In most parts of the world, the poor often build mud walls for their dwellings. They are unable to afford building materials. They are also victims of storms, rain, and floods. Ezekiel writes about false prophets who build walls that fall in the storm and hailstones. (Ezekiel 13:10-12)
False prophets: People are given the message of peace and hope by false prophets, while God has decided to punish the Israelites by delivering them to the Babylonians. False prophets have mocked the holiness of God by diminishing the consequences of sin and the righteous judgments of God. Instead of calling the Israelites to repentance, they promised God’s favour. They had no message from God, but faked their message as God’s message. Today, numerous false prophets are leading people astray.
Seduced people: People of God are seduced by false prophets as the serpent seduced Adam and Eve to sin against God. It was smooth talk, sowing doubts and giving atrocious false promises. As gravity pulls all objects towards the earth, false teachers pull people towards destruction. People who do not test and discern will sadly perish. John counsels believers to test every spirit. (I John 4:1)
Poor materials: They build walls that are attractive from the outside, but do not have real strength. The walls are built with substandard materials or substitutes and weak materials. Tragically, they use Untampered mortar, which is improperly mixed with improper proportions of elements and an improper consistency, leading to brittleness and crumbling. Some scholars opine that the untampered mortar was actually whitewash, which does not strengthen the walls. There is an impression of stability and impregnability, but they are just an illusion.
Natural disaster: The walls were neither tested nor inspected. God’s message was that there would be a storm against the weak walls erected by false prophets, foolishly trusted by the people of God. Flooding, rain, hailstones, and storms will come, and those who try to take shelter in them will perish miserably.
Do I discern the false prophets, false teachers, and their fake messages?