that was compared to a tree. Yahweh asked if the wood of a vine is better than the wood of a tree in the forest.

Yahweh suggests the answer by asking another question,

Can wood be taken from it to make anything, or can men take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel? Ezekiel 15:3 (NASB)

Yahweh’s question is simple. Can the wood or stem of the vine be made into anything? Can men make a peg from the wood of a vine? The Hebrew word for vessel is keli. In the Old Testament, it refers to things that have significant weight such as a pot, gold jewelry, bags of grain, or a sword. That is, keli refers to items that have significant weight. That helps us answer the question, “Can vessels that have significant weight be held up by a peg made from the wood of a vine?” The answer is no. Why? Because the wood of a vine is too soft to make anything of value or hang anything on it. So, Yahweh is asking, “What is it good for?”

Verse 4,

If it has been put into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and its middle part has been charred, is it then useful for anything? Ezekiel 15:4 (NASB)

The next question is what if the wood of the vine is put into the fire in order to create a fire: the ends are burned but the middle is charred. Is it useful for anything?

Verse 5 is the conclusion of the illustration.

“Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into anything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into anything! Ezekiel 15:5 (NASB)

The message is that the wood of the vine cannot be made into anything of value before it was burned in the fire, nor after it was burned in the fire. So, Yahweh answered the question, “Is the wood of the vine good for anything?” The answer is,”No!” The wood of the vine was good for nothing both before and after it was in the fire. It is useless. That is the illustration.

The Application

Then in verse 6 Yahweh begins to explain the meaning of the illustration in greater depth. The message He wanted the prophet Ezekiel, the elders, the Jews in exile, and us to know is that the wood of the vine was useless. He said,

“Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I set My face against them.” Ezekiel 15:6-7a (NASB)

Yahweh repeats the part of verse 3 which compared the wood of the vine to the wood of a tree in the forest. But this time He adds that the vine is in the forest among the trees. His point is the vine in the forest is a wild vine. Next, He emphasized that the vine was given to the fire just as He had already given up the people living in Jerusalem to the fire. Then Yahweh reminded them that He was against them. Wow, who would want Yahweh to be opposed to them? How foolish!

This is a significant verse because it reveals that the wood of the vine is symbolic of the people in Jerusalem. In the Old Testament, a vine frequently symbolized the nation of Israel. For example, in Psalm 80:8-9, Asaph, the choir director, referred to Israel as a vine,

You removed a vine from Egypt;
You drove out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground before it,
And it took deep root and filled the land.
Psalm 80:8-9 (NASB)

Clearly, the statement “You removed a vine from Egypt” refers to Yahweh having rescued Israel from Egypt. Then He planted the vine, cleared the ground and Israel took root in Palestine. Isaiah 5:1-7 also refers to Jerusalem and Judah as a vine. Verse 1 says,

Let me sing now for my well-beloved
A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard.
My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.
Isaiah 5:1 (NASB)

Then in verses 3-5, the vineyard is connected to Israel,

And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
Judge between Me and My vineyard.
What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?
Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?
So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard:
I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed;
I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.
Isaiah 5:3-5 (NASB)

When Yahweh referred to the wood of the vine in the forest, the elders and those in exile would have understood that He referred to Jerusalem and Judah. Jerusalem was a wild vine. It did not produce any good fruit. Righteousness was missing. They were not a positive witness to the nations around them (Deuteronomy 7:6-7; Isaiah 43:10; Ezekiel 5:5-6). Instead, they ignored Him and chased after the gods in their hearts. They were unbelievers. What does one do with a wild vine?

This reminds me of my teenage years. We lived out in the country. We had a large number of fruit trees, wild blackberry vines, poison oak, and other wild growing vegetation. My dad told me and my brothers to cut down the trees and clear the land. So, we created a big pile with the tree branches, tree stumps, and wild vines. Then my dad threw kerosene on the pile and threw a couple of matches into the pile. That made a tremendous fire. It was hot and the black smoke lifted up into the sky. That is a good illustration of what is done to wild vines and vegetation. That was Israel. Yahweh had given up Jerusalem for destruction to the Babylonian army.

