Discerning Truth: The Message of Ezekiel Today

 

Summary

In the book of Ezekiel, we find a profound message that resonates with our current times. Ezekiel was a prophet raised by God during a period of great turmoil for Israel, a time when the nation was in captivity. The people of Israel were confronted with two types of prophets: the true prophet, represented by Ezekiel, and the false prophets who spoke from their own hearts without divine authority. This dichotomy between truth and falsehood is a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament and serves as a powerful object lesson for us today.

The world is in a state of trouble, and so are we as individuals. We are constantly bombarded with messages, and it is crucial to discern which ones are true and which are false. The false prophets of Ezekiel's time, much like the false teachings of today, were characterized by their self-confidence and lack of true authority. They spoke out of their own hearts, offering superficial solutions to deep problems. They promised peace where there was no peace, building flimsy walls and covering them with whitewash to create an illusion of security.

This false message is not only superficial but also ultimately futile. It fails to address the real issues of the human heart and the spiritual realm. It offers knowledge without wisdom, appearances without character, and morality without holiness. It is a message that seduces with lies and leads to destruction. In contrast, the true message of God, as delivered by Ezekiel, calls us to repentance and offers a genuine solution to our deepest problems. It is a message of hope, promising forgiveness and new life through faith in Jesus Christ.

Key Takeaways:

- Authority and Truth: The first question we must ask when confronted with any message is about its authority. True authority comes from God, and any message not rooted in divine revelation is ultimately baseless and unreliable. We must discern the source of the teachings we follow. [08:41]

- Superficiality of False Teachings: False teachings often tell us what we want to hear, offering superficial solutions to deep problems. They promise peace where there is none and fail to address the real issues of the human heart. We must be wary of messages that prioritize appearances over substance. [19:06]

- Futility of False Messages: The false prophets' messages are not only superficial but also futile. They cannot withstand the storms of life or the ultimate judgment of God. True security and peace come only from aligning with God's truth. [32:38]

- The Urgency of Choice: We are all confronted with a choice between the true message of God and the false messages of the world. Neutrality is not an option; ignoring God's message is a form of rejection. We must choose wisely whom we will listen to and follow. [07:18]

- Hope in God's Message: Despite the dire warnings, God's message offers hope. Through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, we can receive forgiveness, new life, and eternal security. This is the true message that stands firm against all trials and tribulations. [50:31]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:08] - Introduction to Ezekiel's Message
- [01:10] - Israel's Captivity and Prophetic Voices
- [02:32] - True vs. False Prophets
- [03:58] - The Relevance of Old Testament Lessons
- [05:58] - The World's Current Troubles
- [06:45] - Two Ultimate Messages
- [08:24] - The Question of Authority
- [10:11] - Characteristics of False Prophets
- [12:20] - The Limitations of Human Wisdom
- [18:20] - Superficiality of False Messages
- [24:42] - The Illusion of Security
- [32:38] - Futility of False Teachings
- [39:59] - The Day of the Lord
- [50:31] - Hope in God's True Message

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Ezekiel 13:1-16

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Observation Questions:

1. What was the primary role of Ezekiel as a prophet during Israel's captivity, according to the sermon? [01:10]
2. How does the sermon describe the characteristics of the false prophets in Ezekiel's time? [10:11]
3. What metaphor does the sermon use to illustrate the superficiality of false teachings? [24:42]
4. According to the sermon, what is the ultimate consequence of following false teachings? [46:08]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon suggest we discern the authority behind a message or teaching? [08:41]
2. In what ways does the sermon compare the false prophets of Ezekiel's time to modern-day false teachings? [19:06]
3. What does the sermon imply about the importance of choosing between God's true message and the false messages of the world? [07:18]
4. How does the sermon describe the hope offered by God's true message, and what does it require from individuals? [50:31]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you were influenced by a message that later proved to be false. How did you discern its lack of authority, and what steps can you take to ensure you follow messages rooted in truth? [08:41]
2. The sermon warns against superficial solutions to deep problems. Can you identify an area in your life where you might be accepting a superficial solution? What steps can you take to address the root issue? [19:06]
3. Consider the urgency of choosing between God's message and the world's messages. What practical steps can you take this week to prioritize listening to and following God's message? [07:18]
4. The sermon highlights the futility of false teachings. How can you evaluate the teachings you encounter daily to ensure they align with God's truth? [32:38]
5. The sermon speaks of hope through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Is there an area in your life where you need to seek repentance and embrace the hope offered by God? [50:31]
6. How can you actively engage in conversations with others to help them discern between true and false messages, especially in today's world filled with conflicting information? [06:45]
7. Reflect on the metaphor of the flimsy wall and whitewash. Are there any "whitewashed walls" in your life that need to be rebuilt with a stronger foundation? What steps can you take to start this process? [24:42]

Devotional

Day 1: Authority Rooted in Divine Revelation
In a world filled with countless voices and messages, discerning the true source of authority is crucial. True authority comes from God, and any message not rooted in divine revelation is ultimately baseless and unreliable. The people of Israel faced this challenge during Ezekiel's time, as they were confronted with both true and false prophets. The false prophets spoke from their own hearts, lacking divine authority, and offered superficial solutions to deep problems. Today, we must be vigilant in discerning the source of the teachings we follow, ensuring they are grounded in God's truth. [08:41]

Jeremiah 23:16-17 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’"

Reflection: Consider a message or teaching you have recently encountered. How can you verify its authority and ensure it aligns with God's truth?


