Ezekiel Prophesies a Restored, Eternal Kingdom

“I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken…And the name of that city from that time on will be: ‘The Lord is there.’ “ (Ezekiel 34:23; 48;35b. NIV).

As I began this series of devotionals on Ezekiel, I warned that it is a difficult prophecy to understand and that these devotionals on passages selected were not intended as an in-depth exegesis but rather as a selection of portions that can give insight to our Christian walk. With today’s selected verses, I conclude this present series on Ezekiel. Much is left that I encourage you to study further. Although the nation sinned against God, set up idols, and was overcome by a foreign pagan power, God did not forget his people. Ezekiel in a series of meaningful visions encouraged the people and gave them hope. At the same time, he chastised them for their unfaithfulness to God. Chapters 25 through 32, which I have not touched upon at all, give judgments against surrounding nations, namely Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. Then the fourth division of the prophecy of Ezekiel gives the vision of restoration (Chapters 33-48). Ezekiel is the faithful watchman who holds forth the word of hope that the nation indeed will be restored. He gives the messianic prophecy that a new David will rule in peace and love. He envisions a new temple in Jerusalem, describing in detail its dimensions, accoutrements, and sacred use. The restored land is reunited into one kingdom with thirteen divisions, one each for the twelve tribes (two from Joseph) and one for “the prince” and the rebuilt temple, with the tribe of Levi, the priests, having their dwellings in this segment around the restored Jerusalem.

Throughout his book of prophecy, Ezekiel challenges us to have a fresh and living encounter with God. He saw unusual visions and revelations from God. He lets us know that God will lead us, too, if we are willing to listen, to respond, and to step out in faith. Just as Ezekiel warned his contemporaries of God’s judgments, so we, too, are given the responsibility of standing as watchmen. Even when grave trials, separation, even death, occur, Ezekiel’s example and teaching show confidence that God is in control and will bring new life to His people. He ends his prophecy with the glorious words about the restored city of Jerusalem: “The Lord is there.” We have the assurance that wherever we are, under whatever circumstances we live, “our Lord is there.” What better declaration than this to end Ezekiel’s message? “Out of the ruins came Ezekiel. Out of the ruins came the promise. Out of the ruins came the new hope.” (Max Lucado, The Devotional Bible. Thomas Nelson Co., 2003. p. 991).

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Thursday, October 7, 2010

Ezekiel’s Good Shepherd Prophecy

"For thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, 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. 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 fountains, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and upon the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on fat pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down,' says the Lord God. 'I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.'" (Ezekiel 34:11-16, RSV) [Read Ezekiel 34]

Ezekiel 34 is another Messianic prophecy in which the prophet foresees the day when the Lord Himself will be the Good Shepherd, restoring with compassion and every provision necessary His scattered sheep. His people who have been exiled to other lands will be returned to the green pastures of Israel and their good shepherd will be one who guides with mercy and tenderness. The prophet encourages a scattered people with his hope of restoration. God Himself will intervene, end strife and division, and bring the people back to their beloved land, even as a Good Shepherd cares for His sheep. We are reminded when reading this prophecy in Ezekiel 34 of Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." We remember the words of the Lord: "I am the good Shepherd" (John 10:14)

Israel (and Judah, considering both kingdoms in the divided period) had endured some poor shepherds, those who had exploited teh people for their own good. Taht was one reason the whole nation was punished and scattered abroad. They had not taken warning of the prophets to repent and change their ways. Like sheep that wander from the fold and become lost, so they had to be punished. The Good Shepherd is not intrested in reestablishing the grandeur of David's and Solomon's powerful kingdoms. Rather, He will come to heal the sick, bind up the broken-hearted, take home those who are lost and wandering, and they will no longer be prey to devouring beasts (or false doctrines). And in that day, when restoration occurs, the Good Shepherd Himself will watch over them, and be their God. This prophecy of Ezekiel was given about 585 B.C., many years before Jesus came. We who are on this side of Jesus' life, ministry, death and resurrection and his declaration as the Good Shepherd have not seen a physically restored kingdom. But we know a spiritual kingdom of belivered, and we look forward to the Second Coming when all will be made right and glorious, as Ezekiel saw it and as our Lord Promised. "Even so come, Lord Jesus" (Revelations 22:20). Amen!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones;

Parable of the Good Shepherd

“Most assuredly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice…I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:1-4; 9, NKJV) [Read John 10: 1-30]

Jesus Himself is the main character in this parable. He is basing this story about himself on familiar Old Testament teachings. What is numbered for us as Psalm 23 would have been very familiar to His hearers: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want…” The Lord as Shepherd of the sheep (his followers) was also given in Ezekiel 34 and 37, in Jeremiah 23:1-4, and Zechariah 11:4-17. He tells his disciples as well as the Jewish leaders whose animosity toward Jesus was growing daily, that he is the Good Shepherd, the Door of the Sheepfold. In this beloved parable, Jesus pictures a common practice in Palestine of that time (and even today), that of the shepherd leading his sheep, the sheep knowing the shepherd and his voice, the shepherd knowing the best grazing lands and the proper entranceway to the sheepfold. Complete trust existed between shepherd and sheep.

It was time for Jesus to declare that He is the Good Shepherd as predicted in Psalm 23 and in Ezekiel 34:23 and 37:24. “I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd” (Eze 34:23). “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes and do them” (Eze. 37:24). The perfect shepherd, in the line of shepherd David who became King of Israel, was now among them, ready to establish His kingdom, unlike that kingdom of David which was imperfect, the new Shepherd was ready to establish the Kingdom of God, and to be the Door of the Sheepfold, knowing every sheep by name and every sheep knowing the Shepherd. What a beautiful story of what happens to the believer! Jesus is the Shepherd of His sheep—all those who call on His name. He knows His sheep by name. Remember the gospel song we often sang: “There’s a new name written down in glory—and it’s mine, I know it’s mine!” That song comes to my mind as I think of my own conversion experience, the day I decided to hear my Shepherd’s voice and follow Him! There is no other entrance to the fold except through Jesus Christ. He is the Door. We can go in and out and be satisfied. He shepherds us daily and holds us securely within His care. Praise be to God!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Friday, September 10, 2010