Then verse 7b adds,

Though they have come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Ezekiel 15:7b (NASB)

Now Yahweh added that Jerusalem had not been completely destroyed by the first two Babylonian invasions! So, Yahweh announced that it will be completely consumed by the third invasion. It was going to happen.

Conclusion

Now Yahweh explains why He would destroy Jerusalem. There are two parts to His answer. The first part of the answer is given in verse 7c,

Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them. Ezekiel 15:7c (NASB)

Yahweh said then they would “know I am the Lord.” That is the first reason. Sixty-seven times in the book of Ezekiel, Yahweh uttered this phrase “Then you will know that I am the LORD.” He repeated it because they ignored His warnings. So, after the city of Jerusalem and the temple were burned to the ground, they would finally understand that He had spoken. But by then it would be too late! Sadly, that is also true of unbelievers today who reject Jesus Christ. That is the message of John 15:1-5. Someday after they die and are in the fires of hell, they will know Yahweh is the Lord and He had warned them. This was a warning to believe in Yahweh. He does not make empty threats.

The second reason for the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple is given in verse 8.

Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully, declares the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 15:8 (NASB)

Yahweh said He would make the land desolate because the people had been unfaithful. He had rescued Israel from Egypt and blessed them in so many ways. But the citizens of Jerusalem had abandoned Yahweh, and the proof was that they had idols in their hearts. They were like a wild vine. They could not produce any spiritual fruit or be of service to Yahweh. So, they were unfruitful and worthless to Him. They were good for nothing. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the city, and the temple would be destroyed. That is the meaning of the chapter. Only the remnant was fruitful and of worth.

We began this study with a brief review of Jesus’ illustration in John 15 where He said that He is the true vine. That illustration was applied to Christ’s disciples and to those who claim to be His disciples today. That illustration and Ezekiel 15 give us the first principle that applies to people today. That principle is: God the Father knows those individuals who are the wood and the branches that do not produce fruit. So just as Ezekiel 15:6 says the wood of the vine will be destroyed in fire, John 15 says God the Father will cast the fruitless branches into the fire of hell. Neither the wood nor the fruitless branches are good for anything that counts for eternity. God cannot use them due to the idols in their hearts and the inability for the Holy Spirit to use them.

The second principle is that those who are not good for anything are the unfaithful. We have already been told here in Ezekiel 15 that because the worthless wood is not good for anything, it will be cast into the fire. We have already discovered these people had rejected God. So, they were not committed to Him. They did not accomplish anything for Him. The proof was they had idols in their hearts. Then in verse 8 the climax is reached. We are told they were the unfaithful. So, they would be destroyed, except for a remnant.

In John 15:4, we are told the unfruitful and worthless branches do not abide in Christ. That is, the unfruitful are unbelievers. Consequently, they cannot do good deeds (Ephesians 2:8-10). So, the second principle is that those who are not good for anything are the unfaithful—the unbelievers. It is sad that many of the ancient Jews in Israel did not believe Yahweh and are now suffering in the fires of hell. The same is true for so many Gentiles.

A third principle is their behavior revealed that God the Father acts righteously when He cuts them off. His action is justified. Their attitudes, thoughts, and behavior reflected the evil condition of their hearts. Just as Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, “You will know them by their fruits,” their behavior was proof that Yahweh was justified in sending them to hell. That is one of the reasons Revelation 20:11-14 says that the books will be opened at the Great White Throne Judgment. The books will contain a record of the evil deeds of unbelievers that will prove they deserve hell, which means they never gave themselves to Christ.

The fourth principle is that Yahweh always warns unbelievers to believe in Him and to repent. The prophets warned people and so does 1 John 3:23-24.

This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. 24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 1 John 3:23-24 (NASB)

We can rejoice that we believe in Jesus Christ! The proof that we are believers is that we strive to keep His commands, and that His Spirit dwells within. We want to be faithful to Him from the depths of our hearts.

We are studying the third cycle of prophecies in the book of Ezekiel. It began in chapter 12 and extends through chapter 19. Chapter 12 contained a detailed prophecy about judgment upon Zedekiah, the king in Jerusalem. We discovered that Flavius Josephus confirmed the prophecy was fulfilled.

