False Prophets Condemned
The word of the Lord went to Ezekiel concerning the prophets of Israel who were prophesying falsely. It was said, “Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!”
They had seen false visions and lying divinations. The Lord had not sent them, and yet they expected Him to fulfill their words. Therefore, the Lord was against them.
They would not be the council of the people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor enter the land of Israel. Precisely because they have mislead the people, saying ‘Peace,’ when there was no peace, and because when the people built a wall, those prophets smeared it with whitewash (plaster) that it would fall.
There would be a deluge of rain, and great hailstones would fall, with a stormy wind breaking out. When the wall would fall, it would not be said, ‘Where is the coating with which they smeared it?’
The Lord would make a strong wind with His wrath, and a deluge of rain with His anger, and great hailstones in wrath would make a full end to the wall. The Lord would break down the wall, and when it falls they would perish in the midst of it and they would know that He is God.
The Lord continued to Ezekiel telling him to set his face against the daughters of his people, who prophesied out of their own minds. Ezekiel was to prophesy against them and say woe to them for sewing their magic bands on their wrists, and making veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls.
Idolatrous Elders Condemned
The Lord told Ezekiel to tell the house of Israel to repent and turn away from their idols and abominations. Anyone who would separate himself from the Lord and turn to idols instead, taking them into his heart, putting the stumbling block of iniquity before his face, then yet go to a prophet to seek consult; the Lord would answer Himself.
The Lord would set His face against that man, and would make him a sign and a byword and cut him off from the midst of the people. If a prophet was deceived and spoke falsely, the Lord would destroy him as well.
“They would bear their punishment–the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer would be alike–that the house of Israel may no more go astray from the Lord, nor defile themselves anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be my people and I may be their God, declares the Lord God.”
Jerusalem Will Not Be Spared
The word of the Lord went to Ezekiel and said that when a land sins against the Lord by acting faithlessly, He would stretch out His hand against them and break the supply of bread. The Lord would send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast.
Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, their own lives would be delivered for their righteousness. Even if wild beasts were in the land to ravage it, or if the sword were brought upon the land, or if pestilence was sent to the land and the Lord’s wrath was poured out upon it with blood; those three men would be delivered.
Jerusalem, a Useless Vine
The word of the Lord went to Ezekiel and asked if the wood of the vine surpassed any wood. It is not used to make anything, and is given to the fire for fuel.
When the fire had consumed both sides of it, and the middle of it was charred, it was still useless for anything. When it was whole, it was used for nothing; and now even less being charred by the fire.
Therefore thus says the Lord, like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which was given to the fire for fuel, so had the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Though they would escape from the fire, the fire would yet consume them. The land would be made desolate, because they had acted faithlessly.