Visions of Peace. — Chapter 13
ONCE more the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel.” There were those at that time who pretended to have the mind of the Lord, but who were in reality prophesying out of their own hearts, and had seen nothing.
These false prophets were like the foxes in the deserts, they spoiled the vines (Song of Sol. 2:1515Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. (Song of Solomon 2:15)). God had a controversy with His people, and true faithfulness to Him and love to them should have led them to stand in the breach like Moses did of old (Exod. 32:1010Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. (Exodus 32:10)); Ps. 103:23). They should have sought to reach the conscience of the idolatrous people, and so lead them to humble themselves under God’s mighty hand, but instead of this they strengthened them in their sin, and prophesied smooth things. Jehovah was against these false prophets, “Say unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord” (ver. 2).
Man likes to believe what is pleasant to himself; and none will give heed to warnings of judgment apart from a divine work in the soul. Then, too, there are always found those who, from motives of self-seeking or gain, will minister to others what they like to hear.
The same thing is seen in Christendom today, for man in every age is the same. “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3, 43For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:3‑4)). These times, foretold in the apostle’s day, have to a very great extent already come. The people will not have the truth, and this disinclination on their part for sound scriptural teaching produces a race of false teachers, which are always far more numerous than God’s messengers of truth. Ezekiel stood forth alone in faithful testimony for Jehovah, whereas the false prophets abounded; but Jehovah was against them, and their lying visions would come to naught. “Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God. And Mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of My people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord God” (vers. 8, 9).
They prophesied visions of peace for Jerusalem, and there was no peace; it would be as though one built a wall and others daubed it with untempered mortar; when the hailstones of divine judgment should descend, all their fondest hopes should crumble and fall to the ground (vers. 10-17).
Even so will it be with Christendom. Men will be saying, even as they are doing today, Peace and safety, but sudden destruction shall come. All things are ripening for this around us, and the Word of God unmistakably forewarns us that there will be a complete apostasy (2 Thess. 2). The teachers of Christendom today are doing all that lies in their power to hurry on this departure from the truth, in many cases, no doubt, unwittingly; but God will not hold them guiltless; both deceivers and deceived will meet their judgment at His hands.
Next the prophet is told to set his face against the daughters of his people, for they, as well as the false prophets, prophesied lies out of their own hearts. In their case it was for gain that they pandered to the inclinations of their hearers, but in so doing they were dishonoring God as well as denying His word and despising His faithful messenger: “Will ye pollute Me among My people for handfuls of barley, and for pieces of bread,” &c. (vers. 17-23).
But their lies would all be exposed, and Jehovah would be vindicated, even though for a time the righteous would be saddened by their open hostility to the word of the Lord, and the wicked be strengthened in their unbelief: “I will deliver My people out of your hand; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.”