Ezekiel 34:1-10 (ESV)

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; 6 they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.

7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

The leaders of Israel have not lived up to the standards of the Lord.  They have abused their power and sought only to enrich themselves.  God accuses them of (1) only feeding themselves, (2) not strengthening the weak, (3) not healing the sick, (4) not binding up the injured, (5) not seeking the lost, and (6) dealing harshly with the sheep in general. The sheep have scattered and have become easy prey to the wild beasts.  The nation of Israel is lost without a shepherd to seek them.  

God declares that he will require an account from these evil shepherds.  But who will search for Israel?  Who will rescue them from the wild beasts?  Who will feed them, heal them, bind them, and strengthen them?

“I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them” (34:10).  The story of redemption resumes.  God will again intervene to bring salvation!

1. Why should a leader be like shepherd?
   
2. Who will rescue Israel?
   

Ezekiel 34:11-24 (ESV)

​11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy.[a] I will feed them in justice.

17 “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue[b] my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.

​God will be Israel’s shepherd!  He will gather them, feed them, give them rest, and clear drinking water.  No longer will they wander or be prey.  God will also cast out the fat sheep who have preyed on the leaner ones.  The sheep that will remain belong to Him and He will tend to them.

But how will God shepherd them?  He is a Spirit.  Will he send down His glory-chariot to rule? 

God’s intention is clear.  “I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.  And I, the Lord will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them” (34:23-24). 

The shepherd will be a King!  He will be as King David, the great shepherd-king, but perfect.  He will love His sheep, provide them nourishment, protect them, and serve as their shepherd for all eternity.

1. Why does God insist on being Israel’s shepherd?
2. Can you think of any other Bible passages that mention a shepherd? (Hint: look at next devotional for one)
   

John 10:1-21 (ESV)

​“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

In John 10, the gospel writer reveals the true shepherd-king.  He is the son of David (Matthew 1:17) and the son of God.  Ezekiel prophesy is fulfilled in the coming of Jesus and His charge over His people.  The true sheep know Jesus’ voice and will follow Him.  They trust Jesus for He will protect them nourish them. 

Moreover, Jesus will lay down His life for the sheep.  This brings to mind David risking his life to save His sheep (1 Samuel 17:34-37), but Jesus will lay down his life on his accord, that His sheep may live.

Why should a good King be like a shepherd?  How does Jesus show us He is a good shepherd-king?

*Read Psalm 23 and thank God for being our Good Shepherd.  

Ezekiel 33:1-9 (ESV)

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, 3 and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.

7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

The Lord returns to address Ezekiel concerning his role as a prophet.  Like a watchman (cf. 3:16-21) standing guard, he is to warn Israel of their wickedness.  This role is not to be taken lightly.  If Ezekiel refuses to speak the Lord’s word, then their blood is on his hands.  If he is obedient, then he may save a person if they turn away. 

Being a prophet is not an easy task.  No one wants to hear that they are sinning against the Lord.  So, he may be tempted to remain silent to avoid conflict.  But if he speaks the Lord’s word, he also knows that a majority will not listen and even hate him for pointing out their wrongdoings.  The prophet’s duty is to be obedient to God even amid opposition.

In our church today, we have Elders who are our Watchmen.  They are charged to protect the church from false teaching and to address issues that may affect the purity and peace of the church.  Let us pray for them that they may fear the Lord and shepherd with wisdom.

Why is it so difficult to be a prophet?

​*Pray for the Elders of CCPC.

Ezekiel 33:10-20 (ESV)

10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

12 “And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness[a] when he sins. 13 Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. 14 Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, 15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.
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17 “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just. 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it. 19 And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by this. 20 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”

God reminds Israel again that He is just in issuing his punishment.  God does not delight in the death of the wicked (v.12), but he must be true to His holiness (cf. 18:19-29).  People complain that God is not just instead of recognizing their sin and confessing them. 

John repeats this refrain in 1 John 1:8, “If we say we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”  Be encouraged, because God will forgive when we confess our sins.  So, let us not make excuses or place blame on others for our sins.  Rather, let us be quick to recognize our unrighteousness, and the Lord likewise will be quick to forgive. 

1. Why is God just in issuing his punishments?
   
2. Why are we reluctantly to confess our wrongdoings?  Pray to the Lord for His mercy.
   

Ezekiel 33:21-33 (ESV)

21 In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, a fugitive from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has been struck down.” 22 Now the hand of the Lord had been upon me the evening before the fugitive came; and he had opened my mouth by the time the man came to me in the morning, so my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.

23 The word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.’ 25 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: You eat flesh with the blood and lift up your eyes to your idols and shed blood; shall you then possess the land? 26 You rely on the sword, you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife; shall you then possess the land? 27 Say this to them, Thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and whoever is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence. 28 And I will make the land a desolation and a waste, and her proud might shall come to an end, and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that none will pass through. 29 Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations that they have committed.

30 “As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ 31 And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. 32 And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays[a] well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. 33 When this comes—and come it will!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

Jerusalem has fallen.  It is 585 BC and the prophecies of Ezekiel have come to pass.  God reiterates their unrighteousness. Those in Israel believe that they should have the land since Abraham was their forefather, presuming on God’s grace.  Yet their life of idolatry is a stench unto the Lord.  Those in exile continue to come see Ezekiel perform his sign-acts and declare his prophecies, but they treat him as entertainment, not seriously, for they neither weep nor repent. 

