Grace and peace to you all in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ! God has blessed us with yet another week in our life to seek the Lord earnestly and wholeheartedly and live a life that brings glory and honor to the Lord God Almighty, our heavenly Father. King David, who was known as the man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22), sought the Lord earnestly and sincerely his entire life, especially while He was wandering in the wilderness of Judah. He prayed to God, saying: You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1). As the children of our heavenly Father, the Lord God who created us, we are called to seek God earnestly, love Him sincerely, serve Him faithfully, and care for one another without any bias. Apostle Peter very much stressed on these matters as he wrote to the early Christians: Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor (1 Peter 2:17). Our Lord God, being the compassionate and loving Father, expects such qualities from each and every one us because the world we live in is filled with so much of sorrow and pain, hardships and distress, struggles and sufferings, evil and enmity, and so on. Jesus Christ came to this earth to help the people who are living in such situations and reconcile and redeem them for the Kingdom of God. Thus, as the redeemed people we are called to continue with the ministry of redemption that Jesus Christ started and be a change agent in this world. We need to reflect the light that shines forth from the one who said [Jesus]: I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12 [also refer John 3:19-20]). Jesus, being the light in this dark world, made you and me also the light in the world (Matthew 5:14a), so that people who walk in darkness will see the light reflecting in and through you and me and will be able to find the true light – the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

God sent His One and only Son to this world to save sinful humanity from eternal retribution and give them eternal life as it is mentioned in John 3:16 that For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. The first and foremost mission of Jesus Christ on earth was to reconcile and reconnect sinful humanity (the created being) with the holy God (their Creator) as Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them (2 Corinthians 5:19 [Colossians 1:19-20]). The ultimate mission of Jesus is to bring salvation to all people on earth – the Jews and the Gentiles alike.  Jesus began His ministry among His own people Israel with a focus on the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 10:5-6; 15:24; Luke 19:10) and prepared a group of disciples from His very people and sent them to the entire world to preach the gospel of salvation through faith in Him (Matthew 28:18-20 [24:14]; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:21; Acts 1:8). The disciples, particularly the apostles, were taught and trained by Jesus, and they in turn taught and trained others, and they in turn did the same until either everyone on earth hears the gospel or until the return of the Lord. In the light of what we have discussed here, as the redeemed children of God who follow Jesus Christ faithfully, we have to accomplish a five-fold ministry in and through our life: (i) spiritually nourish and strengthen those who are in the fold; (ii) seek and find the lost and bring them back in to the fold; (iii) be a role-model to everyone around us with the Word of God; (iv) share the love of God in and through sharing the word of God; and (v) go in to the world and preach the gospel to everyone in order to bring in new believers. If we do these five things, then the Lord God will take care of the rest of the things such as: (i) convincing them of their sins, (ii) leading them to repentance, (iii) empowering them with the power of the Holy Spirit, (iv) promise them with the hope of eternal life, and so on.

When we study the passage we chose for this week’s Scripture for the Week meditation (that is, Ezekiel 34:11-16 [mentioned above]), this is what exactly God the Father did to the children of Israel who turned their back on Him who brought them out of the land of their slavery (Exodus 3:7-8; 20:2; Judges 6:8-10). Most of the leaders in Israel, including kings and their officials, the priests and prophets, as well as the people became more and more unfaithful, and they angered Him with their detestable idols, and defiling the temple of God with the heinous practices of the nations (Deuteronomy 18:15; 32:15-18, 21; 2 Chronicles 36:14-16). God became so angry that He judged them according to what their actions deserve, as prophet Ezekiel noted in his prophecy: The end is now upon you, and I will unleash my anger against you. I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices (Ezekiel 7:3). However, God did not destroy them totally. As we have learned the kind of ministry Jesus carried out during His earthly life, God the Father Himself came forward in search of His people Israel who strayed from His presence due to their wicked deeds. The Lord was angry with the shepherds of Israel (such as the priests and the prophets, the kings and the royal officials, and other leaders [Ezekiel 22:1-31]) who did not care about their flocks and rather only took care of themselves, as it is mentioned in the Scripture: … Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock (Ezekiel 34:1-3). The Lord God noticed the careless and selfish nature of the shepherds (leaders) of the Lord’s flock (Israel) as it is mentioned in Ezekiel 34:3-6

