Ezekiel 38:7-9 – God is molding us

God knows everything that happened, is happening, or will ever happen in the world. He owns the world, and nothing can happen outside of His knowledge, especially with Israel His chosen people. His plan in the call of Abraham was to bless him and make him a great nation and through them to bless the world. Their key assignment was to witness to the world to make known the Lord so that all might worship and serve Him.

Unfortunately, God’s chosen people were unfaithful and did not stay true to their task. Instead, they were influenced into embracing other gods and enticed into all sorts of abominable practices. To bring them back to Himself, God used foreign forces to discipline them. After the time of discipline, God restored them to the land.  

 

In the divine drama, Israel had been and continues to be a key player in the unfolding of God’s plan. What they have gone through and will go through are all parts of God's plan.

 

In the first six verses Ezekiel 38, we saw how Gog and his allies would come against God’s people. The text made it clear that they were but pawns in God’s hand. And they would attack Israel at some point when the people of God had securely settled in their restored land.

 

In verses 7-9, we see God commanding the enemies to prepare themselves for the joint attack that they would be bringing upon God’s people. At the right time, God would be summoning them to do their task. The battle God said would be a huge one as described in verse 9. “You will go up, you will come like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.”

 

Just as nothing can happen to Israel without His knowledge, nothing can also happen to us without His knowing. No matter how difficult our circumstances may be remember God is using them to shape Christlikeness in us.

Ezekiel 38:1-6 – God fights for us

Described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 are messages of intense dangers that Israel, the people of God would be facing. Ezekiel painted a highly symbolic picture of a group of countries from the north bent on destroying and annihilating Israel, the people of God. These two chapters of the book Ezekiel are difficult to interpret.

 

How one would see these chapters depends on what view one holds. Some see this as a historical event. Others see these chapters as describing a future invasion of Israel identifying Russia as the leading invading force. Another position is that these chapters contain the prophetic parable where God is promising to deliver His people from foreign attacks. However, these chapters could well be giving a message of the ultimate struggles between good and evil.  

 

Ezekiel 38:1-6 identifies the leader and the invading forces that would come against Israel. The Leader is said to be Gog from the land of Magog. He is also identified here as the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. It is best not to speculate who he is. But he would be assisted by countries from four corners of the earth. From the East would be Persia, from the South would be Ethiopia and Put; and from the North would be Gomer and Beth-togarmag. Coming against God’s people would be the combined force of these countries. It would be a huge force well-equipped militarily. But because God controls history, their ultimate end is already prescribed.

 

The lesson: No circumstances, no evil scheme, no force no matter how well-equipped  can ever take us down if we remain connected with God.  With Christ, we are more than conquerors. With Him we from the majority

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ezekiel 37:24-28 – God’s New Covenant people

Ezekiel 37:24-26 is a message about the reunited Israel with David as her king. But we know that David has since passed on. Besides, when the people of God returned to the promised land from captivity, the Bible has no record of King David ruling them again.

Therefore, we will not be overextending our interpretation to see this passage as pointing to the Kingdom, which Jesus the Messiah at His first coming had launched. The very first verse of the Gospel of Matthew shows that Jesus, the Messiah is the Son of David. He is portrayed as the last king from the line of David. He would be their shepherd forever.  

These verses in Ezekiel talk about His reign and the impact He would make not only on Israel but also in His ever-expanding and everlasting Kingdom. The people of Israel were promised that they would return to live in the promised land, where their ancestors were given. It would be their land forever where the people in the Kingdom would multiply. This suggests the influx of people, including the gentiles.   

And verse 25 said that God would make an everlasting covenant of peace with His people when this Messiah King takes His reign. God’s Sanctuary meaning His presence would be in their midst forever. And God will be their God and they would be His people. All this would happen as a witness that God had set apart Israel for Himself and His Sanctuary meaning His presence would be felt among them.  

Thankfully, in Christ, we have become God’s New Covenant people. As His people, we enjoy a peaceful relationship with Him. We are the recipients of the promise of His presence and must testify to His faithfulness. 

Ezekiel 37:15-23 - Being God’s Kingdom people

Ezekiel 37:15-23 - God’s Kingdom people

God’s plan was to unite the fractured Israel. After the reign of King Solomon, Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Though divided, God still regarded them as one for they were all the descendants of Israel. It is not difficult to reason why He would want them united.

Here in Ezekiel 37:15-23, the Prophet Ezekiel was instructed to demonstrate the plan of God to unite the two fractions. Taking two sticks, Ezekiel was to write on one of them, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions,’ and on the other, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.’ Then he was to bundle and hold the two sticks together so that they would be seen as one in his hand.   

The people, God anticipated, would enquire the meaning of what Ezekiel had done. He was then to tell them the meaning of his actions. God was going to gather His scattered people, both Israel and Judah and bring them back to their land to unite them. This restored Israel would be one people in His hand and have only one king to rule over them. No longer would they be two nations but one.   

Besides, the people would purge themselves of their defilement. They would no longer participate in idolatry and detestable practices or indulge in their transgression. God would deliver and cleanse them. And they shall be His people and He, their God.

