Verse 3

“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them:‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me, declares the Sovereign LORD.’

Referenced Verses

  • Mic 3:7 : 7 The prophets will be ashamed; the omen readers will be humiliated. All of them will cover their mouths, for they will receive no divine oracles.”
  • Matt 3:7 : 7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them,“You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
  • Matt 15:8-9 : 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, 9 and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
  • Luke 3:7 : 7 So John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him,“You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
  • John 4:24 : 24 God is spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
  • 1 Sam 28:6 : 6 So Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him– not by dreams nor by Urim nor by the prophets.
  • Ps 50:15-21 : 15 Pray to me when you are in trouble! I will deliver you, and you will honor me!” 16 God says this to the evildoer:“How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant? 17 For you hate instruction and reject my words. 18 When you see a thief, you join him; you associate with men who are unfaithful to their wives. 19 You do damage with words, and use your tongue to deceive. 20 You plot against your brother; you slander your own brother. 21 When you did these things, I was silent, so you thought I was exactly like you. But now I will condemn you and state my case against you!
  • Prov 15:8 : 8 The LORD abhors the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
  • Prov 21:27 : 27 The wicked person’s sacrifice is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent!
  • Prov 28:9 : 9 The one who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
  • Isa 1:12 : 12 When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this– animals trampling on my courtyards?
  • Isa 1:15 : 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood.
  • Ezek 14:3-4 : 3 “Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek me? 4 Therefore speak to them and say to them,‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When anyone from the house of Israel erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet, I the LORD am determined to answer him personally according to the enormity of his idolatry.
  • Ezek 14:7-8 : 7 For when anyone from the house of Israel, or the resident foreigner who lives in Israel, separates himself from me and erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet to seek something from me, I the LORD am determined to answer him personally. 8 I will set my face against that person and will make him an object lesson and a byword and will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
  • Ezek 20:31 : 31 When you present your sacrifices– when you make your sons pass through the fire– you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will not allow you to seek me!