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.
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