Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Bonus Reading, Ezekiel

False Prophets with Wrong Messages   

Today's reading offers a rejection of the false prophets.  While Ezekiel (and others) shared God's warnings of punishment before restoration, more popular would-be prophets suggest that everything will turn out okay.  They suggest that there will be peace, instead of suffering.  Worse, instead of condemning sinful behavior, they accept it.  God accuses them of simply "whitewashing" the deep problems -- and when the building is destroyed, the new coat of paint will be destroyed too.  In order to ultimately save the chosen people, God must first save them from the false prophets -- so that they can learn that they are doing wrong, and they can learn (eventually) to do right.

Read Ezekiel 13:1-23  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]