Monday 14 April 2008
- Bible Book:
- Ezekiel
"I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says 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, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice". (v.15-16)
Background
The prophet Ezekiel lived around 600 years before Jesus. It wasa time of political upheaval in the Middle East, with uncertain andfragile relationships between great powers and smaller states. Itwas a situation not unfamiliar to us in our current uncertaininternational scene.
Ezekiel uses an ancient image well known in that part of the world- the ruler is described as the shepherd and the people are theflock. It is a picture familiar throughout the Bible.
But here, the message is that the shepherds have failed theirflocks. Those who should have cared have not done so. Thoseentrusted with the care of God's people have ignored their callingand consequently the sheep have been scattered.
And so the holy city of Jerusalem once again fell to foreign forcesand Ezekiel was among those taken away into exile. There is a sternjudgement for the bad shepherds.
But, in stark contrast, God is pictured as the good shepherd whowill rescue the sheep and will feed them with justice.
To Ponder
Who do you think are those who are the 'scatteredsheep' today?
And perhaps more challenging - who would Ezekielbe criticising today?
In what ways do you think God will bring justiceto those who have strayed or who are injured or weak?
Can you imagine yourself as having beenthoroughly let down by your shepherd who you trusted absolutely?How would you then feel if a really good shepherd came and rescuedyou?