While what Ezekiel was saying speaks of the reunion of Israel and Judah, God appears to be referring to the Kingdom that Jesus the Messiah would reign. He alone is the perfect King who can bring about unity. Jesus came to unite and establish for God one people that will honor, worship, and serve God alone.  The Gospel Jesus came to herald is uniting the people of the Kingdom of God.  Unitedly, we are cleansed and set apart as people of His Kingdom.    

Ezekiel 37:11-14 – Returning to spiritual vitality.

In Ezekiel 37:1-10, God’s Spirit in a vision led and set the Prophet Ezekiel in the middle of the valley of dry bones. There he was told to prophesy to those dry bones so that they could have life again. We have established that the valley was Israel with its national life gone. From the vision, we learn that God can certainly renew us and bring life to our spiritual ineptitude.

In Ezekiel 37:11-14, Israel, God said, was the valley of dry bones. In captivity and cut off from their homeland, many were feeling the effects of their captivity. Here in verse 11, in their despondency, they were heard lamenting that their bones were dried up and their hope was gone. The captivity was like a grave to them.

This pathetic state would discredit God for His name was linked with them in the covenant relationship. To revive them and bring honor back to His own name God told Ezekiel to prophesy and announce what he was about to do to revive the nation.

Like a grave being opened and the dead revived and let out, the door of their captivity would be swung open, and they, His people would be brought back to their homeland. This transforming miracle would be the work of God’s Spirit. For God would put His Spirit in them and they would not only return to life but would also return to their promised land. In what would happen, God would leave them without doubt knowing that He, the faithful God would always be true to His word.

God has no desire for us to remain in our spiritual doldrums. For a lifeless Christian can never testify to His goodness. In collaboration with the Spirit of God, we can break out of our spiritual stagnation. There are three definite steps we need to take: we must identify and realize what led to spiritual apathy; repent and confess our failure; and return to the Lord and commit to walking aright.

Ezekiel 37:4-10 – God wants us to live vibrantly for Him

In Ezekiel 37, the valley of dead dry bones is Israel. Both Israel and Judah were left desolate, and their people were scattered by the Assyrians and the Babylonians respectively.  Nationally, Israel was the valley of dead and dry bones of Ezekiel’s vision.

Who could bring dead and dry bones to life again but God alone? God whose name and reputation were attached to the nation by covenant was not about to let his name be defamed. He then set out to restore His reputation by restoring the nation.  

Though Israel had become the valley of dead and dry bone God told Ezekiel to prophesy and speak life to her again. Restoration could only begin when attention is given to the word of the Lord. So, in verse 4, Ezekiel was instructed to command the nation of dead and dry bones to hear and pay attention to the Lord’s word.

God promised to bring restoration as they hear His word. Verses 7-10 then picture the nation coming back to life as Ezekiel prophesied over them.  This suggests that as they paid attention to His word, God did His work. A rattling sound was heard as the scattered bones came together with flesh returned. God then breathed life into the restored bodies. Dead Israel became a nation again and became a mighty army.  

Here are the takeaways: God wants to bring about renewal in our lives. It will take place when give attention to His word. No matter how dry our spiritual condition may be, a word from Him will revive and restore our spiritual ineptitude.  

 

 

Ezekiel 37:1-3– Call to a surrendered life

The unfaithfulness of Israel resulted in their destruction. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed in 722 BC by the Assyrians. Jerusalem in the Southern Kingdom of Judah was destroyed by the Babylonians, and her people were carried into captivity around 586 BC.

Their disobedience led to the end of their national life.  The Prophet Ezekiel was given a vision of Israel after the destruction. In Ezekiel 37:1-10, God gave the prophet a vision. What Ezekiel saw was a valley full of dry bones. This passage is commonly entitled "The Valley of Dry Bones."

In this vision, Ezekiel was made to pass through the valley and there he saw a valley of bones. Countless dead and dry bones lay on the surface of the valley.  This was a picture of Israel not only dead but also in an advanced state of decomposition. It is a picture of Israel beyond hope.   

A question was put forth to Ezekiel by the Lord. He asked the prophet if these bones could live again? In the natural, the answer would obviously be no. But God asked the question not to seek an answer but to call attention to the prophet that nothing would ever be impossible with Him. And Ezekiel knew it well. Hence, his response to God was “O Lord God, you know.”     

Here is a reminder that in our journey with God, a life of unfaithfulness always leads to spiritual dryness and death. The Lord takes no pleasure in seeing us in that condition. His question suggests that He wants to revive a believer’s spiritual dryness. He can and wants to restore our lethargic spiritual life. All He needs is our surrender. Let’s lay it all down - every burden, every crown, every lie, and every doubt - and make room for Him.   

            

Ezekiel 36:33-38 – The blessings of a renewed life

In Ezekiel 36:33-38, God promises Israel His people how the promised land would look like when He had restored it. It would be filled with the people whom He had renewed.  The ruined places would be rebuilt. The once desolate land would be cultivated. It would be so beautiful like the Garden of Eden. Instead of being a wasted, desolate, and ruined land, the land would be fortified and inhabited. The rebuilt promised land would be a testimony to the Lord.  The nations around them that had survived could see and would know assuredly that only the faithful God, the Lord could bring about such a marvellous outcome.   

Having been renewed the people would be granted an answer to their prayer to have their number increase. They would ask for the number of people to mushroom like the number in a huge flock, and God would grant their request. God would increase the number of people like the number of sacrificial animals that would throng the city of Jerusalem during seasons of the feasts. A multitude of people would be raised to fill their once wasted but now rebuilt cities. All this would bring credit to God and His people would indeed know and acknowledge Him as their Lord.

When God restores, the beauty will be unsurpassed. Psalm 84:11 tells us that “…the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” More than physical prosperity, let us desire spiritual prosperity so that we can stay vibrant in Him. Note however suggested in verse 37 that prayer is a critical part of a blessed life. So, remember to stay prayerful! 

Ezekiel 36:22-32 – Living a God-honoring life.

The unfaithfulness of God’s people had profaned His name and tarnished His reputation. For His own sake, God had to restore His own reputation. He began by restoring the land shown in Ezekiel 36:1-21. However, more important than the restoration of the land would be the restoration and renewal of His people.

The unfaithfulness of God’s people had profaned His name and tarnished His reputation. For His own sake, God had to restore His own reputation. He began by restoring the land shown in Ezekiel 36:1-21. However, more important than the restoration of the land would be the restoration and renewal of His people.

In Ezekiel 36:22-32, God described what He would do to renew and transform them and the result of His renewing work in them. In these eleven verses, we find the two words “I will” appear twelve times. They are the things that God said He would do in the lives of His people.

And the very first thing God wants would be to vindicate His own holy character which His people had caused to be profaned among the nations. He needed to vindicate His holy name so that the nations would have the right perspective of Him and His holiness.

In verses 24-27, God promised to work among them to bring about the renewal. Firstly, He would not only gather them from all over nations but would also bring them into their land. Secondly, He would purge and purify them from the effects of their sin. Thirdly, He would give them a new heart and a new spirit. Fourthly, He would replace their stony hearts with a heart of flesh. In other words, He would make them more receptive to Him. Fifthly, He would put His own Spirit in them to enable them to walk in His ways.

In verse 28, God assured them that when they respond to Him, in their renewed and transformed lives, they would become more conscientious to walk in God’s ways. They would be granted to live in the land He had promised to give to their forefathers. There they would truly be His people and He would be their God.

In their new state, there would be further benefits. God would preserve them as they enjoy His plenteous supply and agricultural blessings and famine would be averted from them. What’s more wonderful would be their intense dislike for their past wayward life and would recoil from their past sinful abominable acts. Then they would be ashamed of their past conduct.

We belong to God in Christ. How we live affects His name and reputation because we are His redeemed. Our conduct will either glorify Him or bring dishonor to His name. Thank God, we are not left to glorify Him on our own. He has put His Spirit in us, and He is with us to help us in our spiritual journey. A God-honoring life is possible only as we live a Spirit-controlled, Spirit-directed, and Spirit-guided life. Walk in the Spirit and we will leave no room for our flesh to do his number on us.

 

Ezekiel 36:16-21 – Living a consecrated life.

In fulfillment of His promise, God gave Israel the promised land. As His covenant people they should have lived to honor Him. But the way they conducted their lives in the promised land was far from acceptable. Ezekiel 36:17 said that they degraded themselves by the way they conducted their lives. Their deeds and conduct were disgusting for they did not live a life separated to God.

The phrase “the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity” means a woman who is having her monthly menstruation. In the Old Testament, a menstruating woman was considered “unclean” and not sinful. God’s instruction on how husbands and wives should conduct themselves during the latter’s monthly period was to emphasize the need to stay holy and set apart for God. It had never been God’s intention to denigrate menstruating women.

In using the illustration of “a menstruating woman in her uncleanness” God intended to show His people that they did not live the consecrated lives expected of them. They did not set themselves apart for Him but were instead influenced by the pagans among them. Copying the conduct of the Canaanites among them, they had a careless disregard for human life. Not only did they serve the foolish pagan idols but like them, they also needlessly shed innocent blood in the promised land.

What they had done had incurred God’s wrath. So, He scattered and dispersed them all over the nations. That resulted in the Lord’s name and His reputation being tainted among the Gentiles. They had caused Him to be disdained by them, something very opposite to the witness they were called to give. God’s good name and reputation should not be disrespected by our conduct.

How we live and conduct our lives among non-believers matters. We either advance the good name of the Lord or discredit Him. This is a call for us to live a life of consecration. We are not to love the world, or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of God will not be in him. Let us live a life of consecration. Let us love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Ezekiel 36:8-15 – From dust to beauty

God was going to restore the promised land that had been desecrated by the opposing foreign nations. Having dealt with the nations that had wrecked it, in Ezekiel 36:8-15 God speaks concerning how it would be restored. 

In preparation for the return of His people, God would make the ruined promised land, fertile and a fruitful agricultural ground again. With His backing, the deserted land would be repopulated, recultivated, rebuilt, and established again. It would be a flourishing land where both man and beast would thrive and increase.

God would cause the land to be well-occupied like before and even better than its former state. This would help them see, know, acknowledge, and have the right perspective of the Lord their God. The land would be possessed and inherited by God’s covenant people. And it would be a thriving land never again to be bereft of children. It would no longer bereft the nation of people through needless war, pestilence, and famine.

Furthermore, all the cursed experiences of the past would be reversed. Where it was once hostile to the people, it would change now and show them a great favor. It would no longer be a land of reproach.

