Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking
against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak
one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you,
and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they
come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my
people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with
their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their
covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of
one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument:
for they hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh
to pass (lo, it will come), then shall they know that a prophet hath
been among them (verses 30-33).
How deplorable was their condition, listening to the Prophet's words,
saying one to the other, "Come, I pray you, what is the word that cometh
forth from the Lord." They took before the Prophet the position as
God's people, professing it with their mouths, listening to all the
Prophet said and yet refused obedience. With their mouth they showed
much love, they spoke nice and pleasant words, but their hearts
continued in the evil ways. As the Septuagint version paraphrases it,
"because a lie is in their mouth." They were hearers of the words, but
not doers. And such is to-day the sad condition of Christendom. What the
Prophet had announced was coming to pass and when it came they would
find out that a Prophet had been among them.
And even so to-day. The mass of professing Christians listen to the Word
of God. They remain indifferent. Their hearts and consciences are not
touched. But ere long they, too, will find out "that a Prophet hath been
among them" and that the Word they rejected and refused to obey will
condemn them.