Ezekiel 34:11-24. 11 “For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. 17 “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet? 20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken. (ESV)
“Merry Christmas!” “Happy New Year!” As the end of the year approaches, everywhere we turn someone is telling us we should be happy. But for those who’ve recently lost someone they love, this time of year can seem more like something to survive than to enjoy. The traditions and events that can add so much joy and meaning to the season are punctuated with painful reminders of the person we love who is not here to share in it. Many have wished they could find a quiet place to hide until January 2. While those of us who surround grieving people can’t fix the pain of loss, we can bring comfort as we come alongside those who hurt with special sensitivity to what grief is like during the holidays. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-grieving-people-wish-you-knew-at-christmas?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=204dcce7-ae35-4a38-a850-db9af5cb870b&utm_campaign=reshare&fbclid=IwAR2Mr1T6u6k9DcPfF3UZhMUEJymWpvcjfXJQl8KuClKwG1LzlBj7e20s-j0
The situation of the people of God described in Ezekiel 34, are of a suffering people, who feel alienated from their homeland, abused and feeling abandoned by God. Those who were taken from the northern kingdom of Israel to multiple destinations after the fall of Samaria (2 Kgs. 17:6. From a historical perspective, perhaps it was inevitable that a small national state such as Judah would fall to the expansionist Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar. The serious social divisions within Judah made it so much the easier for the Babylonians to complete their destruction of Judah (Vawter, B., & Hoppe, L. J. (1991). A new heart: a commentary on the book of Ezekiel (pp. 155–156). Grand Rapids; Edinburgh: Eerdmans; Handsel Press.).
It is in these conditions that we hear Ezekiel’s declaration of the love of God to His flock. These sheep were obstinate, stubborn and rebellious (see Ezek. 2:3–5) but still God reached out to them. They were guilty of great sin but even then there was mercy and forgiveness offered if they would repent. God’s love is not soft and weak, as if it cares nothing about sin, but, rather, exactly the opposite. He cares deeply and sin grieves him. While he will not tolerate it or excuse it, he will pardon it, and it is against this backdrop of divine holiness that God’s love shines most brightly. The great love and concern God has for his people is seen clearly in Ezekiel 34. They are like a flock of sheep who have been neglected by their earthly shepherds, but the heavenly shepherd vows, ‘I myself will search for my sheep and look after them’ (v. 11). Rebellious humanity does not love God, nor seek to be loved by God. Human nature and mind are so darkened by sin that people are naturally ignorant of God’s love and mercy. People take the blessings of life for granted: health, food, breath, and the beauty of creation are never acknowledged as gifts of God. People talk about Mother Nature, while the Bible talks about the Creator God. People talk about the Laws of Nature, while the Bible talks about the will and providence of God. Because people exclude God, they do not seek him. But he seeks us! In Jesus, (God came to earth that we remember this time of year) to seek and save the lost. It was not that we loved him but that he loved us. (He came to a lost, scattered, despondent sheep with the great love of a shepherd). (Jeffery, P. (2004). Opening up Ezekiel’s Visions (p. 102-104). Leominster: Day One Publications.
At this time of year, we remember the coming of Christ shoring The Love of the Shepherd”. This love is shown in three wonderful ways. In Ezekiel 34:11-24 we see:1) The Love of the Good Shepherd (Ezekiel 34:11–16), 2) The Love for the Shepherd’s Flock (Ezekiel 34:17–22), and the 3) The Love of the Messianic Shepherd (Ezekiel 34:23–24).
