LINK: Ezekiel 34 & 35
BACKGROUND
Ezekiel 34
The shepherds of Israel (this means both the northern and southern kingdoms) were feeding themselves instead of looking after and feeding the flock of God. Therefore, they would be judged.
The Scarlet Thread of Redemption
Ezekiel prophesied of a true shepherd who would take care of the sheep. This is the Messiah, "my servant David," Jesus! He will set up a kingdom of justice, righteousness, and peace (Psalm 23, Jeremiah 23:5,6; John 10:11; Hebrews 13:20, 21; Revelation 21).
Ezekiel 35
This is the second prophecy against Edom (25:12-14) placed in the middle of the section of Ezekiel about the restoration of Israel. Most commentators believe it is there to represent any nation that would oppose Israel in the spirit of the promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 in cursing any nation that cursed Israel.
Mount Seir is Edom's geographical name. It helped destroy Jerusalem and rejoiced when it fell. Therefore, it would be judged.
REFLECTION
Yesterday, we were visiting with my good Thai friend, Dang, and her husband, Chris, visiting from Pittsburgh. We were talking about George's job situation, and she said, "You two should be 'pleasts'!"
We all, including her husband, looked at her and said, "What?"
After several times of saying it, her husband figured out she was trying to say "priests."
Being a Buddhist, she does not know that we could never be priests, but what she meant to say is that we should become ministers for pay. We asked her why, and she said, "Because they make a lot of money!"
We discovered that the neighbor behind them was a worship pastor (or "priest") of a mega-church in their area. He lived in a $700,000 house, had house cleaners who came to clean for him, ate organic food, and dined out all the time.
She said, "There is good money in that business, and you already do it anyway." (She knows because we have studied the Bible with her and her friends.)
We laughed. What we do is all for free. We are not full-time "priests," but we are full-time shepherds. I pray we would never just feed ourselves and ignore the flock and the lost sheep in our midst.
Isn't it sad that her concept of someone in that line of work was someone rich? I think this was definitely a case of a shepherd feeding (or overfeeding) himself.
(Apparently, he disappeared overnight. The house was empty, and he is no longer listed as a pastor at the church. No one knows where he disappeared to.)
APPLICATION
What does your lifestyle portray to the lost world around you?
PRAYER
Lord, shepherd us so that we might shepherd others into a right relationship with You. Amen.
2 comments:
Very thought provoking!! It's what I would call a..."Selah" Of course I'm sure you know it's especially used throughout the psalms after particular vs's. It means to pause and calmly think about that. It seems to me that many ministries out there appear to be knee deep in extravagant lifestyles. But....are the sheep being fed and really learning how to live as Jesus has called us to live. I've become so skeptical about so many ministries...but, I continue to pray for God to convict any minister or ministry that is trying to rob or scam any of the sheep. I think your thought (application) and prayer at the end of this post says it all. I'm in agreement w/you. What are our lifesyles and actions saying to others. God help us so that our character and actions model Jesus' commands of how we are to live and co-exsist w/ our fellow man. God bless you and your family and may you continue to minister in a way that briongs Him glory and honor...Judy
These Hillsong Documentaries really blew me away with the fleecing of the sheep. So sad!
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