Why does God allow deception in Ezekiel 21:23? DECEPTION IN EZEKIEL 21 : 23 Definition and Immediate Context Ezekiel 21:23 : “But to them it will seem like a false divination. They have sworn solemn oaths. Yet He will bring their guilt to remembrance, so they will be captured.” • “False divination” (Hebrew קֶסֶם qiš·qem) denotes an omen the hearers judge to be unreliable. • “They” refers to Judah’s leaders who had sworn covenant loyalty to Babylon (cf. 2 Kings 24:17–20) yet secretly plotted revolt. • God speaks, not to endorse divination, but to explain why He lets Nebuchadnezzar’s pagan ritual guide the invasion of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 21:18–22). Historical Setting: Nebuchadnezzar at the Fork The Babylonian Chronicle BM 21946 records Nebuchadnezzar’s 588 BC campaign against Judah, confirming Scripture’s chronology. Contemporary ostraca from Lachish (Letters III, IV) show Judah’s garrisons awaiting Babylonian attack exactly as Ezekiel predicts. At the “fork in the road” (Ezekiel 21:21) the king employs arrow-lots, teraphim, and liver inspection—all standard Neo-Babylonian divinatory practices attested in cuneiform omen catalogs (e.g., Šumma Ālu series). God sovereignly commandeers this occult procedure to move the Babylonian sword toward Jerusalem. Theological Frame: Why God Allows the Deception 4.1 Judicial Hardening Persistent rebellion invites God’s “giving over” (Romans 1:24-28). Just as a “lying spirit” enticed Ahab’s prophets (1 Kings 22:19-23), so here God permits Judah to cling to false assurance, satisfying justice while exposing guilt. 4.2 Vindication of Prophetic Truth Ezekiel had already foretold Jerusalem’s fall (Ezekiel 4–7; 12). Allowing Judah to dismiss Nebuchadnezzar’s omen amplifies the contrast: when the city falls, God’s word stands proven (Isaiah 55:11). 4.3 Preservation of Human Agency God’s sovereignty never negates responsibility (Deuteronomy 30:19). Judah freely labels the omen “false”; their culpability remains intact (Ezekiel 18:30-32). 4.4 Covenant Enforcement By oath-breaking they invoke Deuteronomy 28:49-57. The deceptive calm before the siege magnifies the righteousness of God’s judgment (Psalm 51:4). 4.5 Instrumental Use of Evil for Redemptive Ends Nebuchadnezzar’s divination is evil in itself, yet God wields it to discipline, preserve a remnant (Ezekiel 6:8), and prepare the lineage of Messiah (cf. Jehoiachin in 2 Kings 25:27-30; Matthew 1:11-12). 4.6 Revelation of Divine Sovereignty to the Nations When pagan omens unexpectedly prove true, Babylonian observers, too, must reckon with Yahweh’s supremacy over their gods (Ezekiel 30:19, “Then they will know that I am the LORD”). Cross-Biblical Parallels • 2 Thessalonians 2:11—God sends a “powerful delusion” upon those who refuse the truth. • Isaiah 29:10—“The LORD has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep.” • Job 12:16—“The deceived and the deceiver are His.” These texts cohere: God permits deception as righteous recompense for unbelief while never lying Himself (Titus 1:2). Philosophical and Behavioral Considerations Free creatures can misuse intellect; God’s allowance of deception secures genuine moral testing (James 1:13-15). Behavioral research on “confirmation bias” illustrates how people, when morally invested, dismiss contrary evidence—mirroring Judah’s mindset. The phenomenon fulfills Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Pastoral Implications Believers must prize God’s word over cultural assurances. Spiritual discernment grows by obedience (John 7:17) and testing every spirit (1 John 4:1). National or personal sin unchecked can result in judicial blinding; repentance is the remedy (Acts 3:19). Summary God allows the leaders of Judah to deem Nebuchadnezzar’s omen deceptive to: 1. Execute deserved judgment, 2. Validate His prophets, 3. Respect human choice, 4. Enforce broken covenants, 5. Turn evil to redemptive purpose, and 6. Display His universal sovereignty. The episode warns every generation: rejecting revealed truth eventually invites the very deception the heart prefers, yet God’s offer of grace in Christ remains open to all who repent and believe (John 14:6; 2 Corinthians 5:20). |
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