Today’s readings: Ezekiel 13-15, Psalm 82.
Ezekiel 13:1-9
The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ 3 Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. 5 You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the LORD. 6 They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. 7 Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the LORD,’ although I have not spoken?”
8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
M. Scott Peck’s book, People of the Lie, was an eye-opening read for me. I had heard it was profound in its thoughts and insights about evil, but I didn’t expect to be impacted emotionally as I was. Reading of parents treating their children shamefully and failing to acknowledge their bad behavior — or even being totally blind to it — was heart wrenching. I take a deep breath just now as I remember only the faint outline of their behavior.
As profoundly distressing as the examples in his book may be, the destructive harm false prophets do is much worse. It’s not just that they are not telling the truth. Nor is it merely a matter of failing to set people free by telling the truth. The grave harm false prophets do reaches into hearts, lives, cities, neighborhoods, and homes, providing false solutions and enabling people of the lie to continue in their destructive ways. It reaches even beyond these places into eternity.
It may be terrifying to face the truth, and that would certainly be the case for the people of Ezekiel’s day. The truth was anything but easy. Jerusalem was being laid waste. The temple was being destroyed, having already been corrupted by pagan deities and practices. Their past was a trail of judgment, defeat, and exile. Their future would not brighten for years. Ezekiel himself was experiencing all this. And even though there were promises of deliverance for the likes of Noah, Daniel, and Job [Ezekiel 14:14], the future was to be anything but bright.
This hard truth, however, is the stuff of contrition and repentance. Jesus said, “If you abide in my word… you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” [John 8:31-32]. He prayed that the Father would sanctify his disciples in the truth and added, “Your word is truth.” Jesus is himself the way, the truth, and the life. But Jesus is also the One who is full of grace and truth.
That is why false prophets are so detestably destructive. They not only hide the truth of our urgent need for God’s mercy — this is exactly what the false prophets of Ezekiel’s day were doing — they offer no true grace.
God desires truth in our inner being [Psalm 51:6], in worship [John 4:23-24], and in those who represent him to his people and in the world. That isn’t just so we’re truth-tellers. It’s so we more fully embrace his grace, mercy, and love. For the truth is that we need God’s grace. And that grace is found in Jesus, our Lord who is full of grace and truth. He tells us the truth about our sin, but he does not leave us there. He gives us the greater truth of his grace, his forgiveness, and his life. He is the truth that saves us!
PS: An astute reader of the ESV will notice “Lord GOD” in several places above. This stands in for Adonai YHWH, a combination of the Hebrew for lord – as in sovereign, or master – and God’s holy name. Ezekiel uses this combination more frequently than other Old Testament writers. That’s noted here in the text by rendering it Lord GOD. Otherwise it would be Lord LORD – a bit awkward. It emphasizes both God’s sovereign authority (Adonai) and his identity as YHWH, the covenant God of Israel.
Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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