THE GLORY OF THE FALSE PROPHETS Having confirmed the actuality of captivation, proclaiming the necessity of believing the true prophets, the prophet Ezekiel began demanding the rejection of the counsels of the false prophets and the deceiving prophetesses. 1- The false prophets 1-16. 2-The false prophetesses 17-23. 1- THE FALSE PROPHETS The Jews knew two kinds of false prophets: The first kind represent the pagan worship, that openly oppose God; as for example, the prophets of Baal who were killed by the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 18:40); and a second kind who prophesied by the inspiration of their own hearts, their own feelings, and their own desires, under the name of God. They mostly uttered from their own invention, what would please the hearts of the king and the rulers, as a sort of flattery (1 Kings 22:5-28). This later kind is more dangerous than the former; as they are deceptive, talking as though bearing the divine inspiration, when they actually bear the inspiration of their wicked selves. Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel opposed these. He called them “nebiem,” meaning “foolish;” and here, we notice how the prophet plays with words: Instead of the word “nebalim,” he says, “nebiem;” like, in English, when we say ‘profitless’ instead of ‘prophets.’ The cause of their folly is that they prophesy “out of their own heart” (Ez 13:2); “follow their own spirits” (Ez 13:3); and not the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom. If God warns His people against the false prophets; He, at the same time cares for the return of these false prophets from their wickedness and lies. As it is said by Origen: [There is no kind of sin, that the Holy Scripture did not deal with, and did not clarify to its reader. The word of God, sent for healing people, has to deal with all kinds of sins, and to address all kinds of people; so as not to deprive anyone of the beneficial medicine to heal his wound. There are words that concern the people; others that concern the high priests; the priests; the ministers and preachers. There are words that complement the good teachers; and others that rebuke the wicked; provoking some to proceed in goodness; and warning others to avoid descending to what is worse than what they have reached. We have to interpret the words of God about the false prophets... and think about some of the preachers of the Church, whose talk or behavior, do not conform with the dogma they preach. They are false prophets. We become very happy when we see the Holy Scriptures provoke us to keep away from iniquities; and become happier when we find the words of God touch and deal with some of the ranks of the Church; as we wish for healing from all sins. “Son of Adam, prophesies against the prophets of Israel” (Ez 13:2). In Israel there were prophets, but only by name. But nowadays, in the true Israel, namely the Church, there are some false prophets and teachers, who are likewise covered by the word of God in this prophecy. If I happen to be one of these, I should change my behavior and keep away from iniquities so that I won’t be one of those condemned by the Holy Scriptures here, but to become one of the teachers of the Church, who faithfully 6 preach the word of God. “Prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy out of their own heart” (Ez 13:2, 3). Here, the word of God refers to the teachers of the Church, who speak of what conflicts with the truth. To conform with the teachings of the Holy Spirit, through the disciples, speaking is not out of the inspiration of one’s own heart, but according to that Spirit that uttered in the apostles Paul, Peter, and all the other disciples and apostles. But if we read the Bible, and apply on it our own concepts, without understanding the actual intentions of God, we would become false prophets, who speak out of the inspiration of their own hearts. As to heretics... they display their heresies, based on the gospels and the apostles, interpreting them out of their own hearts, and not according to the Holy Spirit. They cannot say: “Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him; but we have the mind of Christ.” Or “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” (1 Cor 2:16, 12)1.] In the Septuagint version, it came: “They are gathering together herds against the house of Israel; who say: In the day of the Lord, they shall not rise. They see false visions” (v. 5, 6). Origen comments on this phrase, saying: [They are gathering together herds that are separated from the Church of God, and from the house of Israel. They do not rise with the Lord Christ... because they see false visions... They shall not rise with Him; as those truly risen would say: “We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4). “As we were given the Spirit in our hearts as a deposit” (2 Cor 1:22). We were only given the pledge of resurrection; as none of us has been risen the perfect resurrection... They were not yet given the Baptism of resurrection, because they are false teachers and prophets... everything they see is false; they cannot see true visions... they have false visions of the Scripture2.] “‘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” (Ez 13:8, 9). By human wisdom, they wished to gain the people and to hypnotize their conscience by false prophecies, on the expense of the divine Truth; to lose God as their support, and to be uprooted from the people themselves. “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” (Ez 13:9, 10). They intended by flattering the people, to utter smooth words that they are in peace and security; to end up being deprived of the people, of the city, and of the land. St. Ambrose says: [In the Gospel we find certain examples of peace that is rejected by Christ, who Himself says: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27). As there is peace that puts no rock of offense; and there is peace that does that. Peace that puts no rock of offense, is the peace of love. Otherwise, it is that of appearances (hypocrisy). That is why the prophet 1 Origen: In Ezek. Homily 2:1-2. 2 Origen: In Ezek. Homily 2:5. 7 says: “Peace, peace, and there is no peace”. Let us then escape from the peace of the wicked; as they plot against the innocent, and gather together to afflict the righteous (Wis 2:12). They suppress the widow and crush her humility1.] They utter smooth words. And as Origen says that when the books are opened (Dan 7:10) “by our words we will be justified, and by our words we will be condemned” (Mat 12:37); according to the saying of the Lord Christ. The false teachers offer corrupt views that will condemn them and will not justify them. What apply to words, apply also to works; as “Some men’s sins are clearly evident, proceeding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. Likewise the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden” (1 Tim 24. 