What are the consequences of "false visions" and "lying divinations" in Ezekiel 22:28?

Consequences of False Visions and Lying Divinations

1. They enable and conceal sin

a. Ezekiel 22:28 shows prophets “whitewash” the people’s crimes, making wickedness appear acceptable.

b. Result: the nation loses discernment (Isaiah 5:20).

2. They falsify God’s voice

a. Claiming “This is what the Lord GOD says” when He has not spoken (Ezekiel 22:28) blurs the line between truth and error (Jeremiah 23:21–22).

b. Result: listeners trust a counterfeit word rather than the true Word (2 Timothy 4:3–4).

3. They multiply guilt

a. Prophets share responsibility for the people’s rebellion (Ezekiel 13:3–6).

b. Result: both speaker and hearer stand liable for greater judgment (Matthew 15:14).

4. They harden hearts against repentance

a. Empty assurances of peace remove the urgency to turn from sin (Ezekiel 13:10–11).

b. Result: continued unrepentance invites God’s wrath (Romans 2:5).

5. They provoke divine judgment on the nation

a. In Ezekiel 22 the false prophets’ cover-ups contribute to Jerusalem’s fall (Ezekiel 22:31).

b. Result: sword, famine, and exile come as fulfilled warnings (2 Kings 25:8–11).

6. They discredit true prophecy

a. When the lies fail, the people become cynical about any prophetic message (Lamentations 2:14).

b. Result: genuine calls to repentance are ignored, worsening the spiral into judgment (Zechariah 7:11–13).

7. They lead to the prophets’ personal destruction

a. God vows, “My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions” (Ezekiel 13:9).

b. Result: exclusion from God’s assembly and the land’s inheritance—ultimate loss of place among God’s people (Revelation 22:15).