• • They eat the curds (v.3a)
  • They clothe themselves with the wool (v.3b)
  • They slaughter the choice animals (v.3c)
  • They did not take care of the flock that were under their care (v.3d)
  • They have not strengthened the weak (v.4a)
  • They have not healed the sick (v.4b)
  • They have not bound up the injured (v.4c)
  • They have not brought back the strays (v.4d)
  • They have not searched for the lost (v.4e)
  • They have ruled them harshly and brutally (v.4f)
  • The shepherds abandoned the Lord’s flock (v.5a)
  • The Lord’s flocks were scattered because there was no shepherd (v.5b)
  • When the flocks were scattered, they became food for all the wild animals (v.5c)
  • The Lord’s sheep wandered over all the mountains of Israel (v.6a)
  • The Lord’s sheep wandered over on every high hill in Israel (v.6b)
  • The Lord’s flocks were scattered over the whole earth (v.6c)
  • The Lord’s flocks went astray and no one searched or looked for them (v.6d)

The Lord took notice of the helpless situation of His flock because of the selfishness of the shepherds. Due to the carelessness and self-seeking mentality of the shepherds (leaders) in Israel, the flock was mistreated. The Lord’s anger burned against the selfish shepherds and He punished them as it is noted in Ezekiel 34:7-10 …

• • The Lord made sure that the shepherds hear and understand the word of the Lord (v.7)
  • The Lord’s flock lacks a faithful shepherd because of the selfishness of all the shepherds (v.8a)
  • The Lord’s flocks has been ravaged because the shepherds did not watch over them (v.8b)
  • The Lord’s flock has become food for all the wild animals because there was no faithful shepherds (v.8c)
  • The Lord’s shepherds did not search for His flock when they went astray (v.8d)
  • The Lord’s flock became so helpless because of the carelessness of the shepherds (v.8e)
  • The shepherds cared for themselves rather than for the Lord’s flock (v.8f)
  • The Lord made sure that the shepherds hear and understand the word of the Lord (v.9)
  • The Lord God is against the shepherds because of their unfaithfulness (v.10a)
  • The Lord will definitely hold them accountable for His flock (v.10b)
  • The Lord will remove the shepherds from tending His flock (v.10c)
  • The shepherds can no longer feed themselves because the Lord will take them out from tending His flock (v.10d)
  • The Lord will rescue His flock from their mouths (v.10e)
  • The Lord’s flock will no longer be food for the shepherd (v.10f)

The Lord confronted the shepherds of Israel for their negligence in observing God’s laws and decrees and for their failure in taking care of His flock appropriately. The Lord found out that the shepherds lacked integrity of heart in taking care of His flock according to the circumstances or based on their need. In fact, the shepherds sought after for their own welfare and neglected the well-being of the flock that was under their care. The Lord held the shepherds accountable for the damage they caused to the flock and removed them from the responsibility of tending His flock. Due to the selfish nature and careless attitude of the shepherds, the Lord Himself stepped forward to care for His flock – the shepherd of His people Israel. Since God is in charge, both the shepherds as well as the sheep will be judged. The Lord will judge between the shepherds as well as between the sheep – between one shepherd and another and between one sheep and another. Each of them will be judged separately and individually based on their actions as it is mentioned in Ecclesiastes 12:14 that For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14 [also refer to: Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12; Romans 2:6]). The Sovereign Lord says about the shepherds (leaders) of Israel:

I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them (Ezekiel 34:10)

It is not only the shepherds need to care for their sheep, but the sheep also need to care for other sheep, which means the sheep need to care for each other (John 13:35; 14:21). The Lord says about the sheep (people) that do not care for other sheep:

See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, 22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another (Ezekiel 34:20-22 [34:16b])

