Exposing False Prophets

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.
6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.
9 And my hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar: say unto them which daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it. Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it. So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered mortar, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it; to wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.

The “prophets” judgment (vs. 8-16)
Woe unto the prophets (8-9)
God is against them
Gods’ hand is upon them
Exclusion from God’s blessings (9)
Expelled from the assembly
Corollary… assembly abandons them
Name not written down (I never knew you)
Excluded from the Land
Their work is destroyed (10-16)
Their vanity is revealed
The “prophets” sin – this exposes their foolishness (vs. 1-7)
They pretend that they are called
Prophets out of their own hearts (of their own making)
The Lord has not sent them
They claim that their words are from God
This put a reproach on divine revelation
This weakens the credibility of true prophets
God prepares those that he sends
Gives them His word
Gives them the desire
Provides a place to serve
They pretend to have God’s word
They actually followed their own spirit
They delivered their own inventions as the Word from God
They have seen nothing (vain vision, lying divination)
They spoke vanity
Unreliable
Should be Disregarded
They have no care to prevent God’s judgment
Like foxes –
No “plugging” gaps
No making hedges
No knowledge of the impending judgment
No desire to stand in the place of danger
They flattered their hearers
Judgment is not coming
Hardened those in sin
Gave hope for peace….when no peace