Ezekiel 13:20
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: See, I am against the magic charms with which you ensnare souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. So I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says
This phrase introduces a divine pronouncement, emphasizing the authority and sovereignty of God. The Hebrew term for "Lord GOD" is "Adonai Yahweh," underscoring God's supreme power and covenantal relationship with Israel. This introduction sets the stage for a serious and authoritative message from God, highlighting His direct involvement and concern for His people.

Behold, I am against your magic bands
The word "behold" is a call to attention, urging the audience to listen carefully to God's declaration. "Magic bands" refers to objects used in occult practices, possibly amulets or charms. In the Hebrew context, these were tools of deception and manipulation, used by false prophets to control and mislead people. God's opposition to these bands signifies His intolerance for idolatry and falsehood, affirming His commitment to truth and righteousness.

with which you ensnare souls like birds
The imagery of ensnaring "souls like birds" conveys the idea of capturing and trapping individuals through deceit. In ancient Near Eastern culture, birds often symbolized freedom and the soul. The false prophets' actions are depicted as a violation of this freedom, entrapping people in spiritual bondage. This metaphor highlights the destructive nature of false teachings and the importance of spiritual discernment.

and I will tear them from your arms
God's promise to "tear them from your arms" indicates a forceful intervention to dismantle the false prophets' power. The Hebrew verb for "tear" suggests a violent and decisive action, reflecting God's determination to liberate His people from deception. This act of divine deliverance underscores God's protective nature and His desire to restore truth and justice.

I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds
The promise to "free the souls" is a declaration of liberation and redemption. The repetition of the bird imagery reinforces the theme of freedom and the restoration of spiritual integrity. God's intervention is portrayed as an act of grace, rescuing His people from the clutches of falsehood and leading them back to the path of righteousness. This assurance of deliverance serves as a reminder of God's unwavering commitment to His covenant and His people.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet of God, called to deliver messages of judgment and hope to the Israelites during their Babylonian exile.

2. False Prophets
Individuals in Israel who claimed to speak for God but led the people astray with lies and deceit.

3. Magic Bands
Symbolic of the deceptive practices used by false prophets to manipulate and control the people.

4. Souls Ensnared
Represents the people of Israel who were misled and trapped by the false teachings and practices.

5. The Lord GOD
The sovereign God of Israel, who opposes deceit and promises to deliver His people from falsehood.
Teaching Points
Discernment in Spiritual Matters
Believers must exercise discernment to identify and reject false teachings that contradict God's Word.

God's Sovereignty and Justice
God is actively opposed to deceit and will ultimately bring justice, freeing those who are spiritually oppressed.

The Danger of Deception
False teachings can ensnare and lead people away from the truth, highlighting the importance of grounding oneself in Scripture.

The Role of True Prophets and Teachers
True spiritual leaders are called to faithfully represent God's truth, guiding others in righteousness.

Freedom in Christ
True freedom is found in Christ, who liberates us from the bondage of sin and falsehood.
Bible Study Questions
1. How can we identify "magic bands" or deceptive practices in today's spiritual landscape?

2. In what ways does God demonstrate His opposition to false teachings in both the Old and New Testaments?

3. How can we apply the principle of discernment in our daily lives to avoid being ensnared by false teachings?

4. What role do true prophets and teachers play in guiding believers toward spiritual freedom and truth?

5. How does understanding God's sovereignty and justice provide comfort and assurance in the face of spiritual deception?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 23
This chapter also addresses false prophets and their misleading messages, emphasizing God's disapproval and the consequences of their actions.

Matthew 7
Jesus warns about false prophets, describing them as wolves in sheep's clothing, which connects to the theme of spiritual deception.

Galatians 5
Paul speaks about the freedom found in Christ, contrasting it with the bondage of false teachings and practices.

2 Peter 2
Peter warns about false teachers who secretly introduce destructive heresies, similar to the deceitful practices mentioned in Ezekiel.
Effeminate ReligionW. Jones Ezekiel 13:17-23
False ProphetessesJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 13:17-23
False Prophetesses, Their Characteristics and CondemnationW. Jones Ezekiel 13:17-23
People
Ezekiel
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Arms, Bands, Behold, Birds, Catch, Cause, Charms, Cushions, Ensnare, Flourishing, Fly, Free, Freely, Hunt, Hunting, Loose, Magic, Pillows, Rent, Says, Souls, Sovereign, Tear, Thus, Violently, Wherefore, Wherewith
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 13:20

     4185   sorcery and magic
     4612   birds
     5126   arm

Ezekiel 13:1-23

     7760   preachers, responsibilities

Ezekiel 13:17-23

     5745   women
     8807   profanity

Ezekiel 13:20-21

     5457   power, human

Library
That the Ruler Should not Set his Heart on Pleasing Men, and yet Should Give Heed to what Ought to Please Them.
Meanwhile it is also necessary for the ruler to keep wary watch, lest the lust of pleasing men assail him; lest, when he studiously penetrates the things that are within, and providently supplies the things that are without, he seek to be beloved of those that are under him more than truth; lest, while, supported by his good deeds, he seems not to belong to the world, self-love estrange him from his Maker. For he is the Redeemer's enemy who through the good works which he does covets being loved
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Of the Character of the Unregenerate.
Ephes. ii. 1, 2. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. AMONG all the various trusts which men can repose in each other, hardly any appears to be more solemn and tremendous, than the direction of their sacred time, and especially of those hours which they spend in the exercise of public devotion.
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

That the Ruler Should be Discreet in Keeping Silence, Profitable in Speech.
The ruler should be discreet in keeping silence, profitable in speech; lest he either utter what ought to be suppressed or suppress what he ought to utter. For, as incautious speaking leads into error, so indiscreet silence leaves in error those who might have been instructed. For often improvident rulers, fearing to lose human favour, shrink timidly from speaking freely the things that are right; and, according to the voice of the Truth (Joh. x. 12), serve unto the custody of the flock by no means
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

"Now the End of the Commandment," &C.
1 Tim. i. 5.--"Now the end of the commandment," &c. We come now, as was proposed, to observe, Thirdly,(474) That faith unfeigned is the only thing which gives the answer of a good conscience towards God. Conscience, in general, is nothing else but a practical knowledge of the rule a man should walk by, and of himself in reference to that rule. It is the laying down a man's state, and condition, and actions beside the rule of God's word, or the principles of nature's light. It is the chief piece
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Purity and Peace in the Present Lord
PHILIPPIANS iv. 1-9 Euodia and Syntyche--Conditions to unanimity--Great uses of small occasions--Connexion to the paragraphs--The fortress and the sentinel--A golden chain of truths--Joy in the Lord--Yieldingness--Prayer in everything--Activities of a heart at rest Ver. 1. +So, my brethren beloved and longed for+, missed indeed, at this long distance from you, +my joy and crown+ of victory (stephanos), +thus+, as having such certainties and such aims, with such a Saviour, and looking for such
Handley C. G. Moule—Philippian Studies

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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