Ezekiel 34

Ezekiel 34 CORRUPT LEADERS The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (Ezekiel 34:2) Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and say unto the shepherds: Thus says the Lord GOD: Israel’ s past sin and punishment stemmed largely from corrupt and selfish leadership. The first step in Ezekiel’ s program of reconstruction for the nation was the replacement of those worthless leaders by rulers of a different kind. God will place at the head of his restored people a scion of the house of David. Under his rule God’ s people will enjoy peace, safety and prosperity.EVIL OF THE PAST Ezekiel 34:2-10 Indictment of the Shepherds (Ezekiel 34:2 b-6) Greedy shepherding (Ezekiel 34:2-3): Woe unto the shepherds of Israel who were feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? (Ezekiel 34:3) You eat the fat. With the wool you cloth yourselves. You slaughter the fatlings. But you do not feed the flock. The shepherds against whom Ezekiel is told to prophesy were the kings, princes and other leaders of the now defunct nation of Judah.

The nobility and dignity of the office of shepherd reside in the fact that the shepherd works wholeheartedly for the flock (cf. John 10:11). The leadership of Israel, however, stands under a divine woe because they had been concerned only about their own welfare, not that of the sheep that had been committed to their guardianship (Ezekiel 34:2). They lived sumptuously at the expense of the flock. But still they did not feed, i.e., care for the needs of, the masses (Ezekiel 34:3). Neglectful shepherding (Ezekiel 34:4): The weak you have not strengthened. The sick you have not healed. You have not bound up the broken. You have not brought back those that strayed away. You have not sought those that are lost. With force and rigor you have ruled them. From the sins of commission by the leaders, Ezekiel turns to sins of omission. Ezekiel arranges the sheep who need special care into five groups: the weak, sick, broken, straying, and lost sheep. These are the poor and defenseless among the population. They had been ruled with force, not with consideration and justice (cf. Matthew 9:36). Disastrous shepherding (Ezekiel 34:5-6): So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd. They became food for every beast of the field. They were scattered. (Ezekiel 34:6) My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill. Over the face of the land, my sheep were scattered, and none did search and seek. Unprotected by their national rulers, God’ s people became a prey to surrounding nations. Attacked by these beasts of prey, the sheep scattered in all directions (Ezekiel 34:5). They wandered through strange hills and valleys all over the face of the land in their efforts to escape the invaders. None of their leaders made any efforts to regroup the flock or avert the flight. The flock was simply abandoned (Ezekiel 34:6). Judgment on the Shepherds(Ezekiel 34:7-10) Their malfeasance in office (Ezekiel 34:7-8): Therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: (Ezekiel 34:8) As I live (oracle of the Lord GOD), surely in as much as my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to every beast of the field because they had no shepherd, nor did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and did not feed my sheep… Concerning those worthless leaders, God had a word (v 7). He refers to the national leaders as my shepherds because they were answerable to him. God’ s people had suffered immensely because of these greedy shepherds (Ezekiel 34:8). Their removal from office (Ezekiel 34:9-10): therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD. (Ezekiel 34:10) Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against the shepherds. I will require my sheep at their hand. I will cause them to cease from feeding the sheep. The shepherds will not feed themselves any more. I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them. God bound himself by an oath (as I live) that he was implacably opposed to those leaders.

He will hold the undershepherds responsible for all loses sustained by the flock. He will deprive them of the privilege of leadership. No more will they be able to further their personal aims and ambitions at the expense of the flock. Judah’s “shepherds” virtually had become beasts of prey. God eventually will liberate his people from their leadership (Ezekiel 34:10). From one point of view at least, the Babylonian exile was a liberating experience.THE DIVINE Ezekiel 34:11-22 Gathering of the Flock (Ezekiel 34:11-16) The Good Shepherd’s mission (Ezekiel 34:11-12) To search out the sheep (34:11-12a): For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am here. I will search for my sheep, and searches them out. (12) As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day he is in the midst of his flock that are separated, thus I will seek out my sheep. God’ s people were not left without a shepherd. Having removed the hirelings from office, the Good Shepherd himself takes over direct responsibility. He begins his task by searching out his sheep, viz., those who hear and respond to his word (John 10:27). So the searching process was that of proclaiming the prophetic word among the exiles (Ezekiel 34:11). What a beautiful picture! The Lord God takes the initiative in reclaiming his own. Wherever they have been scattered, the Faithful Shepherd finds them. To deliver the sheep (Ezekiel 34:12 b): I will deliver them from all the places where they have been scattered in the day of clouds and thick darkness. The day of clouds and thick darkness, i .e ., calamity, is past. The age of re-gathering and restoration had begun. The Good Shepherd’s work (Ezekiel 34:13-16) Bringing them out (Ezekiel 34:13 a): I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the lands. God first gathers the dispersed sheep into an identifiable and dedicated band. They he delivers them from the lands of captivity. Bringing them in (Ezekiel 34:13-14): I will bring them into their land. I will feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the habitable portions of the land. (Ezekiel 34:14) In a good pasture I will feed them. Upon the high mountains of Israel will their fold be. There will they lie down in a good fold. In a lush pasture will they graze upon the mountains of Israel. The Good Shepherd restores the sheep to Canaan, the Promised Land. There God feeds his flock upon the mountains and by the streams. Israel occupies all the land that was capable of supporting population (Ezekiel 34:13). Lush pasture and secure fold awaits the flock of God in Canaan (Ezekiel 34:14). Providing for them (Ezekiel 34:15): I will feed my sheep, and make them to lie down (oracle of the Lord GOD). The flock, torn and driven about by beasts of prey (adversary nations), at last lies down under the watchful care of the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd’s focus (Ezekiel 34:16): That which is lost, I will seek. That which has strayed, I will bring back. The broken I will bind up, the sick strengthen. The fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. Unlike the faithless shepherds of the pre-exilic era, the Good Shepherd devotes special attention to the weak and vulnerable members of the flock.

Those that were lost through foolish straying will be retrieved. Those hurt and sick as a result of the neglect of their shepherds and the attacks of adversaries will be nursed back to health. On the other hand, those that were fat and strong— the wealthy landowners— will be destroyed. Previous shepherds had shown favoritism to these powerful persons, but God will feed them in justice. He will care for them, but they will receive no more than is due them. Thus, as a class within the flock the fat and the strong will be eliminated.Judging of the Flock (Ezekiel 34:17-22) The injustices in society (Ezekiel 34:17-19) Judgment imminent (Ezekiel 34:17): As for you, O my sheep, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am about to judge between stock and stock, between ram and he-goats. Judah’s political leadership was not the only problem that needed to be addressed. There was a problem in the flock itself that must be addressed. Great injustices were the result of Judah’s stratified society. Powerful citizens mistreated other members of the flock. Ezekiel “regards the unpropertied and unprivileged classes with the same sympathy as Amos or Micah.” God was about to judge between members of the flock, i.e., between the oppressed poor and their rich oppressors. The latter are referred to here as the rams and the he-goats, those that ruthlessly shove the others aside during grazing time. Accusation against the powerful (Ezekiel 34:18): Is it a small matter to you to have fed upon the good pasture, that you must trample the rest of your pastures with your feet? and have drunk of the settled water, but you must stir up the rest with your feet? The leaders among the flock by force had appropriated for themselves all the good pasture and clear water. They also had spoiled the rest of the pasture and muddied the rest of the water with their feet. Condition of God’s sheep (Ezekiel 34:19): As for my sheep, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have stirred up with your feet. The powerful deprived the weak among the flock of adequate sustenance. The fairness of God’s judgment (Ezekiel 34:20-22) The fact of his judgment (Ezekiel 34:20): The Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD unto them: Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and lean cattle. God repeats his intention to judge between fat and lean cattle— the prosperous and the poor among the people. The reason for his judgment (Ezekiel 34:21): Because you push with side and shoulder, and with your horns you shove about all the weak, till you have scattered them abroad; By the exercise of brute force, the fat and strong animals had scattered the others. The fat cattle had been responsible for the dispersion of Israel. The result of his judgment (Ezekiel 34:22): therefore, I will save my sheep. They will no more be a prey.

I will judge between cattle and cattle. God will save his flock from the bullying of such tyrants. Class distinctions will disappear from the flock as the Good Shepherd judges between cattle, i.e., treats all the flock with absolute equity.THE FUTURE 34:23-31 His Davidic Roots (Ezekiel 34:23-24): I will raise up over them one shepherd. He will feed them, even my servant David. He will feed them. He will be their shepherd. (Ezekiel 34:24) I the LORD will be their God. My servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken it.

After the return from exile and the period of direct divine supervision of the flock, God will set up a shepherd over his people. This shepherd must be the long-awaited Messiah, a ruler of the house of David. The Davidic dynasty will be restored. The responsibility of feeding and tending the flock of God will be committed to him (Ezekiel 34:23). Yahweh will still be their God; but his servant David will be prince among them. The reference is to the Messiah, who was to come from the line of David.

He is the second David. What a marvelous fore-gleam of the New Testament doctrine of the Father and the Son (Ezekiel 34:24).The New Covenant (Ezekiel 34:25-27) Focus of the covenant (Ezekiel 34:25): I will make a covenant of peace for them. I will cause the evil beasts to cease from the land. They will dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. The blessings found in Ezekiel 34:25-29 find parallels at every point in the future hope of earlier prophets. A new covenant is a prominent feature of the messianic age (cf. Jeremiah 31:31; Ezekiel 16:60).

Here it is called a covenant of peace because it will establish a relationship of well-being between the partners of the covenant, viz., Yahweh and his people. Under the supervision of the messianic David, the flock will have freedom from fear. Evil beasts, i.e., bad rulers, will not be part of his domain. Even those most dangerous areas— the wilderness and woods— will be free from the ravenous beasts (cf. Hosea 2:18). Blessing of the covenant (34:26-27a): I will make them and the areas surrounding my hill a blessing. I will cause the rain to come in its season. There will be showers of blessing. (27) The tree of the field will give its fruit, and the land will give its increase. They will be safe upon their land. The entire region around God’ s hill (Zion) will be blessed of God, along with those who inhabit that region. Showers of blessing will descend upon them, thus assuring abundant harvest (cf.

Hosea 2:21 f.). Liberation of the covenant (Ezekiel 34:27 b): They will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and I have delivered them from the hand of those who made them bondmen. The inhabitants of that blessed land will all know by personal experience that the Lord had delivered them from captivity—the bars of their yoke. No longer will they be slaves to political overlords who have enslaved them as the Egyptians had done at the beginning of Israel’s history.A New Security (Ezekiel 34:28-31) No more fear (Ezekiel 34:28): They will not again be a prey to the nations, nor will the wild beasts of the earth devour them; but they will dwell safely. None will make them afraid. The messianic flock will never fall victim to the beast of the earth, nor will adversary nations be able to carry them off as prey. In their divinely provided security, they will manifest a boldness uncharacteristic of sheep. No more famine (Ezekiel 34:29): I will raise up unto them a famous plantation. They will not again be consumed by hunger in the land.

They will not bear the shame of the nations any more. Because of the amazing fertility of the land, Israel will be known far and wide. Famine, so common in biblical days, will be a thing of the past. The inhabitants of God’ s land will never have to suffer the humiliation of having to look to other nations for material assistance (cf. Isaiah 32:15-18). No more doubt (Ezekiel 34:30-31): They will know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people (oracle of the Lord GOD). (31) You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are Adam, and I am your God (oracle of the Lord GOD). The blessings described above will cause the new Israel to realize that God is with them and that they are in fact God’ s special people. Ezekiel has saved this promise of spiritual restoration, the greatest blessing of the messianic age, until last (Ezekiel 34:30). God’ s flock is more than mere sheep; they are Adam, i.e., a special creation of God (Ezekiel 34:31). The entire passage relates to the new Israel of God— God’ s present-day chosen people (Galatians 6:16). The spiritual blessings that God in this messianic age showers down upon his people are here portrayed in terms of agricultural prosperity.Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-Four Verse 1 THE OF ISRAEL; THE KINGDOM(Note: The headings for this chapter were suggested by F. F. Bruce and John Skinner respectively.In view of what Our Lord Jesus Christ and his inspired apostles and writers have stated in the New Testament, little other comment is needed. The identity of this Good Shepherd who will destroy the evil shepherds and rule over the united Israel (the Northern and Southern Israels, as well as all the Israelites and Gentiles combined in God’s New Israel) are fully and dogmatically answered in the sacred New Testament. All of the doubts and quibbles, and all of the picayune allegations and criticisms that one finds in the writings of commentators who apparently have no extensive knowledge whatever of the New Testament are gloriously solved and explained in the New Testament. “What we have to do with in this chapter is a Messianic prediction in the fullest sense of the term."[1]The quibble regarding whether a single individual is meant, or if the restoration of the old Davidic dynasty of successive rulers is intended, is forever decided by the Apostle Peter who applied all intimations of some descendent of David “sitting upon his throne,” to “the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his elevation to the right hand of God” (Acts 2:30-32), who was universally known by all the Jews of that generation as “The Son of David.” Furthermore, the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, was the total fulfillment; he would never be succeeded by any other. It was not a “line of Davidic kings,” but the one Great and Only King Jesus who is foretold here. Ezekiel himself was also aware of this and said so, although it seems that many have overlooked his message. “David my servant shall be my prince forever.” (Ezekiel 37:25). As Paul put it, “He must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet; and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). It is impossible to escape the implications of this chapter that the one prophesied here is “the Personal Messiah,” even the Son of God Himself. GOD HIMSELF TO BE THE GOOD As Bunn noted, “We find here a unique emphasis upon the personal pronoun. The word I' is used no less than fifteen times as Jehovah speaks in the first person. Also my’ and myself' are used three times, all within the space of six verses."[2] Therefore when God Himself said. "I myself will be the shepherd of the sheep" (<a href="/bible/parallel/EZK/34/15" class="green-link">Ezekiel 34:15</a>), it means, undeniably, that, in some sense the Coming Messiah will not be a mere human being. These words cannot be applied to any mortal descendent of David who ever lived, except Jesus Christ our Lord. We have noted that two or three commentators have found what they called "a contradiction" in some of Ezekiel's statements that this coming "Servant David" would be a man. Every Christian knows that Christ was indeed both God and Man. "He was the Son of David and at the same time The Lord of David" (<a href="/bible/parallel/MAT/22/42" class="green-link">Matthew 22:42-45</a>). The scholars who do not see this today are still working in the same ignorance that blinded those ancient Pharisees who stood speechless before Christ when he probed their minds with this same dilemma of how Jesus Christ is both God and man. Other alleged objections to the obvious interpretation here will be noted in the text below. The historical background against which this chapter appears was pitiful indeed. Israel's ancient request for God to allow them to have a king was illegal and sinful to begin with; and Samuel warned them of the kind of kings they would get; and the complete and utter failure of the monarchical system had finally worked its total ruin and destruction upon the Chosen People; and, at this stage, God would begin all over again to teach them the spiritual nature of his kingdom. Not a small part of this chapter rehearses the unprincipled wickedness of Israel's kings. As their history revealed, "The native kings were no better than the heathen despots."[3] All of them were heartless, cruel, greedy, selfish monsters of tyranny and oppression who cared nothing at all for their subjects. They exploited, robbed, murdered, enslaved and abused their subjects in every conceivable manner. The mystery still exists as to why Israel, even as late as the times of the apostles, desired nothing either in heaven or upon earth as passionately as they desired the restoration to them of their scandalous old monarchy which God finally and irrevocably destroyed in the events of Ezekiel's generation. There would yet be required to pass nearly half a millennium before God would be able to change the hearts of enough of them to allow the Advent of that Glorious Messiah prophesied in this chapter; and even at that late date, there were only a small handful, in the relative sense, who "waited for the kingdom of God," who were "true Israelites," who were entitled to be called "the seed of Abraham," and who would form the nucleus of that higher and better Israel of God. OF THE FALSE Eze_34:1-6"And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, even to the shepherds, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe unto the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the sheep? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill the fatlings, but ye feed not the sheep. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought back that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor have ye ruled over them. And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field, and were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill; yea, my sheep were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and there was none that did search or seek after them."This is a graphic picture of an utterly worthless shepherd who had no concern whatever for the flock, except as he might have been able to feed himself and clothe himself from what they provided. No better composite of the whole list of Israel's kings, northern and southern alike, could be written than this. Some attention should be given to the term "shepherd." This comparison of the evil rulers of God's people is also found in Jeremiah 23 ff, and in <a href="/bible/parallel/ZEC/11/1" class="green-link">Zechariah 11:1-11</a>. Also, Jesus' words in John 10 carry the same message. "The word shepherd’ in the Old Testament, as in Homer’s Iliad is always a reference to kings and rulers."[4]Cook stated that, “The first king upon earth wore this title; his name was Aloms. The title was adopted into the Assyrian language as RIU (shepherd) and persisted to the latest times of the Assyrian monarchy."[5] The evil shepherds which had mined Israel were nothing else except the kings who disgraced it, from the first of them to the last. This appears in the truth that even the best of them, namely, “a man after God’s own heart,” was an adulterer, a murderer, and an innovator who tried to move the ark of the covenant with a new cart! “On every high hill …” (Ezekiel 34:6). Despite the fact of Keil’s disagreement, we believe that Jamieson was correct in seeing in this statement, “A reference to the sinful idolatrous worship practiced upon ’every high hill’ at those shrines and high places' set up and sponsored by those evil shepherds."[6] Jesus spoke of the scattering’ mentioned here in Mark 6:34. Verse 7 “Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah: As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, surely forasmuch as my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the beasts of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my sheep; therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah. Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.“THE FROM THE FALSE (Ezekiel 34:7-10) This promise was fulfilled to the letter throughout the entire Inter-testamental period of Jewish history. No person whomsoever was ever recognized as a shepherd (king) over Israel during that approximately half a millennium of time. The evil shepherds who replaced them were the three political parties, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Herodians of the times of Zechariah. The powers which they had contrived to exercise over God’s people during that period leading up to the Advent of Christ fully justified Zechariah’s designation of them as those evil shepherds, “Which feed the flock of slaughter, whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty” (Zechariah 11:4). The promise of this prophecy is that the evil shepherds would be removed; the prophecy of Zechariah regarding that later batch of evil shepherds was that “the sword would be upon them” and that, “they would be cut off in one month” (Zechariah 11:8; Zechariah 11:17), a prophecy that was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem by Vespasian and Titus in the year 70 A.D. See our Commentary on Zechariah (Vol. 4 in our Series on the Minor Prophets). Plumptre agreed that Zechariah 11 th chapter should be studied in connection with this chapter.[7]Verse 11 “For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and I will seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture; and upon the mountains of the height of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie down in a good fold; and on fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I MYSELF SHALL BE THE OF MY SHEEP, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord Jehovah. I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and I will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice.“GOD HIMSELF TO BE THE GOOD (Ezekiel 34:11-16) The redemption of Israel can happen only upon that occasion when God himself shall become the shepherd of God’s people. That means when God in the person of his son Jesus Christ is commissioned with “All authority in heaven and upon earth” (Matthew 28:18-20), upon that first Pentecost after the Resurrection of Christ, the glorious occasion when the first sermon of the Gospel Age was preached, and when the reign of Christ the Messiah was inaugurated upon earth. It would be difficult indeed to find a more important chapter in the entire Old Testament than this one. The Lord is the true and only Shepherd of Israel. “The glorious promises here were partially fulfilled in God’s returning his people to Palestine and their subsequent prosperity in the times of the Maccabees."[8]However, in no sense whatever were the Maccabees actually shepherds (kings of Israel). “The real fulfillment came in the ingathering of all nations into the Church of Christ the Good Shepherd (Matthew 18:11; John 10:1-18; and Romans 9:25-33).[9]This whole paragraph (Ezekiel 34:11-16) is made up of “typical messianic imagery”[10] and terminology. All of the good things which will happen to Israel, expressed here in material terms will be fulfilled only in the spiritual blessings of the New Covenant. As Cooke pointed out, “There is no doubt that the dispersion evident in Ezekiel 34:13 suggests a wider dispersion than existed in the times of Ezekiel; and Torrey believed that it points to the circumstances of the Jews that took place in the third century B. C."[11] If such a view is correct, then we have here a prophetic reference to yet a further scattering of God’s people centuries after Ezekiel. THE BETWEEN SHEEP AND SHEEP (Ezekiel 34:17-24) #Ezekiel 34:17-19“And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the he-goats. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have fed upon the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture? and to have drunk of the clear waters, but you must foul the residue with your feet? And as for my sheep, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.“The behavior of animals, as described here, is more or less what is expected as a common occurrence; but, although such must be tolerated in the conduct of animals, the conduct condemned here is that of the thoughtless and/or selfish behavior of evil men who knowingly and purposely either destroy or foul whatever they themselves cannot use in order to prevent its benefiting any other besides themselves. “This paragraph is an anticipation of Mat 25:31 ff, the great judgment scene in which Christ separates the sheep from the goats."[12] In fact this chapter is loaded with things that lead up to passages in the New Testament. Christ as the Good Shepherd in John 10:18 and Hebrews 13, the parable of the lost sheep, and many other passages are here suggested. We are disappointed in the lack of discernment on the part of Cooke, who discovered what he called “a contradiction” between Jesus’ claim as the “Good Shepherd” in John 10, with Ezekiel 34:15 here, asking, “With Jehovah as the Divine Shepherd, what room is there for a human shepherd?"[13] It seems to us incredible that a man of Cooke’s alleged “scholarship” should appear in such an erroneous remark as a man totally unaware of Christ’s membership in the Godhead itself, a truly Divine Being, One who is One with the Father, the Only Begotten Son of God, God of very God, in the language of some of the ancient creeds. Christ was actually Jehovah robed in human flesh, the Good Shepherd who was truly both God and man! Verse 20 “Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because ye thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 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. And I, Jehovah will be their God, and my servant David prince among them; I, Jehovah, have spoken it.““Ye thrust with side and shoulder …” (Ezekiel 34:21). The message here is that human beings, some of them, behave exactly like hungry animals shoving and jostling one another in the feed lot. The reference is to the shameful and outrageous conduct of the upper classes of society in their greedy denial of the rights of the poor and needy. Here Ezekiel takes his place among such prophets as Hosea, Amos, and others who demanded that the principles of social justice be received and practiced among God’s people. “Between sheep and sheep …” (Ezekiel 34:20). These words reveal that this paragraph, like the one before it, is still speaking of the judgment, not merely of the evil rulers, but of the sheep themselves. “One shepherd over them … even my servant David …” (Ezekiel 34:23). Some commentators still cling to the notion that “a line of rulers,” rather than an individual personal Messiah, is suggested by certain Old Testament passages; and such suggestions cannot be completely denied. However, for those who must find multiple shepherds (kings) in these ancient prophecies, they like every things else prophesied are to be found in the Church of Jesus Christ alone, and nowhere else. All Christians are “kings and priests unto God” (Revelation 1:6, KJV). The twelve apostles are upon twelve thrones reigning with Christ throughout the dispensation (Matthew 19:28); and the elders of God’s church actually have received that glorious designation, “Shepherds.” The word shepherd,' pastor in the Greek, is one of the New Testament terms for elder; thus all elders are "kings" in the sense of ruling under "The Chief Shepherd" (<a href="/bible/parallel/1PE/5/1" class="green-link">1 Peter 5:1-4</a>). As Paul expressed it, "If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him." This fully takes care of the impression that their are multiple kings suggested. Nevertheless, it is an indisputable fact that absolutely all of the great blessings promised here did not appear under the "kingship" of any human Davidic successor. They were never even partially realized in the temporary prosperity of the Jews, "Nor can they ever be realized in any earthly kingdom. All of these prophecies point to the One Subject of all Prophecy, The Righteous King, the Anointed Prince, the Son of God, the Son of David, and the Lord of David."[14]It is surprising that a Christian scholar should raise a quibble over the fact of David's being referred to inEzekiel 34:24 as "prince," stating, that, "The leader of the ideal theocracy would be a prince’ rather than a king.'"[15] How could he have overlooked the God-given name of the Seed of the Virgin, which includes the designation, "Prince of Peace!" (<a href="/bible/parallel/ISA/9/6" class="green-link">Isaiah 9:6</a>). It is a truth well known to the scholarship of all mankind that, "'Prince' instead of king’ is Ezekiel’s usual designation of the ruler of the future, as in Ezekiel 45; Ezekiel 46."[16] Besides that, the mention of the ‘covenant of peace’ in the next verse, which is undoubtedly a reference to the New Covenant under Christ, made it extremely appropriate for Ezekiel to use the term prince' inEzekiel 34:24. If any further proof of this was needed, it is available in Ezekiel 37, "Where the name king’ is used three times in a peculiarly effective manner as titles of The Messianic prince.' There is no reason whatever to suppose that Ezekiel saw some kind of a distinction between prince’ and king.'"[17] Ezekiel used the terms interchangeably. "Christ as the Good Shepherd (equivalent to Jehovah) and as The Son of David’ completely fulfills, not merely these prophecies here, but those of 2 Samuel 7:13; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Micah 5:2-4; Isaiah 9:6-7;Daniel 9:25-26; and many others."[18] In fact, it is no exaggeration at all to affirm that Jesus Christ as the Holy Messiah fulfills every one of the 333 prophecies concerning him in the entire Old Testament. The two great Types of the Son of God in the Old Testament are Moses and David; and it is hardly a coincidence that both David and Moses were shepherds. The notion that “The Davidic monarchy will be continued, but the monarch will have a real shepherd’s heart,"[19] must be rejected. Jeconiah was the final end of the earthly dynasty of David, and Jeremiah categorically prophesied that no descendent of his should ever again rule in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 22:30). (See my commentary on this in Volume II of our Major Prophets Series.” Not even Christ could have inherited the throne of David if he had been the literal son of Joseph (who was descended from Coniah); but as his adopted son, the ban of Jeconiah’s posterity did not affect our Lord. “One shepherd over them …” (Ezekiel 34:23). Still another error is founded on this mention of “one shepherd.” Feinberg supposed that this meant, “There would be the need of only one shepherd for the united nation."[20] What is indicated here is not the reunion of the Northern and Southern sinful kingdoms of the old racial Israel, but the uniting of all men, Jews and Gentiles alike in Jesus Christ. Of course, that is exactly what Feinberg may have intended, but the erroneous understanding of it prevails with some. Verse 25 “And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell securely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land; and they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and have delivered them out of the hand of those that made bondmen of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the nations, neither shall the beasts of the earth devour them; but they shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will raise up unto them a plantation for renown, and they shall be no more consumed with famine in the land, neither bear the shame of the nations any more. And they shall know that I, Jehovah their God, and they, the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord Jehovah.

And ye my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord Jehovah.“THE OF PEACE"They shall dwell securely in the wilderness …” (Ezekiel 34:25). Throughout the Bible, the wilderness wanderings of Israel are interpreted as typical of the church in the wilderness of her probation in this dispensation. This is another indication that the New Covenant is in view here. All of the wonderful blessings of this paragraph are here prophesied to come to pass when that “covenant of peace” becomes effective. And what is that covenant of peace? It can be nothing else except the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-35). Plumptre discerned this; “The same thought underlies both that passage and this."[21] “`The covenant of peace’; the new age is to be marked by a new covenant."[22]The covenant of peace came from Jesus Christ. He said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful” (John 14:27). There is nothing to compare with this in the Old Testament. How about all of those blessings, enumerated here in terminology that would have been appreciated and helpful to the generation which received this prophecy? Of course, the racial Israel did no doubt enjoy many physical and temporal blessings upon their return to Palestine; but most of the wonderful things God promised them never happened, due to their unbelief and disobedience (See Jeremiah 18:7-10). Nevertheless, the material and physical benefits here recounted most certainly must be interpreted as symbolical of spiritual blessing in Christ. And I will raise up unto them a plantation of renown …” (v. 29). This, of course, is a glimpse of the world-wide renown and glory of Jesus Christ the Messiah and his followers. Oh yes, there are many divisions, aberrations, animosities, and all kinds of other differences to be seen and deplored among those who seek to love and honor the Great Servant David, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ; but over and beyond all of that disfiguration of Jesus’ spiritual body, accomplished through the devices of the evil one, there still shines the eternal glory of the Bright and Morning Star, the Sun of Righteousness who is risen with healing in His wings! More great and beautiful buildings have been constructed in his name and to his honor in the last twenty years than were erected in all of the past history of mankind to all of the kings and tyrants who ever lived on earth. Every Lord’s Day throughout the world, people of all races, tongues, and nations gather in millions of places to sing songs unto Him who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, who is forever and ever Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Ezekiel 34:1

Ezekiel 34:1-2. Shepherd is from baah, which Strong defines as follows: “A primitive root; to tend a flock, l.e. pasture it; intransitively to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension to associate with (as a friend).” The word has such a wide range of meaning that it will apply to the kings and prophets and priests in Israel because of their post- iton of leadership among the people. In such a relationship they could and should have guided them aright, and have instructed them in the right ways of the world by feeding them on the proper spiritual food. But Instead, they looked to their personal interests and made use of the advantages that were intended for all the congregation and thus “fed themselves instead of the flock.”

Ezekiel 34:3

Ezekiel 34:3. The items in this verse are literal in their nature and in the use that is generally made of them just as the statement shows it. But the passage is used figuratively to illustrate the selfishness of the shepherds in their treatment of the flock that was depending upon them for guidance.

Ezekiel 34:4

Ezekiel 34:4. A good shepherd would look after the sheep and administer whatever services their condition might require. But fnstead of thus guarding and assisting them, these leaders bad been harsh and overbearing. It was because of this genera! corrupt life led by these leaders that even the things they did that would otherwise have been acceptable were rejected by the Lord. On this subject the reader should see the long note quoted at Isaiah 1:10 in volume 3 of this Commentary.

Ezekiel 34:5

Ezekiel 34:5. It is a duty of a shepherd to protect his flock against wolves and other wild beasts. These selfish shepherds of Israel neglected their obligation and allowed the people to be exposed to the beasts (idolatrous nations) around them.

Ezekiel 34:6

Ezekiel 34:6. Some of the terms in this verse are used witb a mixture of the literal and figurative senses. A flock that is neglected will literally be scattered among the hills and it was thus figuratively with Israel. And since the real iniquity in the country was idolatry which was often practiced on the hills, that phase of the subject is literal and pertained to such “high places” in the worship of the false gods.

Ezekiel 34:7

Ezekiel 34:7. The Lord Is directing the present message especially to these shepherds, and they are called upon to hear His word by the mouth of the prophet

Ezekiel 34:8

Ezekiel 34:8. As I live is a phrase that occurs numerous times in the Bible, and means that the thing about to be stated is as sure and true as the existence of God. It is a form of oath along the line of Heb 6:13. Under such an oath the Lord charged the selfish shepherds of Israel with partaking of the food intended for the flock.

Ezekiel 34:9

Ezekiel 34:9. This verse takes the same comments as Ezekiel 34:7.

Ezekiel 34:10

Ezekiel 34:10. I am against the shepherds denotes the Lord’s disfavor for the conduct of the shepherds, not that He is to he regarded as their personal enemy. Require my flock at their hand means they will be held responsible for the sad state of the flock because of their part in causing the situation. Cease from feeding the flock refers in the first place to the removal of those shepherds from the position of Importance that they have been occupying, In the second place, the Lord is approaching a prediction that will reach far beyond the days of these shepherds over fleshly Israel, Such a subject will be introduced in the latter half of this chapter. We have observed it to be a practice of God through the inspired prophets to pass directly from ancient to modern Israel. That is due partly to the fact that many of the experiences, both favorable and unfavorable, of both Israels are similar. A favorable experience of fleshly Israel will be predicted first and then we shall read of a most wonderful favor that will concern spiritual Israel.

Ezekiel 34:11

Ezekiel 34:11. From this verse through 16 (Ezekiel 34:11-16) the passage is a prediction of the return from the Babylonian captivity. The several verses will be commented upon in their order. Search . , . seek them. out. The Babylonian Empire was composed of various countries, and in course of the 70-year period the Jews became scattered among many of them.

Ezekiel 34:12

Ezekiel 34:12. The Lord promises to gather his flock out of these different countries as a good shepherd would do for his sheep that had been scattered. Cloudy and dark day refers to the gloomy period of the captivity.

Ezekiel 34:13

Ezekiel 34:13. The terms of this verse are literal, the people and countries being those mentioned in the preceding verse. Own land means Palestine from which they had been exiled all the years of the great captivity. The geographical terms, mountains, rivers and inhabited places were parts of Palestine, and the Jews were to be restored to them that they might again enjoy them.

Ezekiel 34:14

Ezekiel 34:14. This verse combines the literal with the figurative sense in predicting the future of fleshly Israel. She will actually enjoy the land of Palestine for temporal purposes, and at the same time will be treated justly in spiritual matters.

Ezekiel 34:15

Verse 15. God will not depend upon selfish shepherds to care for the nation but will take close supervision over it. Cause them to lie down. A sheep will not lie down as long as he is unsatisfied with nourishment, therefore the act of lying down indicates a gratified appetite in the midst of plenty. \

Ezekiel 34:16

Ezekiel 34:16, The gist of this verse is a promise to help those who need and deserve help. Destroy the fat and strong means the Lord will judge the selfish shepherds who had been feasting at the expense of the weaker sheep of the flock.

Ezekiel 34:17

Ezekiel 34:17. The rulers and other outstanding men were not the only members who took advantage of the weaker ones. Among the “common people” or unofficial members of the flock there were some who were selfish and defrauded the others hence the Lord declares He will make a distinction between different members of the flock. The cattle refers to the weaker members of the flock and the he goats the stronger.

Ezekiel 34:18

Ezekiel 34:18. The imagery for purposes of illustration is still that of a pasture and the creatures living therein. These selfish ones among the Israelite nation are compared to the strong he goats that eat the best of the pasture regardless of the needs of others. But they did not stop at that In their cruel selfishness. After satisfying their own greedy appetite with the best of the field, they trampled the remaining part with their feet. And after satisfying their thirst with the deep or pure water, they wade into the other watering places In order to defile them.

Ezekiel 34:19

Ezekiel 34:19. Hunger will drive one to eat that which would otherwise be regarded as extremely repulsive. (See Job 6:7.) Hence the weaker members of (he Lord’ s flock had to eat and drink of the food and water that had been made foul by the wicked and selfish members of the group, which caused God to decree a distinction between the two classes in the flock.

Ezekiel 34:20

Ezekiel 34:20. Beginning with this verse and running through Ezekiel 3431 will be given the prediction mentioned in the comments on verse 10. Christ and his church under the New Testament rule is the subject of the passage as will become evident in our study of the verses. However, the imagery of shepherds and all that pertains to that occupation will still be referred to for illustrations. The injustices of unworthy characters among the Lord’s professed servants are carried over for consideration, and He is going to see that such evils will be guarded against in the great institution to come.

Ezekiel 34:21

Ezekiel 34:21, An overbearing animal will push with its side, shoulders and horns in order to crowd out a weaker one. Thus the “ he goats” had behaved in fleshly Israel, but the Lord was determined that such irregularities would not be permitted in the new service under the son of David. (See Matthew 23:812; 20:25-28.)

Ezekiel 34:22

Ezekiel 34:22. Shall no more be a prey has a twofold bearing. It promises that Israel shall not be taken away into heathen captivity again; also that the Lord’s sheep will be cared for and prepared against the captivity of sin. (See 1 Corinthians 30: 13.)

Ezekiel 34:23

Ezekiel 34:23. David, according to the flesh, had been dead four centuries when Ezekiel w’rote this prophecy, hence he would not be intended as the shepherd to be set over the Lord’ s people. The apostle Peter makes the same point in Acts 2; 25-34, explaining to his audience that such reference to David with regard to I lie kingdom always means Christ. This is because of the high position occupied by the great king and patriarch of the former ages. David was the first man of the tribe of Judah to sit as king in Jerusalem: and the one who was to reign over spiritual Israel beginning at Jerusalem bad been foreordained of God to come from the same tribe and a descendant of David. Because of this, it became the practice of the prophets and other inspired men to speak of Christ directly as David, and to refer to His throne as the throne of his illustrious ancestor (Isaiah 9:6-7; Psalms 132:11; Luke 1:32; Acts 13:23; Revelation 3:7). This verse makes it very clear, therefore, that the prophet is. predicting the setting np of the kingdom of Christ, which great event started at Jerusalem and is recorded in Acts second chapter.

Ezekiel 34:24

Ezekiel 34:24. The comments in the preceding verse on David apply here. Will be their God has special significance as a contrast with the false gods that ancient Israel worshiped. The new kingdom that will be established under the son of David will have the recognition of God in its divine origin and reign. God has always offered to be the supreme One for any individual who would serve him.

Ezekiel 34:25

Ezekiel 34:25. Covenant of peace is the one that Paul writes about in Hebrews 8:8-12, which he cited from Jeremiah 31:31. Evil beasts is figurative and refers to the spiritual protection that the Lord will provide for the citizens of the new kingdom. Sleep in the woods (or forest) is a figure to indicate the safety that was to be enjoyed by the people of tlie kingdom of Christ.

Ezekiel 34:26

Ezekiel 34:26. Rainfall at the proper time was very important in Palestine and the fact is referred to figuratively. The promise is, not only that a shower will come down, but it will come in his season or just when It is needed. There shall be showers of blessing. This stalement has been made a part of a familiar church song, but it Isaiah 19 centuries out of date. It is a part of the prediction of the New Testament Institution and hence has been fulfilled many hundreds of years ago. It is unscriptural to speak of something that “shall be,” when the scriptures teach that it has already been fulfilled and that the Lord has carried out his promise.

Ezekiel 34:27

Ezekiel 34:27. This verse was literally fulfilled when the Israelite nation was released from Babylonian captivity. But Its more important fulfillment came when the kingdom of Christ, of which the present group of verses is a prediction, was established with Him as its king. The figures of speech refer to the spiritual benefits that were promised for the citizens of that kingdom.

Ezekiel 34:28

Ezekiel 34:28. This verse is more along the same line as the preceding ones. It does not promise that Christians will never have any troubles, but that they will feel secure in spite of all their persecutions.

Ezekiel 34:29

Ezekiel 34:29. I shall offer some critical definitions in this verse before making the comments. Plant is from MATTA which Strong defines, “Something planted, i.e. the place (a garden or vineyard), or the thing (a plant, figuratively of men); by implication the act, planting.” Renown is from skum which Strong defines, “ An appelation [name], as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character.’’ Prom these defi-nitions we may conclude the common translation is correct. It will be well to note the language of Jesus in Matthew 15:13 where the word “ plant” is also properly rendered. The entire illustration means the church or kingdom of Christ which is compared to a plant, and that the Lord was the one who would plant it, It further means that every plant (church or kingdom) that God did not. plant or start shall be destroyed by Him.

Ezekiel 34:30

Ezekiel 34:30, The benefits that will come to the faithful members of Christ’ s kingdom will be such that no human source could supply. Hence they will know that I the Lord their God am with them and that the institution is of divine origin.

Ezekiel 34:31

Ezekiel 34:31. The flock is to be in the Lord’s pasture and therefore they will be men and not literal cattle. For that reason they may expect to obtain benefits in that field that mere man could not provide; they would have to come from the Lord.