Only God can make something new out of our broken life. When God restores, He changes and transforms radically.  Not only for the land but also for His people. This can happen only as we yield to Him. The lyrics of the song “Something Beautiful” put it this way.

Something beautiful, something good.
All my confusion He understood.
All I have to offer Him is brokenness and strife.
He’ll make something beautiful of my life. 

Ezekiel 36:1-7 – It is important to build our life wisely.

Personification is a figure of speech. It is widely used in Ezekiel 36. In personification, non-human objects are assigned human qualities. Here in Ezekiel 36, we see human qualities being assigned to the land, the mountains, the valleys, the ravines, cities, etc.

The promised land was God’s gift to Israel, His covenant people. Though it was given to them, they were found unfaithful. They did not keep their covenant agreement with God and flirted with the false gods of the land. God had to deal with them and allowed their land to be dispossessed by their enemies.

However, the nations that had dispossessed them of the land coveted and claimed the land - the mountains, the valleys, and the ravines - to be theirs. They had shown much contempt for the way they treated the land. And God had spoken against them in Ezekiel 25-32. Even in our reflection on chapter 35, we saw how God was against Mount Seir.

God’s plan was to restore the land to His people. The message of Ezekiel 36 had to do with the restoration of the land to Israel. The land given to Israel had been desecrated and suffered much reproach at the hands of those nations. Comforting His people, God wanted them to know that the land given to them was His and He was not going to tolerate how the enemy nations had ravaged it. They would not be getting away scot-free. He would deal with them for what they had done to the land.

Contemplating what happened to the land, the gift of God to Israel would confirm the folly of the covenant people. A good land given to them had to endure much contempt because of their unfaithfulness. Though God would restore the land, it had to endure dispossession, and destruction by foreigners because of His people’s disobedience.

Like the land given to Israel, our life is God’s gift to us. It is needful that we build it rightly. Don’t let it be dispossessed. We need to steward it appropriately. Be wise, use the right material such as gold, silver, and precious stones to build it. Don’t build it with wood, hay, or stubbles.

 

Ezekiel 35:1-15 – The advantage of being God’s people.

Although God had already pronounced His judgment against Edom earlier in Ezekiel 25:12-17, He gave another message for her in chapter 35. The message in Ezekiel 35 is addressed to Mount Seir, a distinguishing mark of Edom. Since God’s people were slated to inherit the promised land again, any other nation that sought to occupy it had to be overthrown. Mount Seir, the symbol of Edom was such a nation. And she had to be removed.   

In verses 3-4, God makes known that He was personally against Mount Seir. He was going to crush her and make her a waste and desolate land. All her cities would be laid waste by God. He would prove Himself to them by what He would do to Mount Seir.

Two reasons were given for why God was judging Mount Seir. The first reason can be seen in verse 5. Edom aided Babylon in its devastation of Israel. It was bad enough for Edom not to assist God’s people but to assist the Babylonians in their attack of Judah was unforgivable. Hence God would deal with Edom seriously. They would receive their retribution. What Edom had done to Israel and Judah would be exactly what she would experience. Bloodshed would pursue her, and her land and cities would be laid waste. Everywhere, from her mountains to her ravine, would be filled with the slain. The true Lord would be known and acknowledged from what would happen to Edom.   

The second reason can be found in verse 10. Edom adamantly insisted that land that rightly belonged to Israel and Judah was her’s. The way she had acted, was an affront against the Lord, who had given the land to His covenant people. By going against Israel, Edom was going against the sovereign Lord. Far from achieving her aim of possessing the land, the Lord God would see to it that Edom would be destroyed and left desolate.  

God stands with His people. In coming to Christ, we belong to God, And He will stand with us.  Nothing can happen to us without His permission and knowledge. It is advantageous to belong to God. What a comfortable takeaway! While God will discipline us to straighten us, He will not allow anyone to take advantage of us.  

Ezekiel 34:25-31 – Blessings of a restored relationship

After God had dealt with Israel, His people, He would not only restore but also renew their relationship with Him. Ezekiel 34:25-21 said this would be a covenant of peace. Here God assertively promised that their relationship with Him would be a harmonious and blessed one. They would know that He would be with them. He would be their good shepherd and they, His sheep. They would know that they are His people and He, their God.  

The two terms of assertion, “I will” and “they will” are repeated several times throughout these seven verses. These terms convey a sense of certainty. God was personally guaranteeing positive experiences. God guarantees that they will have peace, security, protection, and blessings in abundance.

In verse 25, they were guaranteed peace and security. God went on to elaborate in verses 27-28. He promised that the harmful wild beasts, meaning their oppressors would be eliminated and the yoke of their enemies over them would be broken. They would be free from oppression and fear, thus ensuring them a fear-free and secure life.

In verse 26, they were guaranteed the blessings of abundance. Their land would be fruitful. How would this promise come about? In verse 29, God said, “I will establish for them a renowned planting place, and they will not again be victims of famine in the land, and they will not endure the insults of the nations anymore.” In other words, they would have agricultural prosperity.

Peace, security, protection, and abundance are guaranteed to us too. Why? Because Jesus is not our Good Shepherd. He is also our reigning King. When we place ourselves under the shadow of His mighty wings, these blessings become a reality. He is our refuge and our strength and a very present help in times of trouble. In Psalm 23, we are promised that when God is our good shepherd, we will have a life without lack, a life without fear, and a life without end.       