Our study is from Ezekiel 13. It is about judgment upon the false prophets and false priestesses in Israel, whether they were in Jerusalem or among the exiles. Dr. Charles Feinberg states that chapter is one of the most important chapters in the Old Testament about false prophets and priestesses.[1] We are going to discover several important characteristics of false prophets and prophetesses in this study. We will learn how God deals with them. The chapter can be divided into two major sections. The first is about the false prophets. The second is about the false prophetesses. In both sections, Yahweh describes their guilt and then their punishment.

Guilt of False Prophets

Verses 1-7 is the first section and it is about the guilt of the false prophets. In the opening three verses Yahweh commanded the prophet Ezekiel to speak to the false prophets.

Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own inspiration, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD, “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.’” Ezekiel 13:1-3 (NASB)

In verse 2 Yahweh gives us an interesting definition of a false prophet. He says he is one who prophesies “from their own inspiration.” Normally, we think of a false prophet or a false teacher as one who distorts what Yahweh has spoken or what the Bible teaches. While that is true, Yahweh says, their root problem is that they make up the prophecies. The Hebrew word for “inspiration” is libba. It refers to the “heart” or the “inner self.” It reminds me of Robert Schueller, who once was the pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in Southern California. He was asked one day how he got his ideas for messages. From where did he get his inspiration? He said that he got his ideas for his sermons by sitting in a garden the church had built for him. He also claimed that Jesus died on a cross to give us a positive self-image. That is demonic deception. Jesus did not die on the cross to help us feel good about ourselves. He died to forgive the sins of those who believed Jesus was God and is our Savior. Robert Schueller was a false teacher. He was like the false prophets in the time of Jeremiah, Habbakuk, Daniel, and Ezekiel. His sermons were created from his inner self while sitting in a garden and not by the Holy Spirit from the Word of God.

Then in verse 3, Yahweh emphasized the point by saying, “they are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.” In Jeremiah 14:14, Yahweh said this to the prophet Jeremiah about false prophets,

Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.” Jeremiah 14:14 (NASB)

The false prophets were very convincing. Most likely the people loved hearing their positive visions and prophecies. It made them feel good. But Yahweh said they were “following their own spirit and have seen nothing.”

In our study of 2 Peter 2:12, we discovered that false teachers operate by instinct and do not really understand spiritual truth. It says,

But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge . . . 2 Peter 2:12a (NASB)

Then 2 Peter 2:13 says they enjoy deceiving people. Verses 17-19 add that they are like springs without water. That is, they are spiritually empty but they put on a great show. They are great actors.

These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 2 Peter 2:17-19 (NASB)

Verse 19 says they promise freedom. They do not really care about biblical truth but obtaining the approval of men.

Today, there are many false prophets, such as Ken Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, and Benny Hinn to name a few. They believe they are prophets of God. On one occasion, Benny Hinn announced that the Holy Spirit had given him new revelation or knowledge. Then he told the audience that God was nine persons. God the Father was body, soul, and spirit. Jesus Christ was body, soul, and spirit. The Holy Spirit was body, soul, and spirit. But that was heresy. That was from his own ideas and not from the Holy Spirit. But the crowd listening to him cheered.

Before we continue to Ezekiel 13:4, it is important to add that prophets cannot exist today. The reason is that the Old Testament prophesied the Messiah was coming and He came over 2,000 years ago. He is Jesus Christ. He commissioned twelve apostles who would speak for Him after He returned to heaven. They wrote the New Testament. So, everyone was looking for Him, and He told us His apostles would speak for Him. So, we listened to Christ and His apostles. But they did not tell us to look for or listen to anyone after they were gone. In fact, the apostle Jude tells us to fight for the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints in Jude 3. In Jude 17, he said that we are to remember the words of the apostles. Notice they did not tell us to look for someone after them such as a prophet. So, anyone who claims to be a prophet today is not a prophet of God. They are simply false prophets speaking from their own inspiration. False prophets are guilty of lying.

