Introduction
In this session, Ezekiel 13:17-23 focuses on understanding God’s condemnation of female false prophets in Israel for practicing occult sorcery and deceiving the people for financial gain. God vows to tear away their magical charms and deliver the oppressed from their manipulation. In this passage, God commands Ezekiel to prophesy against women who claimed to speak for Him but were instead inventing messages and using divination, magic wristbands, and veils. Driven by greed, they manipulated people’s lives for superficial rewards, ultimately discouraging the righteous and comforting the wicked in their sins. God promises to tear away their charms, rescue the trapped, and vindicate His sovereignty.
Objectives
By the end of this session, the learner will have:
- Identified the sources and motivations of false women prophets.
- Identified the dangers of spiritual manipulation, false teachings, and syncretism (combining worldly practices with faith).
- Reflected on the emotional and spiritual effects of false prophecies on both the righteous and the wicked.
- Appreciated the promise of divine deliverance rescuing His people from their oppression.
- Equipped believers to evaluate messages, discern truth, and depend entirely on God’s Word instead of human falsehoods.
Outline
- Sources and motivation of false women prophets
- harmful effects on the people
- The promise of divine salvation
Group Study Time
Ezekiel 13: 17-23
Connecting
- Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
- Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
- Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
- Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.
Comprehending
- Read Ezekiel 13:17. What does it reveal about the women false prophets, including the source of their prophecy and their motivations for spreading false messages?
- Read Ezekiel 13:18. Identify the divination tools they used in their false prophesying. What was God’s judgment against them? What tools do false prophets use today for divination? How do spiritual leaders or influencers today sometimes exploit people’s faith for personal gain or control?
- Read Ezekiel 13:19-23. Discuss the harmful effects of their divination on both the righteous and the wicked. What warning does God give against them? Talk about the divine deliverance God promises His people. How does God actively rescue and protect His people from deception today?
Committing
- Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
- List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
- Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
- Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
- Sin to confess
- Promise to claim
- Attitude to change
- Command to keep
- Error to change
- Prayer to make
- Example to copy
- Truth to obey and
- Something praiseworthy
Communicating
- Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
- Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
- Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.