“Their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.
- Psalm 5:9
—
I once knew a dead man
Whose mouth grew flowers.
His mouth was a grave,
That talked for hours.
The dead man talked
The people listened;
The crowd adored
The dead man’s wisdom.
Such lovely words!
Such eloquent speech!
Yet the flowers concealed
Menacing teeth.
An articulate corpse
With ideas that bloomed,
Wretched and loud,
From out of his tomb.
And you could have one
If you wished.
The price was low,
Just submit!
A flower for you
If you’d honor the king;
See him there on his platform -
Come, kiss Pastor’s ring!
“I am the good shepherd!”
The flower-mouth screamed,
As little sheep died
So close to the Stream!
Instead of slaking their thirst
He tickled their ears,
Then nibbled their necks,
And became what they’d feared.
He soon bore fanged teeth
And howled at the moon,
And licked his flowery lips -
Sealing their doom.
Some had tried
To warn the rest
But no one listened
To their distress.
And the flock often thanked him
For being so kind:
For beating and bruising,
And speaking “God’s” mind.
Then, at last,
His filthy mouth foamed
As he shed what was left
Of his tawdry sheep’s cloths.
The sheep with no shepherd
Now trembled in dread,
Shocked and surprised,
They scattered and fled.
But wild with rage,
He ripped them wide open;
He broke their sweet bones;
He strangled and choked them.
He gobbled their goodness,
He gnawed on their souls,
And drug their sweet corpses,
To sad shallow holes.
He crushed with his words,
And with murderous phrases,
He buried their bodies
Beneath the stones of his greatness.
… Now, it is true
That some sheep escaped;
While most others worshipped
A few limped out the gate.
And now flower-mouth has
A new flock down the way;
And of the old flock you’ll often
Hear passersby say:
“What a lovely old church!
What a house for the Saints!
And what lovely flowers,
Grow out of their graves!”
-
“For where God built a church, there the devil would also build a chapel” - Martin Luther
“Satan’s greatest weapon is the Bible in the hands of a man who is not submitted to God” - A.W. Tozer
“False doctrine does not meet men face to face… it approaches us secretly, quietly, insidiously.” J.C. Ryle
“These wolves are not outside the flock, but within it.” - Martin Luther
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” - Matthew 7:15
“After my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” - Acts 20:29-30
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” - 1 John 4:1
“‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’ ‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood.’” - Romans 3:13-15
