Veils in Ezekiel 13:21, modern links?
What are the "veils" mentioned in Ezekiel 13:21, and their modern equivalents?

Verse under Study

“ ‘I will tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands so they will no longer be prey. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ” (Ezekiel 13:21)


Historical Snapshot: Who Wore These Veils?

• Jerusalem, c. 590 BC: women claiming prophetic gifts competed with Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

• They mixed Yahweh’s name with occult charms, luring the fearful with promises of safety (13:17-19).

• Their two tools: “magic bands” for wrists and “veils” for the head—items sold for “handfuls of barley and scraps of bread.”


What Exactly Were the “Veils”?

• Hebrew word: mikpachoth—light, wide head-coverings, more like face-shawls than normal female veils.

• Worn “over every stature” (13:18)—adapted to fit any client, underscoring mass marketing.

• Purpose:

– Physically covered the eyes, dramatizing an altered spiritual state.

– Signaled initiation into their counterfeit prophetic circle.

– Functioned as occult props to “hunt souls” (13:18, 20).


Why the LORD Condemned Them

• They “profaned” His name (13:19) by blending truth with sorcery (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

• They “discouraged the righteous” and “strengthened the wicked” (13:22).

• The veils symbolized spiritual blindness: covering eyes, they hid God’s real word (cf. Isaiah 25:7).


Modern Equivalents of the Veils

Anything that masks truth, soothes conscience, and sells false security in religious packaging:

1. Occult Accessories

• Tarot cloths, crystals, dream-catchers, “third-eye” bands—props that promise protection or insight outside Christ.

2. Mystical “Christianized” Merchandise

• Trinkets marketed as guaranteed deliverance—anointed oils, prayer cloths, “miracle” bracelets sold for a seed-offering.

3. Therapeutic Spirituality with No Repentance

• Positive-confession slogans that deny sin yet promise breakthrough (“manifest what you speak”).

4. Progressive Theologies that Cloak Scripture

• Teachings that reinterpret plain biblical morals to suit culture, assuring hearers that God expects no change (2 Timothy 4:3).

5. Digital Echo Chambers

• Algorithm-fed prophecy channels predicting rapture dates, world events, or personal words—for clicks and donations.


Lessons for Today

• The LORD still “tears off veils” by exposing error through His Word (Hebrews 4:12).

• A removed veil brings clear sight in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:16; 4:3-4).

• Discernment refuses spiritual wares that bypass repentance and obedience.


Practical Discernment Checklist

• Does this practice/item drive me to Scripture or to a salesperson?

• Is sin confronted or glossed over?

• Is Christ’s finished work central, or is a ritual/prop “essential”?

• Would the apostles recognize this as gospel ministry (Galatians 1:8-9)?

How does Ezekiel 13:21 warn against false prophets in today's church?
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