Ezek. 33:1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Ironside: “No attentive reader can fail to notice the similarity between this chapter and portions of chapter 3 and all of chapter 18. One might wonder why the duplication of instruction, but we may be very sure of this: when God repeats Himself it is in order that His truth may be impressed upon our hearts and minds. It is so easy to forget divine principles and to let slip the teaching of any portion of God’s Holy Word. Repetition is recognized among pedagogues generally as an important process for impressing certain lessons upon the student’s mind. And so when we find repetition in the Holy Scriptures we may well give the passages in question our most careful consideration, realizing that God had something very important to communicate, or He would not have duplicated it….”
Ezek. 33:2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
Ezek. 33:3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
Ezek. 33:4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
Ezek. 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
Ezek. 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
Ezekiel receives another message from the Lord, and this time it is directed to the Jewish people. He begins the message by telling a short story. He is establishing the importance of the position of watchman for a city; the watchman is supposed to sound an alarm at any sign of approaching danger to the people. Those who heed the warning of the watchman have a strong possibility of saving their lives. Those who ignore his warning may die. The watchman is absolved of any responsibility for the loss of life since he faithfully sounded the warning. If, however, the watchman fails to sound the warning when he sees danger approaching, he will be held accountable for the people who lose their lives because he failed to do his duty.
In verse two the phrase “When I bring the sword upon a land,” stood out to me. It doesn’t mean that enemy attack upon a nation is always a judgment of God, but I think it is important for us to recognize that it can be. We rightly focus on the fact that God is a God of love, but we often forget that His love is sometimes expressed in judgment. He hates sin and often intervenes with fiery judgment to purge sin and allow those who remain to know that He is the LORD and allow them an opportunity to respond in faith and repentance to Him.
I think it is also important to note that the watchman is held accountable for sounding a warning according to the information he possesses. Obviously, he can sound no warning for that for which he is unaware. If, however, he possesses information of approaching danger, he should be faithful to sound the warning. I think the application to the believer today regarding sounding the alarm for the danger of rejecting Christ as Savior is apparent.
It is also significant to note that the watchman’s duty is to sound the warning, but it is up to the individual as to how he chooses to respond to that warning. There are only two options—to heed the warning and be saved or to reject the warning and die. Again, the application to the believer who shares the gospel message with the unbeliever is obvious.
Ezek. 33:7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
Ezekiel has been chosen by God, not by man, to be a watchman for the house of Israel. As God’s watchman, he is to sound the messages of warning that God issues to His people. Ezekiel first found out about his commission as a watchman in chapter 3.
Ezek. 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
Ezek. 33:8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Ezek. 33:9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
These verses are basically the same as those that followed his commissioning in chapter 3.
Ezek. 3:18-19 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
The same comments apply. The Hebrew for soul references “a breathing creature.” God is not holding Ezekiel accountable for anyone’s eternal destiny. Scripture is clear that the individual is responsible for choosing to follow God in faith and obedience or not. The use of the word blood in particular emphasizes that it is physical life being referenced. Blood is equated with physical life in the scripture; it is not a part of the spiritual life that is ours for eternity.
Lev. 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood….
1Cor. 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Ezek. 33:10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?
Ezek. 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Ezekiel is to pose a question to the people. My paraphrase--Since we are being destroyed as a people because of our rebellion and wickedness, how can we find life again?
God gives the answer: Turn from your evil ways and live. God takes no pleasure in the death of wicked people. He created man for fellowship with Him, to bring Him honor and glory. He is not, however, going to force man into a relationship with Him. Love can’t be coerced; it can only be freely given. I believe that is why God sovereignly chose to allow man freedom of choice. When I looked up the Hebrew for the word wicked, I found the word condemned included. This reminded me of the verse in John’s gospel.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already….
I know that in context John is referencing belief in the Son of God, but the truth applies just as surely in this passage since Father and Son are One.
John 10:25 & 30 Jesus answered them….I and my Father are one.
1John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Another thought comes to mind—What differentiates one who is wicked from one who is righteous? Obviously, we would answer that the wicked person does bad things and the righteous person does good things. Does God evaluate the two using that principle? I think not. Whether we are classified as righteous or wicked is directly related to our choosing to follow God in faith and obedience or not. Righteous acts before God are those done in obedience to and for the love of Him. I’ve listened to Ravi Zacharias enough to know that our understanding of “good” and “bad” has to have a foundation; and the only acceptable foundation for that determination before God is the revelation of His truth—the scripture, the Word of God.
