Monday, July 18 2011
Ezekiel 34
Verse of the Week: V2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”
1. The Selfless Shepherd (V1-10)
V2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”
Instead of feeding the flock, the shepherds of Israel fed themselves! These were the false prophets of God who preached and prophesied God’s Word for their own selfish gain. They served God with the motive of what they could get out of their service instead of serving selflessly. Today, we are also experiencing the same attitude from the false pastors who preach for their own selfish gain instead of the salvation of the people that they may come to know the Lord Jesus and receive Him as their Saviour and Shepherd.
2. The Seeking Shepherd (V11-19)
V11 “For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.”
Ezekiel, like the Lord GOD, was the true shepherd who searched and sought for the lost sheep of Israel, the people of Israel, to repent of their sins and turn to God. Indeed, the true pastor will search and seek for lost souls and share with them the Gospel so that they may know the Lord Jesus and receive Him as their Saviour and Lord.
V12 “As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.”
3. The Serving Shepherd (V20-31)
V23 “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.”
God’s one shepherd or God’s servant David was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall feed His sheep or the people of God, with the Word of God, and they shall never be hungry or thirsty again. Indeed, the true Shepherd is a serving Shepherd who came to serve, and to die for the sins of the whole world, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven.
V31 “And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, thank You for being my true Shepherd and Saviour.