Now that Jerusalem has fallen, God will enact His plan to bring salvation to His people and creation.  We wait on God to see the mighty acts He will do.

1. Do you think the fall of Jerusalem will soften Israel’s heart?  Do you think they will repent?
2. ​What are the more memorable stories of the first half of Ezekiel?  

Ezekiel 28:1-10 (ESV)

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God:
“Because your heart is proud,
    and you have said, ‘I am a god,
I sit in the seat of the gods,
    in the heart of the seas,’
yet you are but a man, and no god,
    though you make your heart like the heart of a god--
3 you are indeed wiser than Daniel;
    no secret is hidden from you;
4 by your wisdom and your understanding
    you have made wealth for yourself,
and have gathered gold and silver
    into your treasuries;
5 by your great wisdom in your trade
    you have increased your wealth,
    and your heart has become proud in your wealth--
6 therefore thus says the Lord God:
Because you make your heart
    like the heart of a god,
7 therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you,
    the most ruthless of the nations;
and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom
    and defile your splendor.
8 They shall thrust you down into the pit,
    and you shall die the death of the slain
    in the heart of the seas.
9 Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’
    in the presence of those who kill you,
though you are but a man, and no god,
    in the hands of those who slay you?
10 You shall die the death of the uncircumcised
    by the hand of foreigners;
    for I have spoken, declares the Lord God.”

​In Ezekiel 25-32, God proclaims his judgment against the enemies of Israel.  These are the nations that gloated over the demise of Israel and Jerusalem.  God’s judgment against His people was never meant to be the final world; salvation would eventually come through Christ.  The language of judgment is carried over in the NT to describe the final destruction of the enemies of God when Jesus returns.

2 Thessalonians 2 speaks of the Man of Lawlessness who will appear at the coming of Jesus, “who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”  In Ezekiel 28:2 speaks to the Prince of Tyre, “Because your heart is proud and you have said ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god.”

As God destroys the Prince of Tyre, so will he destroy the man of lawlessness when he appears.  We must remember that God is not only the God of Israel, but the God over every nation.  Every nation and every person will be held accountable to God in the end.

1. God will judge every person in the world!  What do you think about that?  How does that make you feel?
   
2. The world will often laugh and deride the church in their failures.  How should we respond? 
   

Ezekiel 29:17-21 (ESV)

17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was rubbed bare, yet neither he nor his army got anything from Tyre to pay for the labor that he had performed against her. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off its wealth[a] and despoil it and plunder it; and it shall be the wages for his army. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored, because they worked for me, declares the Lord God.

21 “On that day I will cause a horn to spring up for the house of Israel, and I will open your lips among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

“He changes ties and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” (Daniel 2:21)

Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar are instruments of God’s wrath.  Used by God to judge Tyre, they had not been rewarded for their work.  Instead, God is giving Egypt to them as their spoil. 

God is control over the nations.  Every government is set up by God, sustained by Him, and eventually placed under his judgment. 

1. Skim through chapters 25-32.  Name all the nations to be judged.
   
2. Pray for our governments, knowing that God’s rule is above all.
   

Ezekiel 32:17-32 (ESV)

17 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month,[a] on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and send them down, her and the daughters of majestic nations, to the world below, to those who have gone down to the pit:

19 ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty?
    Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised.’

20 They shall fall amid those who are slain by the sword. Egypt[b] is delivered to the sword; drag her away, and all her multitudes. 21 The mighty chiefs shall speak of them, with their helpers, out of the midst of Sheol: ‘They have come down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.’

22 “Assyria is there, and all her company, its graves all around it, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, 23 whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit; and her company is all around her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who spread terror in the land of the living.

24 “Elam is there, and all her multitude around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised into the world below, who spread their terror in the land of the living; and they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit. 25 They have made her a bed among the slain with all her multitude, her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for terror of them was spread in the land of the living, and they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are placed among the slain.

26 “Meshech-Tubal is there, and all her multitude, her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for they spread their terror in the land of the living. 27 And they do not lie with the mighty, the fallen from among the uncircumcised, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were laid under their heads, and whose iniquities are upon their bones; for the terror of the mighty men was in the land of the living. 28 But as for you, you shall be broken and lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword.

29 “Edom is there, her kings and all her princes, who for all their might are laid with those who are killed by the sword; they lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.

30 “The princes of the north are there, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down in shame with the slain, for all the terror that they caused by their might; they lie uncircumcised with those who are slain by the sword, and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.

31 “When Pharaoh sees them, he will be comforted for all his multitude, Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword, declares the Lord God. 32 For I spread terror in the land of the living; and he shall be laid to rest among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord God.”

Ezekiel 32:17-32 is the seventh and final oracle against Egypt, symbolizing the completeness of God’s judgment against Pharoah and his people.  Egypt will be gathered in the world below with those who have already gone down to the pit or sheol (32:18-20). The final picture of Egypt being surrounded by the other nations in judgment points to the finality and surety of God’s intents and actions.

Ezekiel 25-32 is a preview of the end times in Revelation 14-18.  God will return with fire, plagues, and beasts to destroy those who oppose him.

1. The place of judgment is pictured as the world below, pit, and sheol.  Describe what happens here?
   
2. Pray for the enemies of the cross.  Pray that the Lord may redeem the from the pit.