Day 2: The Danger of Superficial Solutions
False teachings often tell us what we want to hear, offering superficial solutions to deep problems. These messages promise peace where there is none and fail to address the real issues of the human heart. In Ezekiel's time, false prophets built flimsy walls and covered them with whitewash, creating an illusion of security. Today, we must be wary of messages that prioritize appearances over substance, recognizing that true peace and security come only from aligning with God's truth. [19:06]

Ezekiel 13:10-11 (ESV): "Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you may be accepting superficial solutions. How can you seek God's wisdom to address the deeper issues?


Day 3: The Futility of False Messages
The messages of false prophets are not only superficial but also futile. They cannot withstand the storms of life or the ultimate judgment of God. In contrast, true security and peace come only from aligning with God's truth. The false prophets of Ezekiel's time promised peace and security, but their messages were ultimately empty and led to destruction. We must choose to build our lives on the solid foundation of God's truth, which stands firm against all trials and tribulations. [32:38]

Matthew 7:26-27 (ESV): "And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you relied on a false sense of security. How can you begin to build your life on the solid foundation of God's truth today?


Day 4: The Urgency of Choosing God's Truth
We are all confronted with a choice between the true message of God and the false messages of the world. Neutrality is not an option; ignoring God's message is a form of rejection. The people of Israel faced this choice during Ezekiel's time, and we face it today. We must choose wisely whom we will listen to and follow, recognizing the urgency of aligning our lives with God's truth. [07:18]

Joshua 24:15 (ESV): "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are struggling to choose God's truth over the world's messages? What steps can you take today to align with God's truth?


Day 5: Hope in God's True Message
Despite the dire warnings, God's message offers hope. Through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, we can receive forgiveness, new life, and eternal security. This is the true message that stands firm against all trials and tribulations. In Ezekiel's time, the true message of God called the people to repentance and offered a genuine solution to their deepest problems. Today, we are invited to embrace this message of hope and experience the transformative power of God's love and grace. [50:31]

Isaiah 55:6-7 (ESV): "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Reflection: Think of an area in your life where you need God's forgiveness and new life. How can you take a step towards repentance and embrace the hope offered through faith in Jesus Christ today?

Quotes

The first question therefore that is raised for us is this is the question of the problem if you like of authority surely that's the first question we should always ask when we have being addressed by anybody whatsoever what's his authority on what is he basing his statement. [00:08:41]

You don't just listen to a message as it tales you say well no well now what right have you got to speak what authority of you got for standing up the phone it's the same with anything that offers itself to us you wouldn't dream I hope and not a tenner it of taking a bottle of medicine. [00:09:00]

Here are these men standing up and addressing Israel telling them what to do telling them how to act giving them a message of comfort but what's their authority for doing this and the simple answer is they've no authority at all except that it's what they think except that it's their idea. [00:11:10]

The first way I prove it superficiality is this that it always tells us what we want to hear all will suspect a message that tells you what you want to hear there's always a false friend isn't it the true friend is the one who tells you the truth the false friend all those platters always speaks nicely. [00:20:14]

What does all this mean well let me interpret it for you this is the pictorial way in which the message was then presented and it's just a very dramatic way of showing the after superficiality of this false message which is delivered with such confidence and my dear friend this is the characteristic of every message. [00:19:06]

It's something that puts knowledge instead of wisdom isn't that the whole of trouble at the present time knowledge is increased but wisdom lingers we've never had more knowledge and people have believed in knowledge knowledge was going to solve the problem if only you educate people our forefathers said our grandfathers. [00:27:52]

The false prophet comes with his wife washing a bucket when he takes out his brush and he just makes it look like wonderful what a wall look at it there it is glistening white in the sunshine a marvellous more yes but actually it's a flimsy wall which they've just whitewashed to make it look very nice. [00:24:42]

The whole story of history is this that men who've turned their backs upon God and listen to the other have always found themselves in final failure and misery now then this is the charge that is made specifically and in detail you have not gone up into the gaps neither of you made up the heads. [00:32:38]

The storms of life they're bound to come and they do come death itself the storms of life yes the men cries out Jesus lover of my soul let me to thy bosom fly rather than the other waters roll was a tempest still is high hide me all my save your hide till the storm of life is past. [00:38:59]

God so loved the world even this world that I've been describing that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him need not perish just see the folly and the futility of everything else go to God get on your knees before him and acknowledge it and convinced and say I see it. [00:50:31]

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved whatever you be I have a long from mercy you may have kept and strayed away thy blood of Christ can cleanse me and make me white today Yuriy the word of the law the case of men is desperate so desperate that civilization can never cure it. [00:52:04]

Turn your back upon the flimsy whitewashed wall of culture and civilization and modern men's learning and confidence turn your back on the line of Shem the fraud the futility turn your back upon it and in your weakness and helplessness and failure and showing your the word of the Lord and you'll find peace in your heart. [00:53:20]

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Transcript
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