Now back to Ezekiel 13. In verse 4 Yahweh says,

“O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among ruins.” Ezekiel 13:4 (NASB)

Yahweh spoke to the Israelites. He told them their prophets were like foxes among the ruins. That is, they were false prophets who caused ruin. Every false prophet is like a fox or a jackal. The Hebrew word can mean “fox” or “jackal.” They destroy the crops, poultry, and other small animals a farmer is raising. False prophets may be dynamic speakers but they are not spiritual leaders. As 2 Peter 2:17 said, they are like empty springs. They have no spiritual life. So false prophets spiritually destroy people.

In Ezekiel 13:5, Yahweh continues the illustration,

You have not gone up into the breaches, nor did you build the wall around the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of the LORD. Ezekiel 13:5 (NASB)

Since the context is spiritual in nature, we need to understand this verse in a spiritual sense. That is, the false prophets did not rebuke the people for their sins or call them to repentance. In Lamentations 2:14 we are told the false prophets were foolish for they did not expose the people’s iniquity. They did not build up the spiritual wall of Israel.

Verses 6-7 describe the spiritually bankrupt condition of the false prophets,

“They see falsehood and lying divination who are saying, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word. Did you not see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said, ‘The LORD declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?”’” Ezekiel 13:6-7 (NASB)

This is truly unbelievable. Yahweh said at the end of verse 6 that the false prophets hope their lies will come true. So, Yahweh rebuked them and reveals their phony prophecies would not come true.

So Yahweh described the guilt of these foolish prophets. They deceive! Part of their deception is that after lying they urge their audiences to, “Listen to the word of the Lord.” That sounds so spiritual and holy. But they are liars because Yahweh never spoke to them. The result is they destroy people who are in great spiritual need.

Punishment of False Prophets

Our next section is verses 8-16. It describes their punishment. Verses 8-9 say,

Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “Because you have spoken falsehood and seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord GOD. So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will have no place in the council of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, that you may know that I am the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 13:8-9 (NASB)

Therefore, Yahweh said to the false prophets, “I am against you.” Consequently, He would do three things to them. First, they would not be allowed to be part of the council overseeing the people. Second, they will not be listed as a citizen in Israel. Third, they will not be allowed to re-enter the land of Israel. In summary, they were rejected as leaders in Israel. They would not be able to return to their friends and family. That was Yahweh’s punishment for false teachers because they claim Yahweh said something when He did not speak, and twisted what He did say.

So Yahweh said,

“It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash; so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall. A flooding rain will come, and you, O hailstones, will fall; and a violent wind will break out. Ezekiel 13:10-11 (NASB)

Now in verse 10 Yahweh identified the specific lie of these false prophets. They said the people could achieve peace when peace was not possible. This reminds us of Ezekiel 11:3 when the leaders in Jerusalem told the people they should not build their houses for the city was like metal or steel that would protect them from the Babylonian army.

So, the people were building the wall because their political leaders told them they would achieve peace against the Babylonian army. Then the false prophets reinforced the deception of the wicked leaders with their own lies. The false prophets’ lies are called whitewash. Too many times religious leaders support political leaders. False Christians are influenced by demonic forces to distort the Word of God in order to please political leaders. This helps us identify which ones are biblically inaccurate. When Yahweh said He would send a torrential rain, the hailstones may refer to the Babylonian army. So, either the weather or the army would come like a violent wind and destroy their physical wall and their deceptive lie.

Next, Yahweh said that when the wall is destroyed, the people would start asking, “Where is the plaster?”

“Behold, when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, ‘Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?’” Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “I will make a violent wind break out in My wrath. There will also be in My anger a flooding rain and hailstones to consume it in wrath. Ezekiel 13:12-13 (NASB)

Notice that they did not understand why the prophecies were not fulfilled. Today, there are many disillusioned people because of false prophecies made about people. Prophecies such as receiving a tenfold blessings for money donated to a ministry and prophecies for healing occur all the time in Bible studies and in sermons. Imagine all of the people who are disillusioned. Then Yahweh repeats part of verse 11. Notice that once again Yahweh said He would defeat them. He will use the weather or the Babylonian army against them.

In verses 14-16, Yahweh announced the utter defeat that was coming!