The word turn implies a change of direction, an about face, to go in the opposite direction. To make an about face from living wickedly would be to live righteously. Those who live righteously are choosing to live according to the truth and commands of a righteous God.
“why will ye die, O house of Israel?” – I can almost hear the longing tone of the Father as he addresses His chosen people. A Father wants only the best for those He loves. He does everything possible to provide for their every need and for their happiness. It’s distressing and disappointing to watch that loved one reject your provision.
Ezek. 33:12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
The first thought I had upon reading this verse was in reference to how so many people believe that all they have to do is make sure that their good deeds outweigh the bad on God’s scale of judgment. That is not scriptural—in either the Old or New Testament. It also brought to mind man’s proclivity to want to avoid dealing with the present. We think God can’t save us now because we have been too bad. Or we think we can rest on past laurels as we choose to fellowship with the world now. Or we think we can enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and deal with our spiritual future later.
God is teaching His people that they must choose to respond to Him daily. The Israelites of Ezekiel’s time were living under the law; it was a system that emphasized the need for sin to be dealt with immediately. A relationship needs to be nurtured by daily expressions of love and commitment.
Note from Focht: “The Old Testament is based on man’s faithfulness to God, the New Testament on God’s faithfulness to man.”
Ezek. 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
This verse directly refutes the idea that you can expect past “good” deeds to outweigh the “bad” things you are doing. The fact that you are doing wicked things reflects the true condition of your heart. Sin has consequences, and sometimes the consequence is loss of life.
Ezek. 33:14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
Ezek. 33:15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Ezek. 33:16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
These verses reflect the truth that God is longsuffering. God is holy and righteous and has the sovereign right to exercise that longsuffering for whatever time He chooses. We have to understand that we are not guaranteed the next minute of our life. Still, according to His own determination, He allows man an opportunity to turn from His wicked ways and do that which is “lawful and right” before Him. Again, we have to recognize that He is THE authority regarding what is “lawful and right.” A person who truly turns from wickedness will have a heart to recompense those whom he has wronged. He will desire to live according to God’s law and will choose to avoid sin. That type of change results in a life that is living within the protective boundaries of God’s will.
JFB brought out an interesting point: “If the law has failed to give life to man, it has not been the fault of the law, but of man’s sinful inability to keep it.”
The phrase “None of his sins…be mentioned unto him” this time. What a blessed promise! It goes hand-in-hand with our sins being removed as far as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12).
Ezek. 33:17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
God anticipates the reaction of the people and prepares Ezekiel to refute their reasoning. He knows that they are going to accuse Him of not being fair. It’s the same way men rationalize how they live today. We can’t seem to grasp the concept that God’s way is the only way. Not only is it the only way, it is the only right way. It is men with their limited understanding that devise justice systems that are not fair.
Ezek. 33:18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
Ezek. 33:19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
Ezek. 33:20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
God is a holy, righteous judge. He has declared His truth, and He will hold each individual responsible for how they respond to that truth. This emphasizes the truth that the prophet shared in chapter 18.
Ezek. 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
God is not going to judge us based on how we measure up to other people, which is how we mortals judge other people and ourselves more often than not. He will judge each individual based upon their own response to His truth and His commands.
Ezek. 33:21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.
Ezek. 33:22 Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.
These verses announce the direct fulfillment of the prophecy given in chapter 24, verses 26-27: “That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears? In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
Jerusalem had been destroyed and one who had escaped the destruction had come to inform those in captivity in Babylon. God’s word had been proven true again—as always.
Up until this time Ezekiel had only been able to speak to deliver God’s messages as instructed. From this point on, he was able to speak freely.
It would seem that God had freed Ezekiel’s tongue the night before the messenger arrived, but he didn’t speak to the people until the morning after the messenger arrived.
Ezek. 33:23 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Ezek. 33:24 Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.
God speaks to the prophet and tells him how the few who survived the Babylonian attack were reasoning in their hearts. They figured since Abraham, one man, had inherited the land, surely his descendants, which are many, deserved to possess the land. They were totally ignoring the warnings that God had given them as a people through Moses regarding the consequences for not keeping covenant with Him as LORD.
