Ezekiel 13:10-11,14 “Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter: Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it. So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”
Making resilient masonry walls requires strong bricks and firm mortar to hold the wall together. Mortar is a mixture of lime, clay, cement, sand and water, used as bedding and adhesive between adjacent pieces of masonry material in construction. The requirements of mortar is that it be fluid enough to settle into the minor holes in the surface of the brick and yet it must be a strong enough that it is able to sustain the weight of the brick while the mortar dries. The air-dried mortar must have enough compressive strength that it can withstand the weight of the overall masonry structure.
Mixing mortar is not quite as simple as it might appear at first glance. Like the mixing of concrete, cleanliness is critical. Foreign matter in the mortar produces weak points and the mortar will be unable to support the structure. Good sharp sand, high quality cement, and clean water thoroughly mixed together make solid mortar. Poor brickwork shows the signs of poor mortar; badly aligned bricks and uneven walls. Untempered mortar looks good but it lacks the strength to fortifying the masonry wall. In the preparation of the mortar, someone took a short cut. They selected inferior ingredients or they did not carefully measure the proportions or they inadequately mixed the cement. Using this weak and unstable mortar may make a nice looking wall or house, but it will not survive the stress of rain and wind. Not matter how much attention is paid to the other aspects of the construction, the wall or house will be destroyed and offer no protection from a storm.
False prophets easily deceive people. Everyone desires peace and security. Many settle for a popular leader instead of the one who teaches the Word of God. Their ways seduce people and blind them to the dread of their sin. Ezekiel compares the teachings of these false prophets to untempered mortar, visually appealing but ultimately worthless. Their teaching is dangerous because it creates a false sense of security and distracts people from the coming judgment of God. Instead they reinforce the people’s sinfulness by using inferior and man-made standard of integrity. But there is no easy way to a godly life. Superficial goodness will not withstand the trials of this life or requirements of perfection set for judgment day. In perhaps the saddest passage in the Bible, Jesus foretells the condemnation of people who followed false teachers. They spent their lives believing that they followed Christ but on that day He will say to them, “depart from Me. I never knew you.” Those will be the most dreadful words anyone ever hears. May God protect us from false teachers by opening our eyes to the truth revealed in His precious Word.