God the True Shepherd
July 11, 2019
Commentary
The character of the sheep is seen in their conduct (vv. 17-22). The wicked sheep are those that follow the conduct of the shepherds, oppressing the weaker sheep. God will not permit these wicked practices to continue. Instead He will rescue the oppressed and will judge the aggressors. He will judge between one sheep and another (v. 17; v. 22).
After judging the individual sheep, God will exercise His leadership by appointing a new shepherd (vv. 23-24). This shepherd, God stated, will be His servant David. Many see this as an allusion to Christ, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18), who descended from the line of David to be the King of Israel. However, nothing in Ezekiel 34:23 demands that Ezekiel was not referring to the literal King David who will be resurrected to serve as Israel’s righteous prince. David is referred to by name elsewhere in passages that look to the future restoration of Israel (Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 37:24-25; Hosea 3:5). So it seems this is a literal reference to a resurrected David.
God’s care and protection will result in peace for His people (vv. 25-31). I will make a covenant of peace with them. The peace that Israel has always longed for will be experienced. The land will enjoy peace and prosperity. Trees will bear fruit and the ground will yield its crops, and the people will be secure in their land, living in safety. God’s “covenant of peace“ looks forward to the blessings Israel will experience in the Millennium. This covenant will establish Israel in her land permanently with David as her shepherd. Later Ezekiel stated that the covenant of peace will also involve the rebuilding of God’s temple as a reminder of His presence (37:26-28).
Application
Peace in this passage means more than the absence of conflict. I want to be a leader who brings contentment and fulfilment to the lives of others through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ezekiel 34:17– 31 (NET)
17 “‘As for you, my sheep, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must trample the rest of your pastures with your feet? When you drink clean water, must you muddy the rest of the water by trampling it with your feet? 19 As for my sheep, they must eat what you trampled with your feet and drink what you have muddied with your feet!
20 “‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: Look, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with your side and your shoulder, and thrust your horns at all the weak sheep until you scatter them abroad, 22 I will save my sheep; they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.
23 “‘I will set one shepherd over them, and he will feed them—namely, my servant David. He will feed them and will 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 will rid the land of wild beasts, so that they can live securely in the wilderness and even sleep in the woods. 26 I will turn them and the regions around my hill into a blessing. I will make showers come down in their season; they will be showers that bring blessing. 27 The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the earth will yield its crops. They will live securely on their land; they will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hand of those who enslaved them. 28 They will no longer be prey for the nations, and the wild beasts will not devour them. They will live securely, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will prepare for them a healthy planting. They will no longer be victims of famine in the land and will no longer bear the insults of the nations. 30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they are my people, the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord. 31 And you, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are my people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
Illustration: Elvis Presley How He Lived His Life
I visited the home of Elvis in Graceland, Tennessee. After so many years after his death, I was amazed at the crowds of people that take the tour and listen to his life’s story. The sad thing is, the story will never change, because he has lived his life and what he has achieved, whether good or bad, will be told over and over again for all eternity. What story will be told about your life after you have lived and died? Will it be something God will be proud of? If your answer is “no” and you are still alive, you can change your future. However, you must make the choice to change the outcome which will mean making a decision to live totally dedicated to God. (Jeff Van Dyk – Sermon Central).