This reveals the fact that the shepherds (leaders) needs to be faithful in carrying out their responsibilities towards their sheep (people). At the same time, the sheep must care for each other, especially the sleek and the strong must not take advantage of their status and mistreat the weak ones (Ezekiel 34:16b, 20-22). The biblical reality is that whoever (whether the shepherds or the sheep) takes advantage of the weak ones because of their weak position will be judged by God, the Chief Shepherd (John 10:11-18). It is for sure that God will extend His caring nature to anyone who longs for it and He will implement divine justice equally to all without any favoritism (Matthew 5:45; John 3:16; Romans 2:11). This is exactly what (that is, God’s caring nature and the implementation of divine justice) Jesus was trying to teach His disciples through the parable of the Sheep and the Goats that is recorded in Matthew 25:31-46. In fact, this parable brings forth the message that the one who does good will receive a good reward and the one who does wicked deeds will receive punishment according to what their deeds deserve (Revelation 22:12). Every one of us is called to do good because God is good (Psalm 100:5; 145:9; Nahum 1:7). Those who do good deeds (the righteous) will receive the reward of eternal life and those who do wicked deeds (the unrighteous) will be condemned to eternal punishment as Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in the Roman church:

5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism (Romans 2:5-11 [also refer to: Galatians 6:7-10])

Let us briefly examine the passage we chose for our meditation, that is, Ezekiel 34:11-16. The main focus of Ezekiel chapter 34 is about God’s caring nature and the implementation of divine justice. The description of God’s caring nature – His compassion, loving kindness, and His faithfulness in keeping promises, is observable throughout the Scripture, yet it is specifically noted in the passage we chose for our meditation along with God’s promises to His flock (His people). As we begin to analyze the passage (Ezekiel 34:11-16), let us read through the entire chapter of Ezekiel thirty-four (34:1-31), then focus on 34:11-16 and see what does God do for His sheep to care for them:

• • The Lord Himself will search for His sheep (v.11a)
  • The Lord Himself will look after them (v.11b)
  • As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock, the Lord Himself will look after His sheep (His chosen people) when He is with them (v.12a)
  • The Lord will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness (v.12b)
  • The Lord will bring them out from the nations (v.13a)
  • The Lord will gather them from the countries (v.13b)
  • The Lord will bring them into their own land (v.13c)
  • The Lord will pasture them on the mountains of Israel (v.13d)
  • The Lord will pasture them in the ravines (v.13e)
  • The Lord will pasture them in all the settlements in the land (v.13f)
  • The Lord will tend them in a good pasture (v.14a)
  • The Lord will let them graze them on the mountain heights of Israel (v.14b)
  • The Lord will let them lie down in good grazing land (v.14c)
  • The Lord will let them feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel (v.14d)
  • The Sovereign Lord Himself will tend His sheep and have them lie down (v.15)
  • The Lord will search for the lost (v.16a)
  • The Lord will bring back the strays (v.16b)
  • The Lord will bind up the injured (v.16c)
  • The Lord will strengthen the weak (v.16d)
  • The Lord will destroy the sleek and the strong (v.16e)
  • The Lord will shepherd the flock with justice (v.16f)

From the above-mentioned statements, we can understand that how wide and long and high and deep is the love of God for the sheep of His pasture, His chosen people of all time – whether they lived during the Old Testament time or are living during the New Testament time (Ephesians 3:18). Psalm 95:7 states that For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Also, Psalm 100:3 says, Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. The Lord God Almighty, being the good and great shepherd, found out that many of the shepherds whom He appointed to take care His sheep were not faithful in taking care of them properly, as prophet Ezekiel stated: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock. (Ezekiel 34:8 [also refer to: Jeremiah 50:6]). The Lord God promised that He Himself will gather them from all over the places wherever they were scattered:

In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean. 12 He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth (Isaiah 11:11-12)

Also, the Lord God promised that He will save His flock, gather them from all corners of the Earth, and appoint a shepherd over them who will truly take care of them, as the Lord God declared through His prophet Ezekiel: I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered … I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken (Ezekiel 34:22-24).