25); “Their thoughts accusing or else excusing them” (Rom 2:15). Therefore, let us watch our words, our works, and our thoughts, lest they condemn us as false teachers! St. Jerome says: [Those who came on their own, and were not sent, are “thieves and robbers” (John 10:8)2.] Those false prophets became like “foxes in the desert” (Ez 13:4) known for deception; that desolate the city under the veil of ‘peace,’ instead of building it by good counsel. Instead of “building a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the way of the Lord” (Ez 13:5); namely, instead of building strong walls to protect it; “they plaster it with intemperate mortar” (Ez 13:10). It may appear strong, yet for sometime; but would soon fall; because when rain pours; the mortar would fall, and the stones of the real wall would be exposed, to appear as hailstones to crack and be torn down by the stormy wind (Ez 13:11). The deceiving layer of mortar, put by the false prophet would fall, and the wall would completely collapse. That is why the Lord says: “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 intemperate 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” (Ez 13:13, 14). So the fury of God will come down on those who plastered it, on the mortar they have put, and on the wall itself. Here, we also notice, how the prophet Ezekiel plays with words, saying: “Say to those who plaster it with intemperate mortar (tapel), that it will fall (napel) (Ez 13:11). That mortar, are the smooth deceptive words: The prophets “see visions of peace for her when there is no peace” (Ez 13:16). And as came in Micah: “Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who make My people stray; who chant ‘Peace,’ while they chew with their teeth” (Mic 3:5); and in Jeremiah: “Because from the least of them, even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness. And from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!,’ when there is no peace” (Jer 6:13, 14). Origen believes that the foxes (or jackals Ez 13:4) refer to the devils3. the Psalmist says: “They shall go into the lower parts of the earth; they shall fall by the sword. They shall be a portion for jackals” (Ps 63:9, 10); “Foxes spoil the vines” (Songs 2:15). It is as though those prophets, ministering on the account of the kingdom of the 1 The Prayer of Job and David, 3:3:6. 2 Homily 87. 3 In Number, homily 11:5. 8 devil, are counted as his soldiers, or as though evil spirits that spoil the vine of God. Origen says: [Let us move on to another verse that rebukes those false prophets and teachers. I pray to be spared this rebuke, through your prayers for me. What is this rebuke? “O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts” (Ez 13:4). A fox is a useless, shrewd, wild, and fierce animal. The Savior says: “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons, and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected” (Luke 13:32). ‘Samson’ used those foxes against the Philistines; “He went and caught 300 foxes; and he took torches, turned the foxes tail to tail, and put a torch between each pair of tails. When he had set the torches on fire, he let the foxes go into the standing grains of the Philistines, and burned up both the shocks and the standing grain, as well as the vineyards and olive groves” (Judges 10:24). False teachers are deceptive and wicked, like those animals. If I am like that, I would not only be a fox, but I would be a fox in a desert! Those useless deceptive hypocrites dwell in the desert and desolate places; always in secluded locations (from God). If God dwells in a soul, and fills it with the Holy Spirit, no heretic dogmas will enter into it. But where the Lord Christ is absent, the poisons of those wrong and evil teachings would prevail1.] 2- THE FALSE PROPHETESSES The Holy Bible mentions prophetesses to whom holy talents were given; like ‘Miriam’ the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, who took the timbrel in her hand and led the women in a song of conquest, after crossing over the Red Sea (Exod 15:20); ‘Deborah’ who was a judge of Israel (Judges 4:3, 4); Isaiah’s wife (Is 8:3); ‘Huldah’ the prophetess (2 Kings 22:14); ‘Anna,’ the daughter of Phanuel (Luke 2:36); and the four daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:9). But here, the prophet Ezekiel speaks about false prophetesses who turned the word of God into trade and personal profit: “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” (Ez 13:18, 19). It is a bad trade, in which souls are sold cheap, for handfuls of barley or for crumbs of bread; delivering innocent souls to death; and keeping alive evil souls that are worthy of death. They trap human souls by smooth words, as soft pillows for every head; as though setting traps to catch birds. That is why God intervenes for the sake of His name, that is profaned by those wicked women; and for the sake of the poor souls that fall victims to them. God will tear up their pillows, and rescue the people from their snares. In the Septuagint version it came: “Woe to those sewing pillows to trap souls” (v. 18). Those who, according to St. Ambrose2 sew the old with the new. But our Christ came and made all things new (Rev 21:5); because He is “the Resurrection” (John 11:25); the “the Firstborn from the dead” (Col 1:18). He does not forsake us in our old man with his killing letter. 1 In Number, homily 11:4. 2 Cf. The Prayer of Job and David, 3:7:24. 9 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF E ZEKIEL 13 YOUR COMMANDMENT TO EVERY SOUL You, as a Priest, present Your commandment to me. And You are also presenting it to the people! My soul is very precious in Your sight, Whether I am a master or a slave, An elder, young or child, A man or a woman! Your love is amazing for every human soul, O Lord! You warn me against false prophets and the deceptive prophetesses. And at the same time, You ask them to repent and to return to You! You hate deception; Yet You seek the souls of those who deceive! You hate heresies; Yet You yearn for the repentance of the heretics! You are amazing, O Savior of the world! Grant me not to fall into the deception of smooth words. Not to lean on the pillows of the false teachers, And not to trust in the sweetness of their tongues, full of poison! Keep me, lest my thoughts, words, or works deceive me! As I shall give account of every vain thought, And of every barren word, And of every useless work!
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