 

Ezekiel 34:23-24 – Jesus our Shepherd

In Ezekiel 34:23-24, God promises to send the Good Shepherd and set Him over His people. He is identified in verse 23 as “My servant David.” In other words, this Shepherd would descend from the line of David. He would come and feed God’s people and be the source of their lives. Notice the transition of the Shepherd into the ruling prince. Through Him, the Lord would truly be God to rule over His people.  

Jesus, the Messiah came proclaiming the Kingdom of God. He set up God’s rule and through Him, God has established the New Covenant. He has also gathered a people and is still recruiting others for the Kingdom. Truly, He came to gather God’s scattered sheep and to pursue lost sheep from other folds and make them God’s own.

Today Jesus is the source of life for God’s people. Through Him, God’s promised plan to David is now realized.   Unlike all the corrupt kings from David’s line who were self-serving, Jesus the promised Messiah King came to serve God’s purpose. He is truly God’s servant and is the hope of Israel and the world.  Today, Jesus is tending to the flock of God as He reigns among them as the prince of peace.  

We thank God for our Lord Jesus. What a privilege to have Him as our Shepherd. Don Moen in the song “Like a Shepherd” depicts our generous Lord and Father this way.

Like a father feeds his children

Like a shepherd leads his flock

The Lord will always guide us

And show us where to walk

And in times when we have plenty

In times when have not

He is our provider

And His mercy never stops   

 

Like a shepherd He leads us,

Like a father He feeds us.

From the morning

To the evening

Till the sun rise again.

Like a shepherd He leads us,

Like a father He feeds us

He is the great “I Am”

 

As we come

Into His presence

Confessing Him as Lord

His Holy Spirit leads us

And He feeds us

By His Word

We’re seated at His table

Partaking His love

Children of His Kingdom

Purchased by His blood

 

Ezekiel 34:17-22 – Help others and do not exploit them.

The words of Ezekiel 34:17-22 were given to the people of God. Here His words were specially addressed to His flock, Israel His people. The warning given was for them to know that God would judge everyone in His flock – all the sheep, rams, and male goats.

What are the similarities or differences between a ram and a goat? Rams and goats belong to different species of animal. But both have horns although they are shaped differently. The rams have thick wool while goats only have a thin veneer of hairs. Using rams and male goats God was pointing to the different status of his people. Some were powerful and rich and some were lean and poor.  

The point God makes in this passage is that no one would be excluded from His judgment. Whether one was rich like the thick woolly male sheep or poor hairy goat, all would be evaluated and judged. No partiality would be shown. Everyone would come under divine scrutiny.

God could identify those who had exploited the situation to enrich themselves whilst destroying the opportunity for others. He would remove those greedy and selfish exploiters who had spoiled the pastures and muddied the water for others. He would punish them for they had trampled on the rights of their fellowmen. He would deliver the exploited and deal with the exploiters fairly and judiciously. God would not allow anyone to take advantage and prey on His people.

What are the takeaways: God is the just arbitrator of life. He can see and know those who exploit others and those who are being exploited. As His children, we must not take advantage of others and destroy their opportunity to enjoy a blessed life. We must live for God and for each other. Remember to love God but also be reminded to love our neighbors as ourselves.           

 

     

 

Ezekiel 34:11-16 – A portrait of our good shepherd.

Ezekiel 34:11-16 foretells the release of God’s people from their captivity. God Himself would see to it. He would be their shepherd. The actions God would take as their shepherd are revealed in these verses.

He would search and seek for His scattered sheep and care for them. He would deliver them from all the places and bring them back to their homeland from whatever countries they had been scattered.

They would return home to Israel to feed on the mountain, by the stream, and in all the habitable places of the homeland. Since God would personally ensure their feeding, they would be grazing on good pastures on those mountain heights of Israel. There they would be richly fed and be led to find and enjoy their rest.

God would not only search and bring back the scattered sheep but would also seek out the lost sheep.  Paying attention to the weak and needy ones, He would bind up their wounds, and those sick ones, He would strengthen and nourish them to health.

The fat sheep, those who had become powerful and wealthy through their oppression, God would deal with them appropriately. He would not show them any special favor and deal with them with strict justice.

These verses direct us to Jesus, our Good Shepherd described in John 10. He said in verse 15, “I lay down My life for the sheep.” He also said in verse 16, “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”

Jesus came to search for his wayward sheep and to seek those who are lost to bring them under His care. Today, his invitation is for us who are heavy-laden with burdens to come to Him and find rest.    

Ezekiel 34:7-10 – Don’t be a failing shepherd.

In Ezekiel 34:1-6, we saw how wayward the leadership of Israel was. The wayward kings, princes, judges, priests, as well as prophets, had failed the Lord and led His people astray. So, in Ezekiel 34:7-10 God reiterates where the shepherds had failed, before pronouncing a word of judgment on them.

 

Instead of leading God’s people, those wayward leaders would prey on them. God’s flock had become victims of predators as a result. So, nonchalant were they that they did not even bother to look out for stray sheep. Not feeding them was bad enough, what’s worse was that they even dared to rob and defraud them.

 

In verse 10, God made his opposition to them known. He said, “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. So, the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I will deliver My flock from their mouth so that they will not be food for them.”