“So I will tear down the wall which you plastered over with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation is laid bare; and when it falls, you will be consumed in its midst. And you will know that I am the LORD. Thus I will spend My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it over with whitewash; and I will say to you, ‘The wall is gone and its plasterers are gone, along with the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ declares the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 13:14-16 (NASB)

After Yahweh has destroyed the city and had thousands of people die, then those who were left would know “that I am the Lord.” They would know Yahweh had spoken through Ezekiel. The lying prophets would die too!

Guilt of False Prophetesses

Now Yahweh spoke to the false women prophets. In verses 17-19, He announced their guilt.

“Now you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their own inspiration. Prophesy against them and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to hunt down lives! Will you hunt down the lives of My people, but preserve the lives of others for yourselves? For handfuls of barley and fragments of bread, you have profaned Me to My people to put to death some who should not die and to keep others alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies.”’” Ezekiel 13:17-19 (NASB)

Yahweh told Ezekiel to speak to the false women prophets. Notice again that Yahweh said they also prophesy from their own inspiration. The visions they saw and the words they spoke were not from the Holy Spirit. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 teaches that false prophets and prophetesses are deceived by evil spirits. Consequently, their teachings are lies. So how can we identify a false teacher? We must seriously know the Bible and listen closely. The only way a believer can know a false teacher is to diligently study the Scriptures.

Verse 18 reveals that the false prophetesses sewed magic bands on their wrists and put some type of veil on their victims. This refers to some form of sorcery. We must remember that any type of involvement with sorcery or demons is forbidden in Leviticus 19:26. It is forbidden for our protection. It appears these women used occult arts in an attempt to ensnare and hurt God’s followers. Some people think that the barley and fragments of bread were used in their occult rituals. But it seems likely that these were payments for the purpose of putting to death the righteous and not the wicked. These false prophetesses were guilty of making false prophecies and engaging in occult practices, probably to convince people they spoke for Yahweh.

Punishment of False Prophetesses

The last section is verses 20-23. Verses 20-21 announce Yahweh’s punishment for the false prophetesses, just as He did for the false prophets.

Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you hunt lives there as birds and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let them go, even those lives whom you hunt as birds. I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands, and they will no longer be in your hands to be hunted; and you will know that I am the LORD.” Ezekiel 13:20-21(NASB)

It is important that we notice Yahweh did not say these false women prophets were successful in hunting down the lives of people. He only said they tried to hunt down lives with their occult arts. Only Yahweh Himself can cause or allow a person to die. Now because of their wicked practices and evil plans, Yahweh said He would tear off their veils and deliver His own people from them. Unfortunately, historical data is not available to help us understand the references to the occult arts. Therefore, this is a difficult passage.

Verses 22-23 conclude the chapter.

“Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him grief, but have encouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way and preserve his life, therefore, you women will no longer see false visions or practice divination, and I will deliver My people out of your hand. Thus you will know that I am the LORD.” Ezekiel 13:22-23 (NASB)

Notice two things in this passage. First, notice that Yahweh does not want the righteous to be disheartened or sad. Nor does He want the wicked to continue doing evil. Second, Yahweh cares about those who follow Him. Therefore, Yahweh promised to punish the false prophets. This would occur when the Babylonian army destroyed them, the city, and the temple.

Conclusion

Why did Yahweh announce judgment on the wicked leaders in Ezekiel 12 and the male and female prophets? First, they were wicked people. Second, the false male and female prophets changed and distorted what Yahweh had said. The inspiration for their messages came from within themselves and not from the Lord.

So, we have learned that God does not like what He has said to be distorted. Distorting Scripture is more than a mistake. God takes it personally. Throughout chapters 12 and 13 Yahweh has revealed that He does not want His Word twisted and mutilated. Why? First, the only way we can know what He has spoken is that we teach Scripture accurately. Second, the only way we know He exists is that we ignore our desires and teach what He has said accurately. Third, that gives us direction. Then we know the truth. Fourth, when we accurately teach what He has written, it will bring people to Him. Yahweh wants us to know, “I am the LORD.” So, He will punish every false prophet and false teacher. He will also punish believers who do not carefully and accurately teach His Word (James 3:1-2).

 

References:

1. Charles Feinberg. The Prophecy of Ezekiel. Moody Press., 1969. p. 73.