The Scriptures taken from Ezekiel 13: 1-7 (NKJV version)

And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’”

Thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD. They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD!’ But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The LORD says,’ but I have not spoken.”

As I read this portion of Scripture last night, all I could think about was much of the ‘pathetic’ realm that I have witnessed the past five years. From all of the ‘president prophecies’ of ‘deborah anointings’, the ‘global revival from Lakeland’ prophecies, “Stacey Shakeums” bobbing her head back and forth like the Linda Blair character from the Exorcist, and the ‘if…. then’ prophecies on magical dates of 7-7-07 and 8-8-08.

But there was something that really caught my eye, the ’study notes’ concerning verses 2-4 out of my Thomas Nelson NKJV Study Bible

The false prophets were foolish and like foxes in the deserts. The word translates deserts conveys the idea of open desolate places. In the immediate context, the foxes are pictured roaming amid the rubble of ruined city walls.The prophets were fools because they confused their own thoughts with God’s They were like foxes among the ruinsbecause they scavenged for themselves while causing, ignoring, and profiting from the human wreckage surrounding them. They were racketeers instead of reformers

Does that sound like any prophet / prophetess in particular we have seen on Christian television or read their ‘words’ on the Elijah List?

Are the thoughts they have portrayed the ‘word from the Lord’ or just another example of ‘trend analysis’ or ‘mathematical formulas’ put into action?

How many have we seen ask for money before they prophecy while creating a spiritual shipwreck of believers as they jet from meeting to meeting?

All of this done in the name of ‘thus saith the Lord’ while all the time, the Lord never said those things. All done to exalt their own egos and build up their bank accounts instead of encouraging and edifying the church to build up the wall that will stand in battle when the attacks come.

Lord help us. Send to us the true prophets who care about your church!