Deut. 5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
Deut. 8:19-20 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.
Deut. 28:63-64 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.
Ezek. 33:25 Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?
In this verse the LORD details just some of the ways they have broken covenant with Him.
Lev. 17:14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.
Lev. 19:4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.
Ex. 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
He basically says—You think I should honor you for your disobedience and go against My word?
Ezek. 33:26 Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour’s wife: and shall ye possess the land?
And the list continues--“Ye stand upon your sword” references depending upon the might of man rather than trusting God. He had given them specific promise of every type of blessing if they would but trust and obey Him as LORD.
Lev. 26:1-7 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
Again the Lord basically answers—And you think I should go against my word?
Ezek. 33:27 Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
Ezek. 33:28 For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through.
Again, point is made that Ezekiel is delivering the very words of God. He is declaring that those who are left in the land and thinking they have been mistreated instead of repenting for their wickedness and seeking God’s forgiveness are going to die—by the sword, by the beasts of the field and by pestilence/plague. They cannot hide from the judging hand of Almighty God. Israel is going to be desolate; the people will not be able to take pride in anything. No one will want to travel through the land for fear of what might happen to him.
Ezek. 33:29 Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.
Again, a very sad word—THEN. It will take the harsh judgment of God to wake the people up to His authority and power and the truth of His word. They will not be able to deny the truth of the message God delivered to them through the prophets. They will recognize God as LORD when He judges them for their wickedness.
Ezek. 33:30 Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.
Ezek. 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
Ezekiel, the prophet of the LORD, has drawn a lot of attention. Those who speak with the power of God do. The captives in Babylon are drawn to come and hear what Ezekiel has to say, but they are coming under false pretenses. They say they are coming to hear from God, but they have no intention of responding in faith and repentance to that message. They have no intention of changing their way of life. Why are they even pretending? Because they hope to profit from their pretense.
How loudly does that speak to the culture of the church today! Many are in the ministry as a means to an end—that end being wealth and fame or influence. Many follow false teachers in hopes of reaping great reward from little to no investment. Many emphasize the giving of money without regard to giving of self in submission and service to God. I am convinced that the church as a whole today mirrors the church of Laodicea to whom the apostle wrote in the Revelation that thought it was rich and in need of nothing, but God saw it as “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked…” (Revelation 3:17)
Ezek. 33:32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
Ezek. 33:33 And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.
To the people Ezekiel was just a form of entertainment to be enjoyed. Although they heard his words, they had no intention of acting upon them. Nevertheless, God’s word is true and everything that the prophet had told them will come to pass. THEN they will know that a prophet has been among them.
How many times does He have to be proven true to be believed? We have an amazing ability to ignore history, the experiences of others, and even truths that we personally witness in order to pursue our own way. God does everything short of force to cause us to turn to Him in faith and repentance. We won’t have a leg to stand on at the throne of judgment if we choose to reject the truth He has revealed to us.
Ezek. 34:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Ezek. 34:2 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?
The Lord is painting a word picture of His relationship with Israel. The people of Israel are pictured as a flock of sheep (identified as His in verse 6) and the religious leaders as shepherds. The Psalmist made the same comparison between God and His people.
Psa. 80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
So did the prophet Jeremiah.
Jer. 50:6 My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.
This message from the Lord to Ezekiel is directed to the religious leaders of Israel in particular, which from God’s perspective included the governmental leaders as well since they were all supposed to be serving their people as unto the Lord. God is denouncing these shepherds as self-serving and failing miserably in their God-given responsibility to care for His people.
Ezek. 34:3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
Ezek. 34:4 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 again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
The charges are leveled: They are feeding and clothing themselves at the expense of the sheep with complete disregard to the needs of the sheep in those areas. They have neglected to minister to those that are sick, hurt, and broken. They haven’t bothered to seek out those who had been outcast or wandered from the flock. They had ruled the people with unnecessary harshness, taking advantage of their positions of authority.
I can’t help but make comparisons to some of the “so called” leaders of the church today who fleece the flock to their own profit. They occupy positions established by the Chief Shepherd, yet they abuse their positions to the detriment of the flock and the benefit of self.
Ezek. 34:5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Ezek. 34:6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
God is saying that because of the lack of spiritual leadership to keep His flock grazing under His protective provision, the sheep had wandered off and in some cases been pushed away to graze in dangerous fields. The shepherds never bothered to go after the lost or wandering sheep and provide the leadership and protection that they needed. In the end, their actions had brought the hand of God’s judgment crashing down, and the people were scattered “upon all the face of the earth.”
Ezek. 34:7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Ezek. 34:8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Ezek. 34:9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Ezek. 34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
In these verses God is basically saying that because the shepherds had not served in their positions of authority faithfully as unto the Lord, and in fact had not performed as shepherds at all, He was removing them from those positions. He was not going to let His people suffer at the hands of these leaders who were abusing their authority at the expense of the people. No longer would they be able to profit at the expense of the people.
This verse provides a strong warning to those who occupy positions in the church today as “shepherds.” God will hold you accountable for your actions on behalf of His people. God will hold you accountable for how you represent Him to His sheep.
Ezek. 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
Ezek. 34:12 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.
Instead, God says, I, the Chief Shepherd, will seek out my lost and wandering sheep. He will personally deliver them “out of” all the places where they have been scattered by the stormy dark day of His judgment.
Amos 5:18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
Is. 29:6 Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
Nah. 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
Ezek. 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
Ezek. 34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
Ezek. 34:15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
I think it is obvious that this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. The Lord is speaking of a time that He will regather His people from out of all the nations of the world and bring them home to Israel to possess their land under His protective hand of leadership and provision where they can lie down in peace and security.
Ezek. 34:16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
As the Good Shepherd, God is going to take care of His people’s every need. He is going to ensure that the flock stays healthy and safe, and He is going to get rid of those in leadership that have abused them.
“I will feed them with judgment” – I can read this phrase two different ways. Either He will destroy the fat and the strong with His judgment, or He will sustain His flock with righteous judgment. I think both are true statements.
I can’t help but think of the passage in John 10 where Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd.
John 10:11-15 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep….I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
In direct contrast to the worthless shepherds to whom Ezekiel is speaking, the Good Shepherd loves His sheep to the point of willingly dying for them.
Ezek. 34:17 And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.
“rams” = properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically)
“he goats” = (figuratively) leaders of the people
This verse declares God’s authority to judge the sheep and those who are in authority over them. In other words, He knows the sheep that belong to Him and will be able to separate His flock out from among the greater population of sheep. It also implies to me that there are those who claim to be part of His flock but do not really belong to it. It would seem that those found not to belong will include those that are in authority and oversight.
This immediately brings to mind the judgment of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25 where the Lord is determining who will enter His millennial kingdom.
Ezek. 34:18 Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
Ezek. 34:19 And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
The accusation continues. These evil shepherds have taken of the best and left the scraps for the people. In fact, they have taken of the best and spoiled the residue that they left to provide for the people.
Another comparison came to mind. The shepherds had been given the privilege of eating good pasture and drinking from deep, clear water. This speaks to me of their privilege of being trained and taught from the scripture, and they were to share with the people of their treasure of learning. Instead they took the teaching of the truth and “tread it down” and “muddied it up.” What they passed on to the people was not the wisdom of God, but the wisdom of God according to the desires and purposes of men—and that is no wisdom at all. The people could not look to their leaders for direction or instruction in spiritual wisdom.
Ezek. 34:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
Ezek. 34:21 Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
Ezek. 34:22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
In context it would seem that the fat cattle would represent those in leadership and the lean cattle would represent those whom they had abused. They have used their authority abusively to take advantage of those who were weak and sick. The result of the ministry of these “fat cattle” is that the flock had been scattered abroad. God had determined that He was the only fit shepherd for His flock and He would identify those that were His and separate them out of the larger cattle population.
Ezek. 34:23 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.
Ezek. 34:24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
After separating out His flock (in context speaking of the nation of Israel), He would gather them into His pen (the land of Israel) and will personally oversee their care. I think this is an obvious reference to the Millennial Kingdom when Jesus is on the throne.
The Lord states that He will set up “one shepherd” over them to feed them; then He identifies that shepherd as His servant David. He then goes on to qualify that He, YHWH will be their God, and His servant David a prince among them.