The Love of the Shepherd is evident as seen from:
1) The Love of the Good Shepherd (Ezekiel 34:11–16),
Ezekiel 34:11-24. 11 “For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. (ESV)
The LORD’s relationship with His people is often described using the metaphor of a shepherd (Pss. 23:1; 78:52–54; 80:1; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 23:3; Mic. 7:14), and it is in this character that He presents himself as resolving the predicament of the exiled people. Building on His declaration that he would deliver his flock (34:10), Ezekiel 34:11 and following provides greater detail of his promise that he would kindly seek his sheep and restore them. His actions will contrast strongly with those of their former rulers (compare, for instance, 34:4 and 34:16). To reverse their irresponsible misconduct requires the direct intervention of the true owner of the flock, the LORD God himself. It is into this environment that Jesus first came. He came to a people who felt abandoned by their shepherd and under the oppression of their rules. In verse 11 we see the LORD’s purpose and promise: He himself would act as a true shepherd. The emphatic repetition in Behold I, I myself focused a brilliant spotlight on the LORD, and the false shepherds utterly faded from view. He will search/inquire for (daraš) His sheep, which repeats the verb which depicted a concerned inquiry after (cf. 34:6, 10)—not withdrawal and abandonment of the downtrodden, but active involvement on their behalf. He will seek them out/scrutinise/ ‘inspect’/ ‘search through’ (baqar) It is a different term from those in 34:6, one which was probably drawn from Ezekiel’s priestly background to denote a careful examination to establish the condition of something (cf. Lev. 13:36; 19:20; 27:33; Prov. 20:25). The corresponding Aramaic verb occurred in Ezra for careful examination of archives to find a relevant document (Ezra 4:15, 19; 5:17; 6:1). The LORD as the Good Shepherd was not satisfied merely with the presence of the sheep, but also wished to ascertain and ensure that they were in good condition. He will search for those who have been scattered and bring them safely home to the mountains of Israel, the center of the land God promised to Abraham (Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 1435). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.)
In verse 12 we see the shepherd’s scrutiny. The description of His flock employs a noun found only here in Ezekiel, but its meaning was essentially the same as that of the term found elsewhere for flock. The intimacy of His presence is that “He is among His sheep that have been scattered/spread”. This describes a shepherd’s check of his recovered flock to ascertain if any had injuries or were weak, after suffering the trauma of being scattered. Through His power He will “rescue/deliver them”. (na?al; cf. 3:19) It describes a removal or rescue from a distressing situation, and was reminiscent of the Exodus (Exod. 3:8; 6:6; 12:27). This new Exodus would, however, be more comprehensive than the departure from Egypt; it was envisaged as gathering them from all places where they have been scattered/dispersed. This description would cover both deportees and refugees. A day of clouds and thick darkness was a hendiadys for ‘a day of dark clouds’, and was also language associated with the theophany at Sinai (‘darkness’, Exod. 20:21; ‘clouds and darkness’, Deut. 4:11; 5:22), but ‘the day’ in view here was the time of the LORD’s judgement upon Jerusalem (cf. 13:5; 22:24). The imagery may reflect the overthrow of the Israelites by the Babylonians in 587/6 B.C. (Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Eze 34:11–12). Biblical Studies Press.)
In verse 13, as in the preceding verse, them was a masculine form referring to the people, not the sheep of the metaphor. The three verbs, bring out, gather, bring , would evoke memories of the former Exodus deliverance from Egypt (cf. 20:34–35; 36:24; 37:21), and would have a preliminary fulfilment in the return from the exile, which itself foreshadowed the final gathering of the elect from all the earth (Matt. 24:29–31). The plurals peoples … lands indicated that more than the deportees in Babylonia were in view, and would have included groups like those in Egypt and elsewhere (Jer. 40:11; 44:1). The people are being delivered “into their own land”. Not just the land of their origins, but the resettlement of the covenant people in the land their Overlord had allotted them and where they rightfully belonged. There they would enjoy his provision and his protection. No longer would they be found on the mountains of dispersion (34:6), but on the mountains of Israel, one of Ezekiel’s favourite phrases for the Promised Land (cf. 6:3) That they are found: “by the ravines/valleys” pictures an ideal setting for a flock with pasture and a water supply. They are to be found: In all the inhabited places of the country/land abandoned the metaphorical reference to sheep and clearly showed that people were in view. This prophecy was not (fully) fulfilled when Israel returned to her land after the Babylonian Captivity. It still awaits future fulfillment in the Millennium. (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Ezekiel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1295). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Please turn to Psalm 23
In verse 14, the bounty of the LORD’s provision is brought out further. The Lord feed/nourish from a good pasture for it is fit for the purpose and part of the resources made available by their covenant Lord who will shepherd them. The strategic repetition that the location of the mountains of Israel reminds God’s people that all that was attractive in their homeland in contrast to the austere conditions they were currently enduring in the level plains of Babylonia. When the saints of God realize God’s presence and provision, like the sheep in their good grazing land, they lie down. They are at peace. We recall the elements of hope, peace, love and joy at this time of year for they are God’s provisions in a time of despair, conflict, hatred and anger. Obviously, this is for a future time. The land of Israel does not lie in safety at all today (McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Prophets (Ezekiel) (electronic ed., Vol. 25, p. 172). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.).
