Daily Devotional For Friday, September 18, 2026
Good morning Southside! I am following the One Year Chronological Bible reading suggestion and any Bible verses you see highlighted in bold (ex. John 3:16), means it is a link to that verse. All you have to do is click on the reference and it will take you to the verse online. Our daily devotional reading for today comes from Ezekiel 13:8-9. In our text, God has had it with the false prophets in Israel and Judah leading the people away from Him with their made-up prophecies that are nothing but lies, manipulation and idolatry.
Judah at this time is under attack by Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar. In 3 military campaigns, 607 BC, 598 BC, and 586 BC, there was nothing left of Judah except enslavement, famine, taxation and hopelessness. For the remnant that was left behind, everyone and everything they knew and brought them joy was gone. Whole families were literally starving to death and their rotting corpses were food for the vultures and wild dogs. For 300 years God had warned both Israel and Judah through His prophets and God’s people turned a deaf ear to them and Him. Many of these prophets of God suffered for their prophecies (Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel).
God told Ezekiel to prophesy that these false prophets would be cut off and any record of their personal “ministries” would be erased. In biblical days, there were “counsels of My people” located in and around the Temple where the Jewish elders were (Ps. 107:32; Ps. 111:1). Had the people and their spiritual leaders and false prophets remembered Exodus 7:5, maybe they would have been repentant. Instead, God’s wrath and judgment came against His own people. What God said would happen, happened. The Old Testament records the names of around 40 legitimate prophets of God, but not one false prophet’s name is even mentioned as if they never even existed (1 Kgs. 22:1-53).
These false prophets prophesied a false hope and peace (Ezek. 13:10). Sounds a lot like false preachers today who preach a “health & wealth” theology. It sounds like false preachers who never talk about sin and tell their congregation that God no longer punishes us for sins such as abortion, adultery, sexual immorality such as fornication, living together, homosexuality, sins such as greed, pride, slothfulness, and etc.
The “wall” they had built would come crashing down on them killing them (Ezek. 13:11). This reminds us of Jesus’ words in (Matt. 7:24-29). The “wall” mentioned in Ezekiel 13:11 is more than a metaphorical wall; this also referred to the actual wall around Jerusalem (Ezek. 13:14). Judah and the Jews viewed the wall around Jerusalem as invincible and impenetrable. They were about to learn that God was going to use His servant (Jer. 27:6-8), King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army to breach the wall and tear it down. This was an unfathomable thought for the Jews that God would call a pagan king “His servant.”
Reflection Assignment: When it comes to the word of the Lord and the preachers He uses to bring His word to you, are you 100% receptive to it? Do you confess your sin, repent from it and thank the Lord and His servant for piercing your heart with His Word?
Scripture To Meditate On: 2 Timothy 4:3, “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I do not want my ears “tickled” or “itched” by false teaching, preaching and study. I want Your Word to give me a solid foundation so that when the storms and temptations come I am not washed away by them. I ask You to let me hear from Your Word what I need to hear, not what my sinful heart wishes. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly