Ezekiel 34

Ezekiel 34:2

SHepherds of Israel] Jeremiah 23:1.

We be to the shepherds] By the shepherds he meaneth the King, the Magistrates, Priests, and Prophets, all Governours both Ecclesiasticall and Politick.

Ezekiel 34:3

Ye eat the fat] Zechariah 11:16. Ye seeke to enrich your selves by their commodities, and so spoyle their riches and substance. Zechariah 11:5.

Ezekiel 34:4

The diseased have ye not strengthened] He describeth the office and dutie of a good Pastor, who ought to love and succour his flock, and not to be cruell toward them.

with force and with crueltie have ye ruled them] 1 Peter 5:3.

Ezekiel 34:5

And they were scattered] Spiritually, by running into errours, superstitions, idolatries, vices, and disorders or corporally, by their dissipation out of their countrey by the ill leading of their guides.

because there is no shepherd] Or, without a shepherd, and so vers. 8. That is, no true and faithfull shepherd. For lacke of good government and doctrin they perished. Zechariah 12:7.

Ezekiel 34:10

for I will deliver my flock from their mouth] By destroying the covetous hirelings and restoring true shepherds; whereof we have a sign, so oft as God sendeth true Preachers, who both by doctrin and life, labour to feed his sheep in the pleasant pastures of his word.

Ezekiel 34:12

As a shepherd seeketh] Heb. according to the seeking.

that he is among his sheep] When after they have been scattered by some sudden storme, the shepherd tels and musters up his sheep, to see whether any be wanting, and seeketh them out, and gathereth them together.

in the cloudy and dark day] Which is full of calamities, and publike desolations, Joe 2:2. And this promise is to comfort the Church in all dangers.

Ezekiel 34:13

and will bring them to their own land] Corporally and according to the letter, into the land of Israel, by delivering them out of captivitie: and spiritually, into the Church, which is the true sheepfold of all the elect. Jh. 10. 16.

Ezekiel 34:14

I will feed them in a good pasture] Psal. 23. 1, 2.

Ezekiel 34:15

I will feed my flock] This doth not inferre any abolishment of either Ecclesiasticall or Politick government in the Christian Church: but doth inferre a more effectuall and renewed presence of God in it, by his spirit, providence, grace, and vertue: Or the mysticall and inward operation of Christ, true God, upon all the members of his body, in quickening, conducting, comforting, and defending them.

Ezekiel 34:16

the fat and the strong] Those who in my Church shall abuse my benefits unto pride and rebellion against me; and to contempt and oppression of their brethren: See Isaiah 5:17. & Isaiah 10:16. Amos 4:1.

with judgement] That is, by putting a difference between the good and the bad, and so give to either according to his work, as in the next verse. See Psal. 62. 11, 12.

Ezekiel 34:17

Behold, I judge] Chap. 20. 37, 38. Zechariah 10:3. Matthew 25:32.

cattel and cattel] Heb. small cattel of lambes and kids.

he-goats] Heb. great he-goats.

Ezekiel 34:18

Seemeth it a small thing unto you] O ye powerfull and rich Jews, is it not sufficient for you to enjoy my blessings in abundance, unlesse you trouble the poore in the possession of their small portion.

to have eaten up the good pasture] By good pasture and deep waters is meant the pure word of God, and the administration of justice, which they did not distribute to the poore, till they had corrupted it.

Ezekiel 34:23

And I will set up one shepherd over them] Isaiah 40:11. John 10:11. Hebrews 13:20. 1 Pet. 2. 25. & 5. 4.

even my servant David] Namely, Jesus Christ the sonne of David according to the flesh: and for this reason often called David, Jeremiah 30:9. Ezekiel 37:24. Hosea 3:5. and the servant of God, by reason of his humane nature, and office of Mediatour, Isaiah 42:1. & Isaiah 49:6. & Isaiah 53:11. Philippians 2:7.

Ezekiel 34:25

of peace] Of grace, reconciliation, and blessing. Jeremiah 31:31.

and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land] Isaiah 11:6. 8. & 35. 9. Hosea 2:18. I will free the land of those wild beasts that overran the land in the time of captivitie: Figurative termes, to shew the Churches safeguard against all her spirituall enemies.

Ezekiel 34:26

I will make them and the places round about my hill, a blessing] I will blesse them, and their habitation, and their pastures abundantly.

showres of blessing] Psalms 68:9.

Ezekiel 34:27

and the earth shall yeeld her increase] Psalms 85:12.

when I have broken the bands of their yoke] When I have brought them out of captivitie; and so likewise, when I freed and redeemed them by the bloud of my Sonne, from the spirituall captivitie of the devill and sinne.

Ezekiel 34:28

but they shall dwell safely] Jeremiah 30:10. & Jeremiah 46:27.

Ezekiel 34:29

a plant] Jesus Christ, glorious in his divine majestie, and strength: who shall make his Church famous through his gifts and graces, being the true tree of life. See Isaiah 11:1. Jeremiah 23:5.

of renown] Or, for renown. Christ shall be of renown not only among the Jews, as in time past, but also abroad among the Gentiles, which is demonstrated in the last verse, and more copiously, Chap. 36.

consumed] Heb. taken away.

Ezekiel 34:31

my flock the flock of my pasture] John 10:11. Psalms 100:3.

men] All the aforesaid things are to be understood spiritually, with a relation to the soul of the elect, and the salvation of it: So that the correspondency which is between the sheep, a brute beast, and the shepherd, which is man, is found in spirit between man and his God.