The Entertaining Prophet

(stolen from "hot coffee"'s blog that's so beautifully expressed I had to share)



The Entertaining Prophet

The 33rd chapter of Ezekiel records the following message from the LORD:

"Come on, let's have some fun! Let's go hear the prophet tell us what the LORD is saying! So they come pretending to be sincere and sit before you listening. But they have no intention of doing what I tell them. They express love with their mouths, but their hearts seek only after money. You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don't do it." (Ezekiel 33:30-33, NLT)

Sometimes is good to read these OT passages and see where we fit in. Do we most resemble Ezekiel, who is proclaiming God's message to an unrepentant people? Or do we resemble the people, who come to hear the prophet because it's entertainment, but have no desire to change their lives?

Often it's both. I've found myself coming to hear a message with no intention of changing. Yet, it's in these moments where we see how dangerous it can be to come to a place where we no longer seek to submit ourselves to God's words. Many times I have been convicted because my heart only seeks entertainment and not application.

The last verse in chapter 33 is striking: God says when the terrible things happen to them (because they refused to listen to God), then they surely will know a prophet has been among them. May we take heed to God today through the various means by which He uses--and not be a people that are resistant, but rather are humble, moldable, and ever-changing to the truth of God's word.