 

In essence, God was saying that He held the shepherds accountable for what had happened to His sheep. They would be removed from their offices so that they could no longer fleece the sheep. God refused to let them victimize his people. And He would punish the wayward leaders, rescue His scattered sheep, and bring them safely back.   

 

As leaders, we must take our calling and ministry seriously. Know that the people under our care are not ours, they are God’s. The Bible is filled with instructions on what we must do to be a good leader. We must not only feed the flock but must also love and guard them. Caring must be carried out responsibly with dedication and commitment. 

Alongside developing the sheep, we need also to take time to develop ourselves. Always be on guard against the temptation of taking advantage of the sheep. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 that we must diligently develop ourselves as good workmen and rightly handle the word of truth.  

Ezekiel 34:1-6 – Are we faithful in our leadership?

The shepherds Ezekiel 34 addressed were the leaders of both Israel and Judah. Whether kings, princes, judges, priests, or prophets, they were all found derelict in their assignments. Instead of leading the nation, referred to here as the flock, towards fulfilling God’s plan they were found wanting. The neglect of the leadership had left the people being taken as captives by foreign countries. The people under their care were scattered all over. These shepherds had failed in their assignments for they did not discharge their duties responsibly. These were unfaithful shepherds.             

Ezekiel was instructed to bring a message of divine woe against those wayward shepherds. Firstly, God censured them for exploiting instead of feeding the flock. So self-consumed were they with themselves that they would take advantage of the choicest part of God's flock for self-aggrandizement.   

Secondly, these shepherds had no concern for the needs of the flock. The weak were not strengthened, the sick not healed, the broken not bound, and the straying ones were not pursued but left to wander. Neither did they care for those who were lost. 

Thirdly, instead of guiding and leading the flock, they rigorously, rigidly, and tightly controlled them. They were literally ruling them with an iron fist. And fourthly, they abandoned the flock and left them at the mercy of the predators. Their irresponsibility had left the sheep to be preyed on by the wild beast.

In the church’s equivalence, the shepherds are the pastors and people who are playing a leadership role. Never lose sight of the fact that the people under our stewardship belong to God. They are God’s flock. We are only under-shepherds. We are to pray and care for them and not to take advantage of them. We must lead and guide them and not drive or coerce them. There is a need for us leaders to identify the needy and less mature ones, to take time to ground them, so that they will not become prey to false teachers and be led astray.   

 

Ezekiel 33:30-33 – Keep sowing the seed of truth.

Ezekiel was receiving widespread acceptance because the prophecy of what would happen to Jerusalem had come to pass. So, throughout the community, he became popular. And the people even goaded each other to come and hear what further truth Ezekiel had for them from the Lord.

Unfortunately, their coming was not with the desire to hear, to know, and then to practice the truth. They came to Ezekiel only to be entertained by him. There was no sign of any desire to obey the moral demands and be transformed by the message.  They would superficially hear the message but had no intention to put them into practice.  

Being incongruent, they would not obey and act congruously with what they had heard. Their hearts were bent on covetous gain. Hence, God warned Ezekiel not to be hoodwinked by their appearance of interest but devoid of a real desire to act right.    

Ezekiel, however, was to remain faithful and persist in declaring the word, whether the people would respond rightly or not. By his faithfulness, and when his message comes to pass, and it surely will, their attitude would change. Then they would recognize that he, a true prophet had been among them.  

It is not difficult to see that in the Kingdom of God as well as the world, there are still casual listeners to the truth. People who will go for what’s appealing, and what will tickle their itching ears but not hard and uncomfortable truths. Like the different types of soil in Jesus’ Parable of the Sower, there are still seventy-five percent of those whom the truth could not take effect.  

What are we to do then? The crux of this passage is: like Ezekiel, we must persist to sow the truth regardless. We must not forget that there are still twenty-five percent of potential positive responders. Whatever it is, remember that like the dripping of water, our continual sowing of the truth will eventually make a dent in any hard ground. We must not be weary of sowing the truth, the incorruptible seed of the Gospel.        

 

Ezekiel 33:21-29 – The folly of being presumptuous.

Apparently, some survivors of Jerusalem’s calamity were scattered throughout Judah. They had escaped the destruction and were not taken into exile. Hence, they were found in the land. So, in Ezekiel 33:23-27, these survivors mistakenly concluded that they were the appointed remnant in the land.

Musing, they thought that since they were not taken into captivity, they mistakenly believed that they could claim the land for themselves. They thought that if Abraham alone could possess the land, it would not be a problem for them to claim and accumulate the land for themselves since they had more people.  

However, the situation between them and Abraham was totally different. The patriarch was told to dwell in the land, whereas those people were told to leave the land. So, God exposed their foolish claims.  Those people had no right to possess the land. Why? Like those who were dealt with by the Babylonians, they too were guilty of committing the same abominable sins. They had also committed what had caused the fall of Jerusalem and the captives being taken to exile in Babylon.

Being presumptuous always prevents one from seeing the truth. This is a blind spot that can cause one to deny reality. It causes one to acknowledge the flaw in himself. There is none so blind as one who refuses to see. We can never change where there is no self-awareness, because being self-aware is the first step to change.   

Ezekiel 33:21-22 – The Bible is undeniably accurate.

