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Ezekiel 14

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Then some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.
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The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
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“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?
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Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him there according to the multitude of his idols,
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that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.”’
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“Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Return, and turn yourselves from your idols! Turn away your faces from all your abominations.
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“‘“For everyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live in Israel, who separates himself from me and takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet to inquire for himself of me, I the LORD will answer him by myself.
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I will set my face against that man and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
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“‘“If the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand on him, and will destroy him from among my people Israel.
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They will bear their iniquity. The iniquity of the prophet will be even as the iniquity of him who seeks him,
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that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God,” says the Lord GOD.’”
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The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
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“Son of man, when a land sins against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand on it, and break the staff of its bread and send famine on it, and cut off from it man and animal—
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though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD.
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“If I cause evil animals to pass through the land, and they ravage it and it is made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the animals—
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though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They only would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.
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“Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land, so that I cut off from it man and animal’—
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though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only would be delivered themselves.
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“Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal—
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though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness.”
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For the Lord GOD says: “How much more when I send my four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword, the famine, the evil animals, and the pestilence—to cut off from it man and animal!
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Yet, behold, there will be left a remnant in it that will be carried out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they will come out to you, and you will see their way and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought on it.
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They will comfort you, when you see their way and their doings; then you will know that I have not done all that I have done in it without cause,” says the Lord GOD.
Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter addresses the futility of idolatrous hearts seeking divine revelation and underscores the inescapable judgment on a rebellious nation, even in the presence of righteous individuals. It begins with a confrontation of hypocrisy among Israel’s elders and moves toward a declaration of judgment so severe that even the righteousness of Noah, Daniel, and Job could not avert it for others. The chapter closes with a note of hope: a remnant will survive, not to excuse the judgment, but to confirm its justice.

Flow.

  • The elders of Israel come to Ezekiel seeking a word from God, but their idolatry disqualifies them from genuine inquiry (vv. 1–3).
  • God declares He will answer such idolaters according to their idols, not His grace, to expose their estrangement from Him (vv. 4–5).
  • A call to repentance is issued, warning that unfaithfulness to God—especially through idolatry—invites divine opposition and judgment (vv. 6–11).
  • God illustrates the severity of His coming judgment by stating that even the righteousness of Noah, Daniel, and Job could save only themselves, not the nation (vv. 12–20).
  • Despite the totality of judgment, a remnant will survive to demonstrate that God’s actions are just (vv. 21–23).

Connections.
Following chapter 13, which condemned false prophets who misled Israel with lies, chapter 14 extends the indictment to include those who seek such prophets while harboring idolatry, showing that spiritual deception is a mutual failure of both leaders and people. It prepares the way for chapter 15, which uses the image of a useless vine to reinforce the idea that Jerusalem is ripe for judgment because of its unfruitfulness. The theme of accountability—both personal and corporate—flows directly into the next chapter’s metaphor of the burnt vine.

What it teaches.
Hypocritical worship and unrepented idolatry render inquiry of God futile, for the heart’s allegiance determines one’s access to divine communion (WCF 7.3). God will not be manipulated by outward religious acts when inward devotion is given to false gods (HC LD 34). The principle that each person bears their own sin is affirmed—no amount of personal righteousness can atone for national rebellion (WCF 19.6), though individual righteousness preserves the righteous (, 20). Yet God’s justice includes a remnant preserved to witness His truth, demonstrating that His judgments are neither arbitrary nor excessive (WCF 3.7; Canons of Dort 1.7).

Apply.
When people cling to spiritual substitutes while claiming to seek God, their judgment begins with the silence of His answers.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.