They say, "Peace," when there is no peace.
I have been reading through Ezekiel and as I hit chapter 13 I found it particularly shocking. Here are selections from Ezekiel 13 followed by some thoughts...Â
(1-3) The word of the Lord came to me: 2 âSon of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: âHear the word of the Lord!â 3 Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! (following their own imaginations (NLT))
God is speaking to the prophet Ezekiel here about false prophets in Israel. There are men and women claiming to bring a message from the Lord who are, according to the text, simply speaking "from their own spirit," or as the NLT states it, "from their own imaginations."
(10-12) Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, âPeace,â when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, 11 say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. 12 And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, âWhere is the coating with which you smeared it?â (saying, âAll is peacefulâwhen there is no peace at all! Itâs as if the people have built a flimsy wall, and these prophets are trying to reinforce it by covering it with whitewash!(NLT))
These false prophets are gaining a following with their message. The are claiming that there is peace and this is the message people want to hear. The ironic thing is while they are saying, "Peace," they seem to have a back-up plan as well. They say all is peaceful but, "the people have built a flimsy wall," and the false prophets are reinforcing it. The false prophets are covering all their bases. They are convincing the people that there is peace but they have the back-up plan of the flimsy wall. Meanwhile God tells Ezekiel that despite the words of these prophets, in reality, "there is no peace at all." Imagine a news commentator walking into the middle of a battle and claiming there was no fighting going on. That is what these false prophets are doing. There is not peace but they claim there is.
As I read this I thought it was so relevant to our culture. There are many voices claiming to speak for God and also many voices who claim they either do not need God's guidance on how to see the world or claim acquiring that information would be impossible. We all find reasons to avoid God. We read the Bible and it's message is offensive so we try to create a more comfortable, less abrasive form of Christianity. We surround ourselves with partial truths and are lulled into apathy with our own home-made religion.
(17-19) âAnd you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own hearts. Prophesy against them 18 and say, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive? 19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death souls who should not die and keeping alive souls who should not live, by your lying to my people, who listen to lies. ((prophesy from their own imaginations. 18 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: What sorrow awaits you women who are ensnaring the souls of my people) (Do you think you can trap others without bringing destruction on yourselves?)(By lying to my people who love to listen to lies(NLT)))
When we create alternate realities for ourselves it helps us to avoid God. But we cannot do this on our own. We need others to back us up. The NLT hits it on the head when it says these false prophets lie to people, "who love to listen to lies." There are so many voices whispering lies to us. Often, if we're honest, the lies seem sweeter and safer than the truth the Bible has to offer. Can we really trust a God who has such wrath toward human wrong-doing? Is it actually wrong on some metaphysical level to lead people astray from the Christian view of God? Aren't these views old-fashioned, fear-based and limiting to human creativity?
(20-21) âTherefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds. 21 Your veils also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the Lord.
The Bible provides an alternate view that deserves consideration. Human freedom and creativity are a part of God's plan for humans. But the Bible teaches we are most free to express our true selves when we live in light of the truth of who God is and who he made us to be. The Bible teaches that when we follow teachers (prophets) who speak from their own imagination rather than from the guidance of God, we become victims. In other words, we actually lose our freedom. In this story, God, out of his great love for his people, will not allow these false teachers (prophets) to go on leading them astray.
(22-23) Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life, 23 therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. And you shall know that I am the Lord.â (you have encouraged the wicked by promising them life, even though they continue in their sins. (NLT))
These false prophets promise life to those who are continuing in their sin. The consequences of this are dire. This last verse harkens back to verse 10. The false teachers are lulling God's people into a false sense of security by telling them there is peace, when in reality there is not. They make the promise that remaining in your wickedness will bring you life. The Lord wants the his people to to turn from their evil so they might save their lives.
The lure in our culture to focus only on love and positive energy is very enticing but we must take time to face the darkness in the world and in our own hearts. God wants to meet us in the darkness and he longs to see us and the rest of his creation redeemed. Let's use this passage as a reminder for our own propensity to find comfort in lies. Let's repent and see how God gives us the grace through his son Jesus to move into a true expression of our own creativity. The truth will ultimately set us free. Lies will not.
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