EZEKIEL: God's Anointed Shepherd Will Deliver His Flock | Bible Study
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Ezekiel - Prophetic Ministry: A Voice in Babylon
The Prophet Ezekiel had the thankless job of proclaiming God's message on the crowded and hostile streets of Babylon. At the same time that Jeremiah was warning the citizens of Jerusalem of the coming destruction of that holy city, Ezekiel was preaching the same message to the exiles in Babylon. Even though these exiles were hundreds of miles away from the Promised Land and the temple, God would not leave them in the dark. Instead He sent Ezekiel to warn, exhort, and comfort the weary exiles.
Ezekiel's Message for Today's Believers
And Ezekiel is doing the same for us today. Ezekiel's message is more relevant today than ever. Through Ezekiel's words in the Bible, we are receiving the warnings, the exhortations, and comfort from God in His Word.
Ezekiel appears to have been articulate, intelligent, and dramatic. He was a person that could withstand great opposition in order to obey the demands God placed on his life.
As you read this, we pray that you find great comfort and assurance in God, knowing that He is on the throne and He has a plan that is being fulfilled in the present day and age.
The Central Theme: "They Shall Know That I Am the Lord"
The book of Ezekiel emphasizes the ultimate aim of God's charity and chastisement: that
"they shall know that I am the Lord"
This refrain is repeated 65 times in the book and emphasizes that the purpose of God's actions is always to bring about the spiritual renewal of all people.
Worship in Spirit and Truth: Kingdom Come
As we reflect on Ezekiel's powerful message about sincere worship leading to God's blessings, we invite you to worship with us through this beautiful song, "Kingdom Come." This worship song captures the heart of what it means to seek God's kingdom and surrender to His will—the very essence of the worship Ezekiel calls us to embrace.
Individual and Corporate Responsibility Before God
Ezekiel teaches both individual and corporate responsibility for sin before God (chapters 18;23).
Past defilement and disobedience by the priests and the people had led to the present dispersion and would lead to further judgment (Chapters 4-32).
The Connection Between Worship and God's Blessings
The people's behavior was intrinsically connected to how they approached their God in worship. Insincere worship would lead to immoral behavior and judgment; proper worship of the living God would lead to moral behavior and blessings.
Wow! That is amazing insight from Ezekiel about our worship. This hits the point home even further that God likes sincere worship from us as believers. God longs for us to worship Him "In Spirit and In Truth". Proper worship of God leads to moral behavior and blessings!
Christ in the Scriptures: The Coming King and Shepherd
Israel's Ultimate King: The One with the Right to Rule
For Ezekiel, the One who is coming to be Israel's ultimate King will have the lone right to rule over the people God has chosen to be His. A unique people can only be led by a unique individual.
Ezekiel 21:24-27
24 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.
25 "'You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax,
26 this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.
27 A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come; to him I will give it.' (Ezekiel 21:24-27)
The True Shepherd Who Will Deliver His Flock
Ezekiel is confident that day will come. His confidence is reflected in the additional metaphor that he uses to call attention to that hope. Describing a field far from the palace, he pictures God's Anointed as the true Shepherd who will deliver and feed His flock (34:11-31).
Ezekiel 34:11-31
11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.
14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord.
16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.
18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?
19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away,
22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.
23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.
24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.
25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.
26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.[a] I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.
27 The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.
28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid.
29 I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations.
30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord.
31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
Thank you Jesus, The Lord is My Shepherd, Psalm 23