In Ezekiel 24, God imposed a silence on Ezekiel concerning his wife’s sudden death. He was forbidden to mourn nor weep over her death. For God wanted to use his tragedy as a message for the people. Just as sudden as his wife’s death, the beloved city of Jerusalem would also face a sudden destruction. Ezekiel not mourning the loss of his wife was to demonstrate that God would show no pity nor mourn the destruction of Jerusalem. In verses 25-27, Ezekiel was told that he could only speak about it until a survivor came with the news to inform him of the fall of Jerusalem to authenticate the prophecy.   

In Ezekiel 33:21 that moment has arrived. The coming of the refugee with the news of her fall meant that his imposed silence since his wife’s death would be lifted. The date he received the news was stated as “the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth of the tenth month.” This would roughly be five months after the fall of Jerusalem. This fugitive who escaped from the fall of Jerusalem referred to in Ezekiel 24 came to the prophet in Babylon with the news.

The reason why it took so long for the news to reach Ezekiel was not given. However, we learn from Ezra 7 that it took Ezra about four months to return to Jerusalem from Babylon. The reason why it took five months for that refugee to arrive could well be that in that circumstance it would be more hazardous to make the journey from Jerusalem to Babylon. A journey in which he had to be more cautious.

Everything happened precisely as God through Ezekiel had stated. The precision according to Ezekiel 24:27 was to “…be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.” The truth of God and the accuracy of His word cannot be denied. The Scripture authenticates God and the accuracy of His Word. It will do us well to take time to study the Scripture and come to grips with the God we worship and serve.       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ezekiel 33:10-20 – God's dealing is always just.

Ezekiel 33:10 indicates that the people of Judah in exile started to feel remorseful. In despair, they thought aloud asking, “Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we are rotting away in them; how then can we survive?”  What they did elicited a comforting response from God. Ezekiel told them that, “God has no desire that they should die in their wickedness. He would rather that they repent and turn away from their wickedness. When they do, God would forgive their past and allow them to start anew.”   

From verses 12-20, Ezekiel's reminder was that everyone has a personal responsibility to live and act right before God. In his assurance, Ezekiel debunks two common false notions. Firstly, he corrects the wrong idea that once a person is saved, he is forever saved. Secondly, he sets straight the wrong idea of fatalism.

Ezekiel’s assertion is that there is a possibility of regression even for a righteous person. When a person who reckons himself righteous turns to sin and would not repent, he would have to face the consequences of his unrepentance. Grace does not immune him forever from punishment when he chooses to regress and persist in living an unrepentant life of sin.  

Conversely, a wicked person is not doomed to eternal damnation. His fate could change, so to speak. There is a possibility of repentance and regeneration. A wicked person’s past deeds will not be held against him when he repents and turns to rely on God and live a godly life. God will take note of his repentance and will forgive his sins when he repents from them.  

The issue is never about a person's righteous or wicked act but God’s righteous dealing with each of us. God is not inconsistent like men. A righteous has the potential to regress and receive his just dessert, just as much as a wicked has the potential to repent and reap his right reward.

It is comforting to note that God always deals with our response to Him in the present moment. He does not deal with us based on our past life. It is not too late to repent when we know we are walking wrongly. God has no delight in condemnation. Peter said that He is patient, and He wants all to come to repentance.   

 

Ezekiel 33:1-9 - The call to diligent service

Prophecy as we have discovered contains two critical elements. It has a message of judgment, and it also has a message of hope. The book of Ezekiel clearly demonstrates both these features. In the first three chapters, the Prophet Ezekiel was given the unique vision of the throne of God as he transitioned from the priesthood into the prophetic ministry.

The book of Ezekiel can be neatly divided into three broad divisions. Chapters 4-24 contain messages of judgment for Judah and Jerusalem.  Chapters 25-32 were Ezekiel's messages of judgment for seven foreign nations that had derided and mocked God’s people. The seven nations namely were:  Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. Finally in chapters 33-48, would be his messages of hope concerning the restoration of Judah and the temple in Jerusalem.   

So far in our reflection, we have completed the first two broad segments. In chapter 33 we begin our journey into the last and final segment of the book. Remember, Ezekiel was among the people of Judah in captivity.  God here had redirected his focus on building the people in exile. It is not difficult to see the hand of the God of objectivity and purpose. He was getting the people ready to repossess the land after the specified period of their captivity. What God wanted was for a new people tested through trials and prepared to live for Him when the time arrived.

The task of getting the people ready would require Ezekiel to be tough with the people.  In doing so, he had to deal with them sternly. In Ezekiel 33:1-6 God was reminding the prophet that he was his watchman on the wall of the city. His task was to diligently sound the warning of approaching dangers. When he had discharged his duty diligently, how the people responded was not his responsibility. How they respond would rest squarely on their own shoulders. He would be accountable only if he failed to discharge his duty. In verses 7-9, God reiterated that whether his warning of approaching dangers would be heeded or ignored he must carry out his duty with diligence.   

We are all watchmen of God wherever He has placed us. Whether at home, in school, in our workplaces, or in the marketplace, we must warn people within reach of our sphere and influence, of the dangers of a life without God. We are accountable for discharging our obligation but not how our audience will respond. How each of our audience will respond is his or her own obligation. We are only required to do what we must do to the best of our ability.  Doing what is required of us is work. Discipline is seizing every opportunity to do it. Diligence is to do it well every time we are at it.            

