14:6 The Lord called His people to change their minds (repent, Heb. shub), turn away from the idols in their hearts, and abandon them.
14:7-8 Anyone in Israel, including immigrants (Heb. ger, sojourners, resident aliens), who did not repent but continued to do what these elders had done and approached a false prophet for a message would receive judgment from the Lord.214The Lord would oppose all such people making them object lessons to others of what happens when God's people pursue idolatry. He would put them to death (cf. Lev. 17:4, 10, 14; et al.). Then His people would know that He was God.
"In the Book of Ezekiel Israel's idolatry was seen as the major cause for God's judgment on His people."215
14:9 If the idolater prevailed on the false prophet to speak, it was Yahweh in His sovereignty who allowed that prophet to speak (cf. 1 Kings 22:23).216
"Such a statement is only intelligible when we remember that ancient habits of thought overlooked secondary causes, and attributed events directly to the action of God."217
The Lord would also judge the false prophet with death.
14:10-11 Both the idolatrous Israelite and the false prophet would bear punishment for their sins, but this would be punishment with a purpose. Then the rest of God's people might learn and not apostatize and defile themselves with transgressions but enjoy an intimate relationship with Yahweh and He with them (cf. 11:20; 37:28; Exod. 19:5-6; Lev. 26:16; Jer. 7:23; 31:33).