Psalm 23 speaks so well to the love of God as our shepherd in His provision and care for us.
Psalm 23:1-6. A PSALM OF DAVID. 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (ESV)
The comfort that we have here from the 23rd Psalm is the same as Ezekiel describes in verse 15 of chapter 34. The Lord declares that: ”I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep/flock”. He will be directly responsible for bringing this new state of affairs into existence and maintaining it. This degree of involvement was highlighted by the repetition of the emphatic expression, ‘I myself’. Only divine intervention could—and would—provide this relief for the people. Because of this intervention He will make them lie down, which recalls the words of Psalm 23:2, How much greater His wisdom and foresight than that of the flock! We serve our own interest best by accepting His perfect provision. Included within the description of a true shepherd are the qualities of love, in taking care of sheep who appeared ungrateful for the self-sacrifice of the shepherd, patience in diligently seeking after the lost sheep, strength in delivering the sheep from their enemies, and in particular, courage, since the long dry summers would demand that a shepherd frequently look for new pastures (Thomas, D. (1993). God Strengthens: Ezekiel Simply Explained (p. 221). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.)
In verse 16, the final part of this section, we see a program of remedial measures engaged in by the true Shepherd who will act with comprehensive care and compassion to reverse the traumas of the past. The Lord says that personally, “I will seek the lost”. No longer would they be left to their own resources as they had been by the self-centred shepherds (34:4, 6; cf. Luke 19:10). Furthermore, He says that I will bring back the strayed/those driven away. This Shepherd will actively gather the scattered. He will also personally “bind up/bandage the injured”. He will carefully tend their injuries. He will also strengthen the weak. There was an element of compression in this final item. The moment we realize that we powerless to change our situation and give it over to God in prayerful reliance upon Him, He promises to act, because His great power then is on display and His is glorified in remedying the situation.
Illustration: OUR COMFORTING SHEPHERD
During a particular period of conflict in the Middle East, Ron and Joke Jones, who serve with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Israel, communicated the following in their prayer letter: “The result of the fighting and killing has left a profound sense of discouragement that hovers over the country. Several times we have come into closer contact with this conflict than our comfort zone allowed. Yesterday a friend shared with us something she observed that was a delightful reminder of God’s care for us. She watched a shepherd caring for his flock near the area where guns are fired. Every time the shots rang out the sheep scattered in fright. The shepherd then touched each of them with his staff and spoke calmly to them, and the sheep settled down immediately because they trusted the shepherd. And then another shot sounded, and the same routine happened again. Each time, the sheep needed the shepherd to orient them again and to reassure them they were safe. We are like those sheep, and our Shepherd reaches out and touches us with his staff, speaking words of calm and comfort. (Citation: Greg Asimakoupoulos, writer; Naperville, Illinois as found in PreachingToday.com. (2003). More Perfect Illustrations: For Every Topic and Occasion (p. 33). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)
The Love of the Shepherd is evident as seen from:
2) The Love for the Shepherd’s Flock (Ezekiel 34:17–22)
Ezekiel 34:17–22. 17 “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet? 20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep.
Verses 17-22 takes up the theme of the ordering of the state of affairs within the flock, subsequently culminating in the provision of the Messianic shepherd-king in 34:23. No more is heard of evil shepherds, and the sheep are now directly addressed. There is no elaboration of the form the judgement will take; the focus is on relationships within the community and what the LORD’s ordering of their affairs will mean for those who are relieved from oppression. In verse 17, by making the distinction: “As for? you, my flock, the LORD turned from those who had failed to discharge properly their leadership roles in Judah to address the whole community in exile. In indicating: “I judge” we see the LORD’s resolve to act to establish justice in the community. ‘Judge’ was the key term in the paragraph (34:17, 20, 22) and described regulating the people’s affairs in accordance with divine standards of justice. That He judges “between sheep and sheep” shows that the justice requires a discriminating approach which took into account each member of the flock. The scope of the LORD’s action was then further specified: with respect to rams and male goats. ‘Ram’ was a common designation for a human leader, and ‘male goat’ was used with a similar sense. It would seem that those who presented themselves as leaders in the exilic community were labelled by these terms (cf. ‘fat sheep’, 34:20). Before the millennial kingdom begins, God will sort out the righteous from the unrighteous (cf. Matt. 25:31–46) and allow only the righteous into the Millennium (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Ezekiel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1295). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.).
• When we consider the coming of Christ in regards to love for His flock we realize that for some, a tough love will mean stating the wastefulness of inactivity, while for others His love is compassionate to the brokenhearted. He shows His sheep so well, that the love He shows is exactly the type that we need.
The rhetorical question in verse 18 constituted the accusation levelled against the behaviour of these self-appointed and self-aggrandising leadership groups. Two analogies were drawn. In the first these dominant animals feed/graze on the good pasture while at the same time they tread down/trample with (their) feet the rest/remainder of your pasture so as to spoil it and prevent others from enjoying it. The second analogy was similar, being expressed in terms of animals drinking at a source of water. Clear water, or ‘settled water’, was that in which sediment or mud had sunk to the bottom so that there was water fit to drink. The leading animals drank of the clear water, but they would also muddy the rest/what is left with your feet, polluting the water from which others had to drink. If we fail to be good shepherds in our families, in our country, in our congregations, we can expect our constituency, our family members, and the rest of the congregation to start trampling the pasture, muddying the water, and shoving and taking advantage of the weak. Sinful human beings do such things if they are not constantly pointed to the Lord and his way (Kuschel, K. B. (1986). Ezekiel (pp. 201–202). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.)
In verse 19, we see how the conduct of the rams and the male goats was manifestly detrimental to the interests of my flock, presumably the other members of the community who were left with substandard pasturage and water because of the unsuitable actions of their leaders, whether deliberately or thoughtlessly. For God expressing His people as my flock it is more than an expression of ownership; it is a term of endearment (Block, D. I. (1997–). The Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 25–48 (p. 284). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)
Please turn to Isaiah 40
Therefore in verse 20 introduces the verdict which Ezekiel as the divine messenger was to relay from the LORD to them, that is, the rams and male goats. Behold I, I myself again focused attention on the LORD’s action in the situation (cf. 34:11). The Lord: “will judge” in that He promises intervention to establish just conditions. This would not be merely a matter of imposing sentences on the miscreants; it would equally provide relief for the oppressed (cf. Ps. 82:2–4). For the judging between the fat sheep and a lean sheep it is one of discrimination employed in the judgement. However, the adjectives were feminine (as also in 45:15) rather than the expected masculine. Presumably ‘a fat sheep’ corresponded to the rams and male goats who had exploited their position and power to their own advantage, while ‘a lean sheep’ was one that was oppressed by them. This is a clear reference to all who are extravagant and oppressive, all who indulge themselves while they abuse the needy. God will severely punish extravagant and oppressive people. (Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (2007). Ezekiel (p. 268). Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.)
• The Lord knows the plight of His flock. He knows of the injustice, pain and distress. That is why He sent His sone.
Isaiah 40 talks about the coming of Christ with tenderness and compassion for His flock:
Isaiah 40:9-11. 9 Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (ESV)
• The reliability of God’s promise calls for wholehearted public announcement (cf. 52:7). We are to proclaim the message by faith, whatever the conditions at the time (cf. 35:3–4). The Jewish exiles will return to the Promised Land, for that is where the divine Messiah is to appear (cf. 48:20; Mic. 5:2). The glorious Lord comes to his people as a conquering king, a generous benefactor, and a gentle shepherd. (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1310). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.)
The abusive behaviour of the fat sheep finally described in verse 21 (that is, the rams and the he-goats) had included pushing and butting the weak to ensure their own personal access to resources, until you have scattered/dispersed them abroad/far and wide, Because of this the LORD would act in verse 22 to rescue/save my flock. ‘Save’ (yaša?, hiphil) emphasised bringing help to those caught up in difficult circumstances and so to rescue them. This is the sending of Christ as deliverer (cf. 34:12). They will no longer be prey/become plunder. However, the concluding remark, I will judge between sheep and sheep, which formed an inclusion with 34:17, reverted to the metaphor of the divine Shepherd and his flock. ‘Judge’ related to the administration of affairs in an equitable fashion, and was used in a positive sense of settling grievances between individuals to maintain the peace of the realm rather than imposing penalties. This passage anticipates the judgment of the people given by Jesus Christ in Mt 25:31–46. The ungodly are known because they trample the poor. The Lord alone is able to sort out the true from the false (cf. parables of Mt 13) and will do so in the final kingdom. ( MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Eze 34:17–22). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
• We live in a time where differences, separation, and disputes even remain among the saints of God. Now is the time for us to love one another and resolve these ourselves before we invite correction from the Lord. He expects us to be examples of His love to the world. The conduct of the members of the flock towards one another is indicative of their relationship with the Shepherd himself. ‘As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’ (Matt. 25:40), and ‘as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me’ (Matt. 25:45).
Illustration: As a teenager and as a young man, John Newton was a profane sailor who used such vulgar and filthy obscenities and profanities that even the salty sailors were embarrassed. But then he became a Christian, a clergyman, and a hymnwriter. He not only wrote “Amazing Grace” but this hymn about the very name of the Lord which he previously had profaned day and night. He wrote: “How sweet the name of Jesus sounds In a believer’s ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. Jesus, my Shepherd, Brother, Friend, My Prophet, Priest, and King, My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, Accept the praise I bring. Till then I would Thy love proclaim With every fleeting breath; And may the music of Thy name Refresh my soul in death”. As the flock of God, when we experience the love of the shepherd we can have courage both in life and in death. (Morgan, R. J. (2000). Nelson’s complete book of stories, illustrations, and quotes (electronic ed., p. 639). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Finally, the Love of the Shepherd is evident as seen from:
3) The Love of the Messianic Shepherd (Ezekiel 34:23–24).
Ezekiel 34:23–24. 23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the LORD, will be their God
After we have seen the divine shepherding, the metaphor is further applied to messianic shepherding, as the true son of the line of David is foreshadowed in less cryptic terms than earlier in Ezekiel. The role envisaged for the Messiah does not conflict with the divine rule, but is an exercise of it as in the previous messianic prophecy in 17:22–24. The analogy between the Messiah and a shepherd is one which Christ readily applied to himself (Matt. 25:32; Luke 15:3–7; John 10:7–18), and which others also apply to him (Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25). He looks for the lost sheep (Matt. 15:24), and sends his apostles to find them (Matt. 10:6; John 21:15–17). It is against the background of imperfect shepherding (34:2–4; John 10:8, 10) that the sterling quality of the perfect Shepherd is appreciated. In verse 23 we see that the LORD’s initiative and authoritative control in instating an individual into an office is seen because He says: “I will set up”. The verb ‘set up’/‘make to stand’/‘establish’ conveys the thought of the permanence of the covenant arrangements thus made (cf. 16:60). The “One shepherd (in contrast to ‘I will raise up shepherds over them’, Jer. 23:4; possibly a reference to a dynasty) continues to refer to the way this specific individual who would tend to the flock and meet their needs. The explicit ‘one’ (?e?ad; cf. 37:17) contrasted the conduct of this shepherd with that of the shepherds who failed in their appointed role as well as emphasising his singular, indeed unique, nature which accorded with the unity and oneness of the people over whom he would rule. The promise of the “one shepherd” whom God will set over Israel unmistakably refers to the Messiah. Jesus claims this title as His own (John 10:11, 14, 16). (Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J. (Eds.). (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Eze 34:23). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.)
Please turn to John 10
The designation my servant David was applied to this Shepherd not because he would be David resurrected, but because he would exemplify all the good qualities which David possessed (‘a man after his own heart’, 1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22–23). He would also be a descendant of David, and thus able to fulfil the requirements of the Davidic covenant which earlier kings had miserably failed to do (chs. 17; 19). The primary implication of the term was obedient compliance with the directions of a superior. That’s why it is said of Him: “He shall feed them and he shall feed them and be their shepherd”. In his case there would be no disjunction between what he did and the title accorded him. The emphasis in ‘servant’ was on his faithful discharge of all that was required of him as a royal, mediatorial figure through whom God would channel salvation to his people, while ‘shepherd’ specified his care and protection of those under him. He is a faithful Shepherd. It is more comforting to put yourself in his care than in anybody else’s. (Kuschel, K. B. (1986). Ezekiel (p. 201). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.)
In John 10 we see how in the coming of Jesus, He perfectly fulfilled this care and salvation for His people:
John 10:7–18. 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (ESV)
• Fundamentally the church is one because there is only one true God, and therefore all whom he saves and who then serve him are linked by an essential bond to him.
Finally, we see in verse 24 that there will be no tension between God’s rule and the rule of this coming David. I, the LORD, will be their God was the primary link in the covenant bond between God and his people (cf. 37:27). This is occurring because: “my servant David ?shall be prince/ruler among them/in their midst. “Prince/ruler” (nasî?), conventionally rendered ‘prince’, see on 37:25. It was employed here to avoid the negative autocratic overtones of ‘king’ (see on 7:27), and to emphasise the Davidic servant’s rule in humble submission to the LORD from whom he derived his authority. That He is “among them/In their midst’ indicates identification with the people and their interests—living as one of them, as well as being over them. The meaning of Christmas is that the eternal God has come to us: Immanuel: God with us. This all has occurring according to the divine intention of God. He testifies to such in His concluding statement: “I am? the LORD; I have spoken”. This statement of divinity declared by the Father is reiterated in His son coming to us. We have just look at this in John 10 with His statement that I am the Door. I am the Good Shepherd. In sending Jesus into the world, God had solemnly committed himself to would not be thwarted (cf. 5:15). As our Shepherd, Jesus gives us spiritual care and nourishment and protection (John 6:32–40). When the people listening to Ezekiel heard these verses, they received the comfort of knowing the Lord had a special Shepherd-Prince who would reign forever (37:25) and who was going to tend them. It became very obvious to them that this promised Shepherd had to be more than just a human being. He had to be God (Kuschel, K. B. (1986). Ezekiel (p. 202). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.).
(Format note: Some base commentary from Mackay, J. L. (2018). Ezekiel: A Mentor Commentary (Vol. 2, p. 214). Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications.)