1. 1. 1. This shepherd will be a descendant of David, the man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 (Acts 13:22); Matthew 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 21:9; 21:15; Mark 10:47-48; Luke 18:38-39),
      2. This shepherd will be the King of kings and the Lord of lords – king forever (2 Samuel 7:16; 1 Chronicles 17:11,14; 1 Timothy 6:15-16; Revelation 19:16), and,
      3. Unlike the other shepherds, this Shepherd will truly care for the sheep and lay His life for His sheep (John 10:11, 14-15).

For the New Testament believers, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid His life for His sheep (John 10:11, 14-15). Since the Lord God Almighty appointed Jesus as the chief Shepherd over His flock, we are neither consumed nor plundered nor lost while moving from place to place (Lamentations 3:22a; Ezekiel 34:22a). The nature of a good shepherd is that he will protect His sheep from thieves as well as from the attack of the sleek and fat sheep (Ezekiel 34:16, 21; John 10:18). He will tenderly care for the weak and the little ones; and will lead them to safe pastures (Psalm 23:1-3). The good Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 7:17) will take initiative to care for His flock:

• • The chief Shepherd will feed the hungry (Isaiah 28:10; Revelation 7:16)
  • The chief Shepherd will tend His flock in green pastures (Psalm 23:2-3; John 10:10)
  • The chief Shepherd will seek and search for the lost (Ezekiel 34:16a; Luke 19:10)
  • The chief Shepherd will find and bring back the strayed (Ezekiel 34:16b)
  • The chief Shepherd will bind up the wounds and care for the injured (Psalm 147:3; Ezekiel 34:16c)
  • The chief Shepherd will strengthen the weak ones (Ezekiel 34:16d)
  • The chief Shepherd will tend the flock with justice (Ezekiel 34:16e)

Jesus, being the good and great Shepherd, is very unique in His relationship with His flock the Father had entrusted upon His care as per John 10:11-18, 25-30 …

• • He is the good and great shepherd (John 10:11, 14)
  • His sheep hear His voice (v.27a)
  • He knows His sheep (v.27b)
  • His sheep follow Him (v.27c)
  • He gives them eternal life (v.28a)
  • He will not let them perish (v.28b)
  • He will not let anyone snatch away His sheep from His hands (v.28c)
  • The Father is the one who gave Him the sheep (v.29)
  • He (the Son/Jesus) is one with the Father (v.30)

In conclusion, we have learned that God Himself took up the role of a shepherd in the place of all the appointed shepherds who failed Him in taking care of His flock (Ezekiel 34:11-16). In addition to that, God Himself appointed a good and great Shepherd over His flock who will faithfully take care of His flock (Ezekiel 34:23-24; 1 Chronicles 17:11, 14; Matthew 2:6). He will seek and search for the lost, He will gather His sheep from all the places they were scattered, He will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, He will lead them in to their own land where they will find green pastures, and He will be their shepherd forever (Ezekiel 34:1-31; John 10:11-18, 25-30). In these days, as the faithful servants in the Kingdom of God, the Good and Great Shepherd handed down the responsibility of taking care of God’s sheep to each one us, especially the leaders (shepherds) in the church. Let us not behave like the selfish shepherds (Ezekiel 34:1-10), rather let us imitate God in taking care of the His flock (Ezekiel 34:11-22). Apostle Peter wrote to the leaders of the early church to be faithful shepherds of God’s flock:

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away (1 Peter 5:1-4)

Apostle Paul exhorted the elders of the church at Ephesus:

28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears (Acts 20:28-31)

He [Jesus] is our Good and Great Shepherd (John 10:11, 14; 1 Peter 5:4). He will lead us in the paths of righteousness. Jesus Christ, being the light of the world (John 8:12), is the source of mercy and compassion. In this dark and sinful world, we are called to reflect the light of Christ in and through our lives. He is calling us to shine like a lamp in this dark world. He is inviting us, first of all, to carry out the responsibilities of a true shepherd and take care of His flock; and secondly, share the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ to all of humanity, so that His grace will be extended to all equally. Let us surrender and submit our lives before the Lord God Almighty and pray to Him to enable and strengthen us to fulfill His purpose in and through our lives. May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!