What Interpretations Do the Literalist Christian Zionists Make of Ezekiel 13: 2-3, 17-23?
Ezekiel has some interesting metaphors, such as in Ezekiel 2: 5-6, "And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. 6. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house."
Scorpions as a metaphor in Ezekiel 2: 5-6 couldn't have anything to do with scorpions in Revelation 9: 5, could it? You have to be careful about making connections between scriptures, because some connections like that can throw light on the meanings of the scriptures which are connected, Only the connections between scriptures that make sense within a particular tradition of men (Matthew 15: 7-8) - a church theology - is permitted. The scorpions of Ezekiel 2: 5-6 speak words and the scorpions mentioned in Revelation 9: 1-6 torment people and come out of the bottomless pit. Where is the bottomless pit for literalist Christian Zionists. Maybe its that very deep oil well that British Petroleum drilled in 2010 which blew up and spilled oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
In Ezekiel 13: 17-23 the metaphors of pillows, putting kerchiefs on heads of statures and hunting souls to make them fly appear. The focus of Ezekiel 13: 17-23 is stated in Ezekiel 13: 2-3, which is the prophets of Israel, who are said to follow their own spirit and have seen nothing. In Christian Zionism, what is said about the prophets of Israel cannot apply to the prophets of the New Covenant era - after all, Christian Zionism defines Israel as being only only Covenant Israel.
Here is the metaphoric Ezekiel 13: 2-3, 17-23: "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
3. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!.........
"Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
18. And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
19. And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
20. Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.
21. Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
22. Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
23. Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD."
Pillows is from Strong's number 3704, keceth, from 3680, a cushion, or pillow. 3780, kaqsah, means to grow fat,be covered with flesh.
There is a subtle meaning for the metaphoric use of keceth or kaqsah applied to the daughters of Israel who prophesy out of their own hearts. What could that meaning be - for Christian Zionists?
Ezekiel has some interesting metaphors, such as in Ezekiel 2: 5-6, "And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. 6. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house."
Scorpions as a metaphor in Ezekiel 2: 5-6 couldn't have anything to do with scorpions in Revelation 9: 5, could it? You have to be careful about making connections between scriptures, because some connections like that can throw light on the meanings of the scriptures which are connected, Only the connections between scriptures that make sense within a particular tradition of men (Matthew 15: 7-8) - a church theology - is permitted. The scorpions of Ezekiel 2: 5-6 speak words and the scorpions mentioned in Revelation 9: 1-6 torment people and come out of the bottomless pit. Where is the bottomless pit for literalist Christian Zionists. Maybe its that very deep oil well that British Petroleum drilled in 2010 which blew up and spilled oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
In Ezekiel 13: 17-23 the metaphors of pillows, putting kerchiefs on heads of statures and hunting souls to make them fly appear. The focus of Ezekiel 13: 17-23 is stated in Ezekiel 13: 2-3, which is the prophets of Israel, who are said to follow their own spirit and have seen nothing. In Christian Zionism, what is said about the prophets of Israel cannot apply to the prophets of the New Covenant era - after all, Christian Zionism defines Israel as being only only Covenant Israel.
Here is the metaphoric Ezekiel 13: 2-3, 17-23: "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
3. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!.........
"Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
18. And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
19. And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
20. Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.
21. Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
22. Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
23. Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD."
Pillows is from Strong's number 3704, keceth, from 3680, a cushion, or pillow. 3780, kaqsah, means to grow fat,be covered with flesh.
There is a subtle meaning for the metaphoric use of keceth or kaqsah applied to the daughters of Israel who prophesy out of their own hearts. What could that meaning be - for Christian Zionists?