“one” = united, i.e., one; a man, from the root “to unify”
“David” = loving, the youngest son of Jesse
“prince” = an exalted one, a king
I just thought the meanings would be useful in considering the possible explanations of these verses. As stated in my comments on chapter 37 where I comment on this in greater detail, I have no problem in identifying this prince with King David of old. One of the reasons is that in context the Lord is speaking of a shepherd, a prince that He will place over Israel. This in no way detracts from the position that Jesus will occupy as King of kings and Lord of lords. Nor does it take away from Jesus occupying the throne of His “father” David. Jesus will be THE authority on planet earth period during that time. He will appoint whomsoever He chooses to occupy other leadership positions under His authority. There are scriptures that refer to the Son of God, Jesus, as “Shepherd” and “Prince.”
One passage that came to mind to check was Isaiah 9:6-7: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
The Hebrew for the word “Prince” in this passage of Isaiah stated “a head person” from a root that states, “to have dominion.” In other words, He will be a person that possesses the ultimate authority; that is a precise definition of the Jesus, the Son of God in flesh, the Messiah who will return to set up His earthly throne.
The important truth of this verse is that God’s specifically chosen shepherd will oversee His flock with truth and faithfulness. He will lead them according to the will of God.
Ezek. 34:25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
Ezek. 34:26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
Ezek. 34:27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
“evil beasts” – I think in context this applies to the “fat cattle” referenced above, those that are looking to fulfill their fleshly desires and without regard for the needs (both material and spiritual) of the people. Because I believe the time being referenced is the millennial kingdom, I think this also legitimately makes reference to the removal of the curse on the animal kingdom referenced by Isaiah.
Is. 11:6-9 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
“them and the places round about my hill” – This has to be a reference to Mt. Zion and the land of Israel.
Psa. 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
“season” = “time, especially (adverb with preposition) now,” from the root that states “properly, a (peremptory) terminus, i.e. (by implication) duration, in the sense of advance or perpetuity (substantially as a noun, either with or without a preposition):—eternity, ever(-lasting, -more), old, perpetually, + world without end.”
This entry stretched my understanding. The season for the shower to come down is “now…for the duration…perpetually.” In other words the showers of blessing would be a predominant feature of the millennial kingdom. The prophet Zechariah spoke of this time.
Zech. 8:3-12 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour. But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
Verse 27 is a declaration of the future fruitfulness of the land of Israel that the people will be able to enjoy in safety. That has been a primary concern of the Jews throughout their time of dispersion. Although they have experienced periods of security and success in the lands in which they have lived, there has always been an overhanging cloud of how long it would last before they were again to experience persecution from their fellow countrymen. The countries in which they have lived have benefited from their hard work and expertise only to turn on them in hate.
Ezek. 34:28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.
This verse emphasizes that the context of this chapter is in relation to the nation of Israel. Israel will no longer suffer at the hands of the heathen/Gentile nations or their own worthless shepherds. In other words, their time of judgment is ended and they are now under the new covenant.
Jer. 31:31-34 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Ezek. 34:29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
Ezek. 34:30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD.
“plant of renown” – This appears to be a reference to the Messiah. Isaiah makes a similar comparison.
Is. 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots….
Is. 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground….
When Jesus the Messiah returns, Israel will occupy a place of honor among the nations and will no more suffer from either physical or spiritual hunger. They will be under the protection and provision of the Chief Shepherd. Israel will be established as a land of blessing among the nations; they will never again “bear the shame of the heathen.”
Zech. 8:13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
Verse 30 emphasizes again that the context of this message is for the nation of Israel. Though there are many applications that can be made to the church, this message is to the nation of Israel.
Verse 30 affirms the truth of the new covenant as quoted in Jeremiah 31 above. Once the Messiah returns, the people of Israel will know, never to doubt again that He is the God of Israel for He will dwell in the midst of them.
Ezek. 34:31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.
“my flock” = nation of Israel
“my pasture” = Israel’s sustenance, our sustenance as believers, will be provided by God
“are men…” – This is a statement on which all God’s children can base our trust and comfort. We are but mere humans. Our God is the self-existent eternal God.
Col. 1:17 And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
This is totally beyond my understanding, and that is how He has purposed it.
Is. 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
I think Utley makes a good observation: “These prophecies must be analyzed through two lenses (i.e., the OT and the NT). Christianity is only true if the NT is the fulfillment of the OT and Jesus is the promised Messiah. The hope is wider than Israel. Genesis 3:15 is a promise to all the sons and daughters of Adam, not just Jews. There were no Jews in Genesis 3.”