        

        

Ezekiel 32:17-32 – Where are we heading - Paradise or Sheol?

Two weeks after the previous message of judgment in verses 1-16, Ezekiel in chapter 32 verses 17-32 gave this last segment of the message of judgment on the nation of Egypt. Here she is being pictured as sinking deep into the nether world. This is the dark world of the departed. Two other words, the pit, and Sheol, are also being used to describe this nether world. Here Egypt the once proud nation would be welcomed by other nations.    

In verse 19 a rhetorical question was asked: “Whom do you surpass in beauty?” This was to imply that Egypt was no different from other nations. As glorious as Egypt could be, she nonetheless would end up in the same place as all the other Gentile nations.  The nations that had ended up in Sheol included Assyria, Elam, Meshech, Tubal, and Edom. Even the chief of the north and the Sidonians who once terrified others would also end up there as well. The only solace Egypt could get was that other nations had to suffer such a humiliating end. destined in Sheol like her.  

 

The grave is one place no one can avoid. Not even the proudest person or nation. At death, everyone, great or not so great is leveled. Neither will there be segregation between the rich and the poor, the mighty and the weak. Death is an unavoidable experience. Whether one will end up in Sheol or paradise depends on his or her belief. Thankfully, the Bible is clear, if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and confess Him as our Lord and Saviour, we are destined for a life with Him in eternity.     

 

 

     

Ezekiel 32:1-16 – Fear the LORD and live right.

In Ezekiel 32 are the sixth and seventh segments of God’s judgment message on the nation of Egypt. The sixth is found in verses 1-16 painting Egypt as the blundering crocodile. The seventh is in verses 17-32 where Egypt is used to depict Shoel. In this reflection, we will deal with verses 1-16.

This message came to Ezekiel “in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month.” In other words, it was given in the 12th year of the captivity of Jehoiachin. In the first verse, Egypt’s pharaoh considered himself to be a young lion of the nations. He must have thought himself to be strong, powerful, and ferocious like a young lion. But God said he was more like a blundering crocodile.   

 

As a crocodile submerged in the river of Egypt, Pharaoh would emerge clumsily every now and then to muddy the water.  That is to say that he would appear occasionally to puzzle the political scene.   Two years earlier in Ezekiel 29:1-6, the same comparison was made where Pharoah and Egypt were referred to as the monster and the Nile respectively.  

 

This crocodile would encounter a dreadful end. Caught and captured in a net, it would be yanked out of the river and left to putrefy in the open field under the sun. Its blood would flow all over the place filling the mountain and the ravines. And its rotting carcass would be suitable food for the scavengers.  God Himself would cause the whole nation to be engulfed in terrible darkness where the sun, moon, and star would not shine.

 

The sight of Egypt's plight would petrify the nations. Great hordes of Egyptians would be killed and others carried into captivity by the invaders. God was bringing the Babylonians against Egypt to devastate the nation. After all that had taken place, the river will once again flow smoothly like oil. The devastation of Egypt would be a lament to be chanted by many while proving that the Lord indeed is God.

 

Fear while is a terrifying experience can be a good motivator to keep us living rightly. It acts as a reminder of why we need to live a godly life for God. We fear when we become conscious of our personal failing. We also fear when we consider how our sin has offended God. All this will motivate us not to pander to sin but to live for the glory of God.       

 

  

 

Ezekiel 31 – Pride always leads to ruin.

Ezekiel 31 is the fifth segment of the message of God’s judgment on the nation of Egypt. This message came to Ezekiel “in the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first of the month.” This meant that the message was given during the final siege of Jerusalem before her fall. Using both poetry and prose in this chapter, God was comparing Egypt to Assyria, which was like a cedar of Lebanon in verses 1-9. Then in verses 10-19, He provides the reason for her fall and destruction. The crux of this chapter is to show inverse 19. Egypt and Pharoah as mighty as they might seem would end up in the same fate as Assyria in all her greatness. Just as Assyria had fallen because of her pride, so also would Egypt end in the same way.

Simply put, Assyria like the cedar grew was taller than many trees in God’s Garden. Its height speaks of her might and durability. This was a picture of Assyria’s day of dominance. She would provide shelter for the birds, meaning smaller nations would depend on her for protection. Her beauty and majesty were unsurpassed for she was steady and had great influence. Like Assyria, Egypt’s splendor and power were also matchless at one point. 

But God was bent on punishing Assyria for her pride and abuse of power. He would execute the judgment and deliver Assyria into the hand of “a despot of the nations.” This was a reference to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, history’s most ruthless nation. God would deal with Assyria according to her wickedness. Nations that once depended on her would abandon her when she fell. Regardless of her impressiveness, she would be cut down and end up in the pit.  

If proud Assyria with all her power and splendor could fall how could Egypt with all her pride hope to be spared. The same end that Assyria encountered would be what Egypt and the pharaoh would have to face. 

Here are the takeaways: Pride always leads people and nations into ruin and God hates it. Since everyone is susceptible to pride, it behooves us to walk gingerly and tenderly before the Lord. None of us can deny our human frailty or our accountability to God. But we are thankful that our hope rests in Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer.