Based on Ezekiel 13 (New King James Version)
“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ Thus says the Lord God: ‘Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken.’ Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,’ says the Lord God. ‘My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord God. ‘Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar—say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?’ Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. ‘Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar; and I will say to you, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it, that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ says the Lord God. ‘Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive? And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?’ ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds. I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as prey in your hand. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. ‘Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life. Therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’”
Joseph Goebbels (Hitler’s right hand man) said: “Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.” The world is full of lies. Many people lie all the time, and for different reasons. Some lie to cover their wrongful actions. Some lie to get what they want. Others lie because they think that this is how you keep things at peace. We live in a society where lies are propagated every day. They could be headlines in our newspapers or main attractions in television shows. There are lies published throughout the internet now; through websites and social media. In the end, all these lies exist because they are being used by people who want to exercise some sort of control. But, what’s amazing is that many people are ok with being lied to as long as the message is delivered politely or lovingly.
In the United States, we are seeing two people who are trying to gain approval from the masses to become the next president. There is finger pointing, accusations, etc., going back and forth. There is one that says that people should check facts. Well, what is truly a fact? Where does the information come from? Are the sources legitimate? Are the sources objective or subjective? How do I know that?
Where matters are getting even more problematic (and where today’s passage applies) is that there is a whole lot of lying happening in places where the truth should be spoken. There are many folks who are teaching things as truth for their own benefit, or just as agents of evil. The Bible warned that this would happen. For it is written: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1. We are living in these latter times and this prophecy started being fulfilled many years ago. There are many churches or preachers that are not teaching the Truth of God.
Having said all of this should bring up the question: What is the truth? Well, what makes something true is that it is absolutely true from any perspective, dimension, etc. There is such a thing as absolute truth; and it resides with the One that can never be changed, bought, altered, manipulated, etc.: God Himself. Now, if you don’t want to believe in God, then you will never know the Truth. But for those of us who want to know how to filter what is truth or not, especially when we are talking about Bible teaching, the test is simple. Listen to the folks that teach (directly from the Bible) that God wants for you to continue learning and being transformed; not to settle and accept the sin that is still in your life, or the ones that tell you to be content and stay where you are, justifying the sin in your life. For it is written: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2. The God of the Bible is in the business of changing lives; not in stagnation.
If you follow lies, especially the ones that make you feel comfortable and encouraged, the Truth of God teaches that you will not make it to what God has in store for those that love Him; there is no blessing. So, are you being careful with what you listen to? Lord bless! John