Speak smooth things – prophesy illusions ∙

Speak smooth things – prophesy illusions ∙

[They] say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions.” – Isaiah 30:10 – ESV

They tell the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” They tell the prophets, “Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies.” – Isaiah 30:10 – NLT.

2 Timothy 4:1-5

 1 I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom:

 2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

 5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

The Risk of Prophetic Warnings

Those who predict disaster have always faced the risk of ridicule and humiliation. Throughout history, society often dismisses “prophets of doom” as alarmists or eccentrics, unwilling to face the uncomfortable truths they proclaim. You know the type, standing on a busy street corner, holding a sign that boldly proclaims, “The End Is Near.”

The crowd’s reaction is predictable: laughter, mockery, and maybe some heckling. Many would compare the doomsayer to the fabled Chicken Little, a symbol of exaggerated fear and baseless alarm, who ran around panicked, shouting, “The sky is falling!” Still, beneath the ridicule is a deeper truth: humanity has long feared the end, a fear that spans time, cultures, and belief systems.

A Universal Fear of the End

For centuries, people from all walks of life have speculated about the end of the world. Those familiar with Scripture are especially aware of end-time prophecies, such as those concerning Armageddon. Many of us have encountered individuals, sometimes dismissed as “end of the worlders,” who boldly proclaim these warnings, often to the amusement or disdain of others.

Such messages, dark and foreboding, are rarely welcomed. They are often ridiculed and dismissed as alarmist. Yet, in times of great despair or uncertainty, these warnings can resonate more deeply, forcing people to face uncomfortable truths about their lives and the world around them.

The Unwelcome Voice of the Prophet

This rejection of prophetic warnings is not merely a modern phenomenon. In ancient Israel, during the time of the Assyrian invasion and conquest, the prophetic message was equally unwelcome. The prophet Isaiah faced opposition, ridicule, and even violence. As the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (ZIBBC) notes, “The prophetic message was frequently unwelcome, so prophets were often silenced by force or coercion. The view that a prophet predicted the future could easily morph to seeing the prophet as speaking the future into being, so silencing them could be seen as averting their dire predictions.”

The people of Israel, in their rebellion, sought to suppress the word of the Lord. They believed that silencing the prophet could somehow prevent the fulfillment of his warnings. But the truth of God’s word cannot be silenced, and the consequences of ignoring it are unavoidable.

A Stubborn and Rebellious People

Isaiah, the prophet, evaluates the heart and attitude of the people of Israel, who had turned away from God. He describes them in Isaiah 30:9 as “Stubborn rebels who refuse to pay attention to the LORD’s instructions.”

The people’s rejection of God’s truth was not passive; it was willful ignorance leading to active rebellion. They despised the Lord’s instructions and chose instead to trust in lies and oppression.

The Father’s Warning Through Isaiah

Through His prophet, Isaiah, the Lord delivers a sobering message in Isaiah 30:12-14 to His people, “Because you despise what I tell you and trust instead in oppression and lies, calamity will come upon you suddenly, like a bulging wall that bursts and falls. In an instant, it will collapse and come crashing down. You will be smashed like a piece of pottery, shattered so completely that there won’t be a piece big enough to carry coals from a fireplace or a little water from the well.”

The imagery is vivid and devastating. The people’s rejection of God’s truth leads to their own destruction, sudden and complete. Yet, even in the midst of judgment, in Isaiah 30:15, God offers a way out, “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.”

A Rejection of Truth

The people of Israel did not want to hear the truth. They preferred messages that left their lives undisturbed, that allowed them to continue in their rebellion without apparent consequence. Motyer asserts that they wanted only small, superficial changes that in no way would disturb their way of life, “a ministry of trifles.” They wanted no challenge to lifestyle choices or direction. But most of all, they didn’t want to hear about a holy God living among them and making demands on them.

Rejection of truth is prevalent in the 21st century. Indeed, so many people prefer messages of comfort and prosperity over the difficult truths requiring repentance and obedience. As Barry and Mangum note: “Smooth or pleasant things are equated with illusions and contrasted with what is right. The people only want to hear of blessing and prosperity, fantasy instead of reality.”

