Jackals Among Ruins
I love this expression. The
truth is that I didn’t understand it when I read it. But in doing some research, here is what
Ezekiel is going after.
The jackal (some translations give fox, which is equally
acceptable) is content to make their home wherever. The jackal is completely happy to make a den
out of something that is ruined. They
don’t’ need any kind of specific circumstances to make a den. They are happy just about anywhere that they
can use.
At first, that sounds very opportunistic of them. But really, God is laying a critique at the
feet of the false prophets. Rather than
put in the hard work to regenerate the Hebrew society that once flourished when
they were in a relationship with God, the false prophets simply wanted to
accept the status quo. It was easier to
whitewash their crumbling society than put in the hard work needed to build a
society.
This is the true danger of the false prophets. They are like jackals among ruins. They are content to be where they are rather
than spending the time looking for and preparing a proper home and life. In calling the false prophets jackals, God is
telling Ezekiel that they have no interest in developing true culture. They just want to hold on to whatever they’ve
got for as long as they can.
No Longer Counted Among the Record of the Hebrew People
What is the consequence of being a false prophet? God tells Ezekiel that the false prophets
will no longer be counted among God’s people.
I think this is an expression that has two meanings.
First, it means that soon the false prophets will no longer be
counted among the people of influence over the Hebrew people. For too long the false prophets have had
influence over the people and with the king.
But when Jerusalem falls, their influence will end. The message of “peace” that they are
proclaiming will be proven untrustworthy.
When Jerusalem falls, these false prophets will lose any and all
influence that they once had.
Second, I believe there is an eternal judgment being pronounced
here as well. These false prophets are
leading God’s people astray. They are
actively leading them against the ways of the Lord. These false prophets may have been born
according to the Hebrew lineage but they will not be counted as God’s spiritual
people.
Prophetesses
As we progress through this chapter, the “daughters” of Israel who
proclaim false prophetic messages are specifically called into account. As we go forward, though, we have to be
careful. God’s objection here is not
that they are women at all! In fact,
throughout the Old and New Testament we have several good examples of female
prophetesses.
Rather, there are two things of which these false prophetesses are
accused. The first is that they make
magic charms and cover their heads with magic veils. These would be akin to good luck charms as we
see today. They put their trust in these
things of their own creation. Again we
see the problem with idolatry. People
desire to trust their own creation rather than the one who created the world.
The second accusation is the more dangerous one, however. God accuses these false prophetesses of
“hunting for souls.” These women were
going around targeting people who were able to be swayed under their
control. Remember the post I left
yesterday about how discipleship happens because people hear a message and
begin to ask questions? God loathes this
practice of these women because it is actually subversive discipleship. Rather than making disciples of God, these
women are hunting for souls to make them a disciple of anything but God! No wonder God has issue with them.
I really like this description of “hunting for souls,”
though. I wonder how much of our secular
world falls under that category. How
much of our music, television, movies, entertainment, and even culture in
general is looking to make people into a disciple of something other than
God? How much of our entire culture is
guilty of “hunting for souls?”
Proof of God
Once more we end a chapter with God announcing that the coming
destruction will happen so that people will know that He is God. God will deliver His people out of the hands
of the false prophets and false prophetesses.
He will use exile to do it.
Through the exile, the faithful will be freed of the corruption of
Jerusalem. There we see the hand of the
Lord at work in a most unusual way. Yet,
it is still the hand of the Lord at work – even in the form of captivity!
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