Today Ezekiel rebukes the shepherds (Israel’s leaders) for not shepherding the flock (the people) well. He says they fed themselves instead of the flock and used their position for their own personal gain and well-being. So the people were scattered because there was no good shepherd searching for them.
Therefore, the Lord promises to provide the care for his sheep that the unfaithful shepherds did not provide – ”Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down… I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”
The Lord will judge each person. The proud will be destroyed but the humble who has a heart for the Lord will be redeemed. The Lord promises this ultimate redemption through the coming Messiah – “therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken… I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.”
Partial fulfillment of this new covenant will occur when the Jews return from exile. However, complete fulfillment will occur when Jesus Christ , a descendant of King David, arrives on the scene and declares Himself to be the Good Shepherd – “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:14-15).
The Lord says He is providing this restoration not based on anything that the people have done but for His own name sake – “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses.”
The work of salvation is a work of the Lord. He is the One who draws us to His Son, Jesus Christ. Once we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Lord gives us a new heart of flesh and by the power of the Holy Spirit we are renewed and equipped to do the will of the Lord. Paul will later say, “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7).
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(Ezekiel 34:1-36:38)
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Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 