REFLECT & PRAY

The story of Israel’s rebellion and rejection of God’s truth is timeless. It challenges us to examine our own hearts. Are we open to hearing the truth, even when it is uncomfortable? Are we willing to return to God, rest in Him, and find our strength in quietness and confidence?

Father, please grant me the strength and openness to hear the Truth and follow it. In this world, we will face challenges, but I find comfort in knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33). Help me to trust in You, rest in Your promises, and walk in obedience to Your Word.

INSIGHT

The Danger of Smooth Words and Deceptive Illusions

The prophet Isaiah records a sad message of a rebellious, defiant people in Isaiah 30:10, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions.” This verse reveals the heart of a people who no longer desired truth but instead sought comfort in deceitful words.

The Hebrew word chelqah, translated as “smooth,” refers to speech that is “flattering, pleasant, or intentionally deceitful.” It is the kind of speech that “soothes the ears but twists reality.” Similarly, the Hebrew word mahathalloth, translated as “illusions,” comes from the Hebrew verb talal, meaning “to mock, deceive, or trifle with.” The noun conveys a sense of “lies, fallacies, or delusions.”

The people of Israel, in their rebellion, demanded to hear “false assurances and faulty fantasies” rather than the “sobering truth from the Holy One of Israel.” Rather than hearing about the reality of their circumstances, they “preferred deceitful delusions” (NIDOTTE).

Desire for Deception

Motyer writes that, “They did not ask that preaching cease; only that it be innocuous, and without the absolutes of truth and morality which derive from the character of God.” The people no longer wished to hear the truth. Instead, they sought pleasant words and illusions, willingly accepted from false prophets who prioritized pleasing man over pleasing God.

As Briley notes, “What they prefer are the pleasant things and the illusions that the false prophets (those who seek to please man rather than God) willingly offer (cf. Jeremiah 6:13-14; Micah 3:5).”

How ironic that these people, in effect, “demanded to be deceived.” As Gary V. Smith observes, “This desire to optimistically believe that the love and grace of God will somehow make everything work out well in the end” led them to reject the truth.

Spin Doctors of Deception

The false prophets of Israel were “smooth talkers,” modern-day equivalents of “spin doctors.” They distorted the truth to make it more acceptable, providing a biased and skewed interpretation of reality.

The term “spin doctor” was first used in 1984 in a New York Times editorial about the aftermath of a televised debate between U.S. presidential candidates Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale. In politics, “spin” refers to “the interpretation or bias placed on information to make it more acceptable.”

The people of Israel asked Isaiah to “spin” his words, seeking a more pleasant and acceptable message. They resembled the classic cliché of the three monkeys who hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil, choosing willful ignorance and shutting out the truth.

Subtle Ways of Blocking the Truth

While some people literally cover their ears to block out a message, others do so in more subtle, unconscious ways. As PsychMechanics notes, adults may touch, pull, or rub their ears, or even fiddle with earrings, to unconsciously block what they hear.

This behavior reflects a deeper unwillingness to confront uncomfortable truths. Sadly, nothing has changed. Modern times are also characterized by people unwilling to hear the truth.

A Warning for Today: Itching Ears and Rejected Truth

Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 are a sobering reminder of this reality, “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”

This passage describes a culture that mirrors the one Isaiah faced, a culture that rejects absolute truth in favor of comforting lies.

The Call to Proclaim the Truth

Despite the rejection of truth, the children of the King are called to continue proclaiming His message. Paul exhorts Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2,5: “Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching . . .. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.”

The seal of Dallas Theological Seminary bears the Greek words Kerusson ton logon, “Preach the Word.” This is the unchanging charge for all who follow Christ.

Biblical Truth: Absolute and Uncompromising

Biblical truth is absolute. It cannot be synthesized, softened, or compromised to suit the preferences of the audience. The Word of God is not subject to spin or reinterpretation. It stands as the ultimate standard of truth, calling us to repentance and faith.

In a world that often prefers smooth words and illusions, may we hunger for the truth, even when it is uncomfortable.

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© Dr. H 20