Thanks, Nathan. Gaslighting. Yes. Yes, now I can see it as that. Perceptive of you.
"Stand in the gap" also occurs in Ezek 13. Interesting when you read both passages. A lot, in both, is said about false prophets, those claiming to speak for the Lord - out of their own imaginations, as Ezek 13 says. These are the ones who build flimsy coverings over the gaps, and the repairs were unable to withstand anything. Rather like, don't you think, certain theology, including but not limited to, an Ohio cornfield. And also, to bring this back towards topic, the theology of those in another field.