PsalmTree

False Prophets Condemned: Ezekiel 13:1-23

https://www.biblehub.com/bsb/ezekiel/13.htm

“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:26-38

James Talarico claims that the Bible justifies abortion because Archangel Gabriel asked the Virgin Mary for her "consent" before she conceived Jesus. He completely made that up…read for yourself; Gabriel tells Mary it's God's will and she accepts. I’m not picking on James Talarico, I’m calling out every false prophet who purports to explain what God claims and intends.

God abhors false teachers because they serve only one purpose; confuse His followers.

Explanation: Ezekiel 13 is a warning against false spiritual leaders. God’s judgment on false prophets is severe: He exposes their lies, rejects their messages, and brings destruction on them for misleading people. It shows God condemning prophets and prophetesses who claim to speak for Him but are really spreading their own ideas and giving people a false sense of security.

The chapter uses vivid images to make the point: the false prophets are like people patching a weak wall with bad mortar, and the women are described as deceiving and “hunting souls” through manipulative practices.

In simple terms, the chapter says that false messages may sound comforting, but they cannot hold up when judgment comes. God promises to expose the lies, judge the deceivers, and rescue His people from being misled

In the wider Bible, The New Testament says false teachers are under condemnation, that their destruction is certain, and that they will be judged for exploiting others with deceptive words. Scripture also warns that they may seem convincing for a time, but God will ultimately expose them.

Plainly, God does not treat false prophecy as a minor mistake. He sees it as dangerous deception that harms people spiritually, so He judges both the lie and the one who spreads it.

Application: You and I must repudiate and “call out” false teachers. There is a world of seekers (“The field is ripe for harvest” John 4:35) who could be completely fooled…at the cost of their eternal welfare. We may be the only voice of truth they hear but, we need to “Study to shew ourself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

Here’s a practical biblical checklist we can use to test any teacher or ministry:

1. The Gospel Test

✅ Do they teach salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ alone, apart from works?
✅ Do they present the gospel clearly: Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for our sins (1 Cor 15:1–4)?
❌ Warning signs:

goog_1603222255Adding requirements for salvation (signs, wealth, specific experiences, extra revelations).
Preaching a “different gospel” and acting like it’s acceptable (Gal 1:8–9).

2. The Jesus Test (Doctrine)

✅ Do they affirm that Jesus is fully God and fully man, the incarnate Son of God?
✅ Do they uphold His sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, and return in judgment and glory?
❌ Warning signs:

Denying or downplaying Jesus’ deity, humanity, or resurrection (1 John 4:1–3; 2 John 9).
Treating Jesus as a great teacher but not Lord and Savior

3. The Scripture Test

✅ Do they treat the Bible as the final authority and submit to its teaching?
✅ Do they add to or remove from Scripture to control people or justify sin?
❌ Warning signs:

Claiming “God told me” messages that contradict or override Scripture (1 Cor 14:37–38).
Using emotions, dreams, revelations, or other books as equal to or above the Bible (][).

4. The Fruit Test (Character and Life)

✅ Do they show fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22–23)?
✅ Is their life marked by humility, integrity, and obedience to Christ?
❌ Warning signs:

Pride, greed, manipulation, sexual immorality, or unrepentant sin (Matt 7:15–20; Jude 1:11 ).
Exploiting people financially or emotionally ().

5. The Message Test (What They Actually Preach)

✅ Do they call people to repentance, faith, and obedience?
✅ Do they preach Christ crucified and risen, not just blessings, success, or comfort?
❌ Warning signs:

Message always flatters and never challenges.
Health-and-wealth as a guaranteed promise.
Fear-based control or secret knowledge only they have.

6. The Community Test

✅ Do they encourage accountability, unity, and respect for other faithful pastors/teachers?
❌ Warning signs:

Isolation from other churches or leaders.
Claiming they alone have the truth or special insight

Prayer: “Heavenly Father,

Because of Your Word, I come before You recognizing how dangerous false teachers are. You command us to “beware of false prophets, who come to us in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). Lord, give me the grace to obey that warning.

Open my eyes to see deception clearly. Give me Discernment to test every teaching against Your Scripture. Give me Humility to admit when I’m wrong and to learn from faithful teachers. Give me Strength to hold the truth of the gospel, which alone saves by grace through faith in Christ.

Help me remember that false teachers are not just mistaken; they are dangerous, and I must not expose my mind or heart to their deceptive words.

Lord, I confess that I often stay silent when I should speak. Challenge me to: Warn Your people gently but firmly, especially when the error is serious, the audience is large, and the people are vulnerable. Speak the truth in love, without bitterness or pride, but with boldness and clarity.

Teach me to balance strong boldness in Your truth with love for those who are deceived, knowing that many are trapped by false teachings and need to be rescued.

Above all, Father, I pray: That false teachers themselves would repent, come to true faith, and escape the devil’s snare (2 Timothy 2:25–26). That those who have been deceived would be set free by the power of the true gospel. That Your name would be honored and Your truth would shine brighter than any lie.

Let Your truth be so beautiful and powerful in my life that I can recognize error before it infects me, and that others will see Christ in me and turn from deception to You.

In the name of Jesus, who is the Truth,

Amen.”

Live boldly out there today…

Resources:

https://www.gotquestions.org/fields-are-white-for-harvest.html

https://www.billmounce.com/monday-with-mounce/%E2%80%9Cwhite%E2%80%9C-or-%E2%80%9Cready-harvest%E2%80%9D-john-4-35

https://radical.net/podcasts/pray-the-word/lift-up-your-eyes-and-see-john-435/

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A15-20&version=NIV

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_7:15

https://up.uncommonpursuit.net/t/matthew-7-15-16-false-prophets/6153

https://www.jeffrandleman.com/2-timothy-2-25-26/

https://www.biblestudytools.com/2-timothy/passage/?q=2+timothy+2%3A25-26