Ezekiel 14:9
But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.
But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message
In the context of Ezekiel 14, God addresses the issue of false prophets in Israel. Prophets were expected to deliver messages from God, but some were swayed by personal gain or societal pressures. The term "enticed" suggests a temptation or influence leading the prophet away from truth. This reflects the broader biblical theme of testing and discernment, as seen in Deuteronomy 13:1-3, where false prophets are a test of faithfulness to God.

then it was I the LORD who enticed him
This phrase highlights God's sovereignty, even over false prophets. It suggests that God allows or uses the actions of false prophets to fulfill His purposes, similar to how He hardened Pharaoh's heart in Exodus 9:12. This can be understood as a form of divine judgment, where God gives people over to their desires as seen in Romans 1:24-28. It underscores the biblical principle that God can use even the actions of the unrighteous to accomplish His will.

and I will stretch out My hand against him
The imagery of God stretching out His hand is often associated with divine intervention and judgment. This phrase is used throughout the Old Testament, such as in Exodus 7:5, where God stretches out His hand against Egypt. It signifies God's active role in executing justice and serves as a warning to those who lead His people astray.

and destroy him from among My people Israel
The consequence for the false prophet is severe—destruction and removal from the community. This reflects the seriousness of leading God's people away from truth. In the historical context, Israel was called to be a holy nation, set apart for God (Exodus 19:6). The removal of false prophets was necessary to maintain the purity and faithfulness of the community. This also foreshadows the ultimate judgment and separation of the righteous from the unrighteous, as seen in the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-30.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet and priest during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is the author of the book and a key figure in delivering God's messages to the Israelites.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The God of Israel, who speaks through Ezekiel, emphasizing His sovereignty and justice.

3. False Prophets
Individuals who claim to speak for God but are led by their own desires or deceit, leading the people astray.

4. Israel
The nation chosen by God, often depicted in the Old Testament as struggling with faithfulness to Him.

5. Babylonian Exile
The period during which the Israelites were exiled to Babylon, a backdrop for Ezekiel's prophecies.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Prophecy
God is in control of all messages, true or false, and uses them to fulfill His purposes. This underscores His ultimate authority and the importance of seeking His truth.

The Danger of False Prophets
False prophets can lead people away from God. Believers must be vigilant and discerning, testing all teachings against Scripture.

Divine Judgment and Responsibility
While God may allow deception as a form of judgment, individuals are responsible for their response to His truth. This calls for personal accountability in spiritual matters.

The Importance of Discernment
Believers are called to discern truth from falsehood, relying on the Holy Spirit and Scripture to guide them in understanding God's will.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding God's sovereignty in Ezekiel 14:9 affect your view of prophecy and messages you hear today?

2. In what ways can you discern between true and false teachings in your own life?

3. How does the concept of God allowing deception as judgment challenge or affirm your understanding of His character?

4. What steps can you take to ensure you are not led astray by false prophets or teachings?

5. How do the warnings against false prophets in Ezekiel and other scriptures apply to the modern church context?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
This passage warns against false prophets and emphasizes the importance of discerning true messages from God.

Jeremiah 23:16-32
Jeremiah speaks against false prophets, highlighting the danger of listening to those who speak from their own imaginations.

1 Kings 22:19-23
The account of Micaiah and the lying spirit sent to deceive Ahab's prophets, illustrating God's control over prophetic messages.

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
Paul speaks of God sending a strong delusion to those who refuse to love the truth, paralleling the concept of God allowing deception as judgment.
Disastrous Answers to PrayerJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 14:1-11
Heart Disease the Worst DiseaseEzekiel 14:1-11
Heart IdolsJ. Parker, D. D.Ezekiel 14:1-11
Hypocritical Inquirers of GodW. Jones Ezekiel 14:1-11
Idolaters Inquiring of GodR. Einlayson, B. A.Ezekiel 14:1-11
Idolatry in the HeartJohn Bate.Ezekiel 14:1-11
Idols in the HeartJ. Ogle.Ezekiel 14:1-11
Mental IdolatryS. Leathes, D. D.Ezekiel 14:1-11
The Idols in the Heart a Barrier to the TruthEvangelical PreacherEzekiel 14:1-11
People
Daniel, Ezekiel, Job, Noah
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Anything, Cut, Deceit, Deceived, Destroy, Destroyed, Enticed, Midst, Prevailed, Prophecy, Prophet, Says, Speak, Speaketh, Spoken, Stretch, Stretched, Tricked, Utter
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 14:1-11

     8648   enquiring of God

Ezekiel 14:4-9

     7774   prophets, false

Library
Education of Jesus.
This aspect of Nature, at once smiling and grand, was the whole education of Jesus. He learned to read and to write,[1] doubtless, according to the Eastern method, which consisted in putting in the hands of the child a book, which he repeated in cadence with his little comrades, until he knew it by heart.[2] It is doubtful, however, if he understood the Hebrew writings in their original tongue. His biographers make him quote them according to the translations in the Aramean tongue;[3] his principles
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

"Thou Shalt Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother. "
From this Commandment we learn that after the excellent works of the first three Commandments there are no better works than to obey and serve all those who are set over us as superiors. For this reason also disobedience is a greater sin than murder, unchastity, theft and dishonesty, and all that these may include. For we can in no better way learn how to distinguish between greater and lesser sins than by noting the order of the Commandments of God, although there are distinctions also within the
Dr. Martin Luther—A Treatise on Good Works

"All Our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Rags, and we all do Fade as a Leaf, and Our Iniquities, Like the Wind, have Taken us Away. "
Isaiah lxiv. 6, 7.--"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Not only are the direct breaches of the command uncleanness, and men originally and actually unclean, but even our holy actions, our commanded duties. Take a man's civility, religion, and all his universal inherent righteousness,--all are filthy rags. And here the church confesseth nothing but what God accuseth her of, Isa. lxvi. 8, and chap. i. ver.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

"And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee,"
Isaiah lxiv. 7.--"And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee," &c. They go on in the confession of their sins. Many a man hath soon done with that a general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to. You may see here sin and judgment mixed in thorough other(315) in their complaint. They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolate estate of captivity, as to forget their provocations. Many a man would spend more affection,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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