Romans 8:18-19 says: ”For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.”

I give thanks to God for the glory, honour and power of His Kingdom established in all the earth! Not only are we fearfully and wonderfully made, God has a purpose and destiny for all of us; and by His sovereign and amazing grace, He is fitting us into His will and into His grand plan.

This is the Word which the Almighty God spoke to be me in my prayer through Ezekiel 34:11-31.

Ezekiel 34:11-15 reads: “For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 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. 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. 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. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. 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.”

In His displeasure with the shepherds of Israel who failed His sheep, God commands Ezekiel to prophesy against them; warning them of His pending intervention and declaring His mercy upon all His lost sheep. The Lord promises to gather His sheep from all nations, all those who have gone astray; and to deliver them from their ignorance and darkness, and also from their captivity and bondage. He further declares, that He will bring them back to their own land, and there, they will settle, with a promise of restoration, providence, spiritual renewal and guidance. Our merciful God says He will bring the lost souls and wandering sheep back to His fold, for the redemption of their sins and the restoration of their souls. He adds that He will comfort and heal those who are wounded and broken; that He will lift up and preserve those who are weak.

However, He will judge those who seek their own welfare at the expense of others; those who are prideful; those who are self-righteous, those who are hypocrites; those who mislead and oppress His flock; those who deceive and tempt the people of God; and those carried away, by the sin of wickedness.

Ezekiel 34:17-24 says: “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. 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? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet? Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 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. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken.”

Turning to His flock, God further commands prophet Ezekiel to deliver His message to them, to His sheep in the nation and congregation of Israel; and also to the churches of Christ in all nations, as it is now. In His message, the Lord warns of His universal judgement between the sheep and lambs; between the rams and the he goats – distinguishing between the good and the wicked; the faithful and the rebellious; the strong and the weak; the prideful and the humble; the rich and the poor; the leaders and followers; the knowledgeable and those who lack; the oppressors and the wounded; the sheep and the goats. Here, the Lord assures His flock of His love, that He cares for them and upholds His righteousness, to put an end to the oppressive conduct and ungodliness of the fat sheep and the strong. God promises His flock of His justice, His healing and deliverance, and to lead them to restoration, in the way of righteousness.

In v23-24, God revealed through Ezekiel, the establishment of His Kingdom: a messianic ruler from the line of His servant David, who will truly be after God’s own heart. This prophecy was fulfilled by the sovereign grace of Jesus Christ, our glorious Lord and our good Shepherd, who reigns in all the earth.

The Lord continues to speak through Ezekiel 34:25-31: “I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them. They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord GOD. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD.”

This is an eschatological (an End-times) prophecy, as the Shepherd (a descendant of David) is clearly messianic. God declares to His people His covenant promises which will bring peace and security upon them through Jesus Christ, the good Shepherd. As God, having destroyed all spiritual enemies, broken the power of evil and triumphed over them; His church will glorify Him and bring spiritual blessings to all around them. Through Christ, not only are God’s people delivered from all evil and fear, but also from death itself. As the Tree of life, bearing all the fruits of salvation, He yields spiritual food for the souls of His people.

Our constant desire and prayer should be, that there may be showers of blessings in every place where the truth of Christ is preached; and that all who profess the gospel, may be filled with fruits of righteousness.

God, the “Protector and Keeper of Israel” will not forsake His people, for all are significant to Him as Jeremiah 31:10 says: “Hear the Word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say: He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.”

Amen and Amen!