Author: Erin Newton

Scripture Focus: Zechariah 13.4-6
4 “On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not put on a prophet’s garment of hair in order to deceive. 5 Each will say, ‘I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.’ 6 If someone asks, ‘What are these wounds on your body?’ they will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’”

Reflection: Prophetic Forgery
By Erin Newton

Zechariah foresees a time when prophets who speak in the name of God—but not in the Spirit of God—would openly admit their fraudulent ways and renounce their forged positions as prophets.

So many times, we see messages about the end of false prophets: “A sword will flash in their cities; it will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans” (Hosea 11.6). “In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion” (Jeremiah 2.30).

Rarely do we see the regeneration of a false prophet. It is easier to wish for their demise than for their redemption.

The false prophets in Zechariah’s vision have changed careers—from a position of power wielded to hurt others to a life-giving position of a farmer who sows seeds that bear real fruit. The self-inflicted wounds from the ecstatic rituals (like what we saw on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18.28) are admitted to be the wounds of “friends”—false prophets like themselves.

We have false prophets in our midst today. They speak of God, but the deity is not like the God of the Bible. Self-proclaimed pastors or theologians warp the message of the Bible for their gain—financial, political, or spiritual power, or even some form of self-preservation. True prophets speak the message of God and call out abuses, corruption, and unabashed sin. False prophets deny wrong-doing, cover up sins, and call evil “good.” They are idolaters without realizing it.

We like to think of idols as representing a completely different god than our God. Truth is these false prophets aren’t merely speaking about other gods—they are preaching false words in the forged name of our God. As M. Daniel Carroll R. points out in The Lion Roars, “Israel and Judah were supremely active religious nations, but the quantity of rituals did not qualify the worship as acceptable…. These activities were directed at another god constructed according to the worshipers’ tastes and needs.” Carroll defines false prophecy in the ancient world and points toward the false prophets of our own day.

Prophetic forgery is claiming to speak on God’s behalf when the words sound nothing like the God of the Bible.

The greatest hope we have for the false prophets is that people would see the deceit, name it for what it is, and denounce that behavior once and for all.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
You are the Lord, most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. — Psalm 97.9

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Zechariah 13.2-9 (Listen 1:40)
Luke 22 (Listen 7:58)

​This Weekend’s Readings
Zechariah 14 (Listen 3:52), Luke 23 (Listen 6:39)
Malachi 1 (Listen 2:47), Luke 24 (Listen 6:16)

Read more about What is a False Prophet?
When every religious leader claims to be speaking truth…what will be the litmus test for all these words?

Read more about Tortured Prophets Department
Many who speak out against abuses in the church…of power and sexual abuse, found the track “Cassandra,” from Taylor Swift’s new album, devastatingly relatable

Scripture Focus: Zechariah 4.5
5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I replied.

Reflection: Confused Along with the Prophets
By Erin Newton

Zechariah is one of the more difficult texts of the Old Testament. Like the prophet, I read these passages and think, “I have no idea what he’s talking about.” Thankfully, Zechariah was equally confused.

The setting for Zechariah is after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Solomon’s Temple was a pile of rubble (perhaps even the mountain mentioned in verse 7). Zechariah’s visions were of hope and restoration in the midst of suffering and doubt.

The imagery is somewhat mysterious—golden lampstands with branches and channels. The lampstand is representative of God, whose eyes are on the work of the people.

A message was also given to Zerubbabel. These additional statements interrupt Zechariah’s vision and the conversation he was having with the angel. Despite the erratic conversation bouncing from one topic to the next, the interruptions add to the overall message. There are answers within the chaos. Zerubbabel will finish the temple. The work of restoration that seems insurmountable will indeed find completion.

I tried to look through various commentaries, hoping to find scholars far more skilled and familiar with Zechariah to help explain exactly what these images mean. You know what? Everyone is a little bit perplexed. Part of me gets frustrated when I read passages that make me scratch my head. Looking for clarity here, I find whole crowds of biblically trained headscratchers.

Nevertheless, this head-scratching scene is one of hope—and the hope part of the vision is clear. The temple will be completed. God is present. God is watching over them. The presence of God with his people in this restored temple is prophesied as a certain future.  

Isn’t this the beauty of Scripture sometimes? The vision that is vague in some places and clear in others coincides with the complexity and confusion of our lives.

Zechariah looks out on the piles of stones that once formed the magnificent temple. Zerubbabel was stirred by the Holy Spirit to work on rebuilding the temple (Haggai 1.14), but the work is fraught with difficulties. Zechariah declares, however, it is by God’s power that the work gets done.

In a strange way, I am thankful for these complicated and confusing passages. The vision of our future is always filled with questions. What we see as a mess, God sees as a future of hope. What we fear is up to us, God knows he can empower.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Amen. 

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Zechariah 4 (Listen 1:53)
Luke 13 (Listen 5:02)

Apply or tell a student!
#StudentWritersMonth orientation is coming soon! #Write with us for #FreeCoaching, seminars by special guests, published work, and a scholarship/stipend.

Read more about Supporting Our Work
Our work needs your support. Please consider becoming a donor. Support ad-free content that brings biblical devotionals to inboxes across the world.