What is the meaning of Ezekiel 13:7? Haven’t you seen - The Lord confronts the so-called prophets who claim to “see” on His behalf. - True vision originates with God (Numbers 12:6; 1 Samuel 3:1); anything else is self-generated imagination. - Like the people in Isaiah 6:9–10 who “see but do not perceive,” these men are blind guides misleading a nation that desperately needs real revelation. a false vision - What they “saw” was counterfeit—visions with no divine source (Jeremiah 23:16). - False vision always flatters the audience (Micah 2:11) and avoids convicting truth. - God labels it “false,” underscoring that accuracy matters; a near-truth is still a lie (Genesis 3:4–5). and spoken a lying divination - Divination was expressly forbidden (Deuteronomy 18:10). - By combining charismatic language with pagan practice, they blurred the line between God’s word and occult manipulation (Acts 16:16–18). - Their “word from the Lord” was nothing more than wish-projection—similar to Balaam’s conflicted prophecies (Numbers 24:1–3). when you proclaim - The issue is public declaration, not private musings. - False teaching spreads quickly (2 Timothy 2:17) and shapes the nation’s moral direction (Hosea 4:6). - Prophetic authority carries weight; misuse endangers hearers and speakers alike (James 3:1). ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ - They borrowed the covenant name to cloak their message with legitimacy, mimicking genuine prophets like Isaiah (Isaiah 1:24). - Attaching God’s signature to human opinion is spiritual forgery (Jeremiah 14:14–15). - Jesus later warns against similar misuse: “Many will say to Me…‘Did we not prophesy in Your name?’” (Matthew 7:22). even though I have not spoken? - God’s silence on a matter makes any claim to His voice an act of rebellion (Deuteronomy 18:20–22). - The contrast: true prophets wait until God speaks (Jeremiah 15:19; John 12:49). - The verse underscores divine prerogative; revelation originates solely from the Lord, not human impulse (2 Peter 1:21). summary Ezekiel 13:7 rebukes self-appointed prophets who fabricate visions, label their inventions “the word of the LORD,” and mislead God’s people. The verse stresses that genuine revelation comes only from God, accuracy is mandatory, and claiming divine authority without divine origin is a serious offense. |
    |