But what has always puzzled me is the part where Ezekiel turns to the women and let’s them know they are not blameless. There has to be a realistic modern counterpart to what he’s describing. But the translation is so bad, it makes for hard work.
Every time I read the following I have an image in my head of Red Cross nurses. I’m with Joseph Smith in the awareness that doctorcraft is a thing, probably way stronger today than in his day. Here’s what I’m seeing:
I can’t help but picture the long veils and armbands of the early nurses, which have evolved into masks and nursing patches.18 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes (better translated magic charms/armbands/amulets), and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt (in other words: to take for your provision; could be associated with income)the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you(earn your living by means of)?
19 And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
(You bring shame on me (have profaned me) among my people for a few handfuls of barley or a piece of bread. By lying to my people who love to listen to lies, you kill those who should not die, and you promise life to those who should not live
20 Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.
(I am against all your magic charms, which you use to ensnare my people like birds. I will tear them from your arms, setting my people free like birds set free from a cage.)
21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
22 Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
I really do think we are ensnared in an idolatrous system called “medicine.” We already know that pharmacy is derived from the word “sorcery.” Isaiah illustrates for us what it will be like for the remnant who are led out of captivity by the Lord, and that there will be no sick among them. That is how it should be, today, if we were living up to our blessings. And the turning to false priests (and priestesses) for healing doesn’t just affect our physical salvation but our spiritual as well.
- Yeah, He sure did answer us according to the idols we currently serve and revere - it’s been obvious in the past couple of years”Thus saith the Lord God; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;” ~ Ezekiel 14:4