Ezekiel 13:17-23

Ezekiel 13:17

I. The sewing of the pillows under the arms or elbows of those who came to consult the prophetesses was a symbolical act, intended to convey an answer by way of parable. The prophetesses wished to assure the people who came to them, of peace and ease and emancipation from slavery; what more likely than that they should not only give promises of these good things to come by word of mouth, but cause the people, who applied to them, to sit at ease, to be propped up with pillows as a sign and token of the condition of peace and rest and ease, which they promised in their prophecies. In like manner I think it probable that the handkerchiefs which the prophetesses put on the heads of their votaries, "on the heads of persons of all ages," were probably an emblem of liberty. And when the prophetesses placed these handkerchiefs on the heads of those who came to them, it was probably intended to declare by a parable, that the people would soon be free, and not subject to the king of Babylon any more.

II. The dealing of the prophetesses is particularly blamed because it was the same to all; there was only one message, and that one of peace for Jerusalem, one of joy in the future. There was no examination of the spiritual condition of those who came, and adapting of the message accordingly. The penitent and the impenitent had the same pillow to rest upon, and the same cap of liberty put upon the head. When we consider the utter confusion that would be produced, and the fearful manner in which the lessons of Ezekiel and his messages of lamentation and mourning and woe would be neutralised and made of none effect, we shall not be surprised that God pronounced a very grievous woe against these prophetesses, and promised as a special boon to His people that they should be delivered out of their hands.

III. We all have our Ezekiels to tell us the truth, and we all have our false prophets and prophetesses ready to contradict the truth, and to substitute lies in place of it. Ezekiel tells us that we must repent; he assures us that God does not wish the death of a sinner, that God has, in fact, sent His Son into the world that we might live and not die. But still he tells us that we must repent; that we must correct what is amiss; that we must examine what our sins are, and forsake them. The ministers of Christ's Gospel make a fearful and dangerous mistake, if they ever cry, "Peace, peace," and nothing else.

Bishop Harvey Goodwin, Parish Sermons,5th series, p. 154.