Ezekiel 34
Shepherds that mistreat their flock verse 1- 6
And the word of the LORD came unto me
saying
Son of man – prophesy against the shepherds of Israel
prophesy and say to them
Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds
Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves
Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
You eat the fat – and ye clothe you with the wool
you kill them that are fed
but you feed not the flock
The diseased have you not strengthened
neither have you healed that which was sick
neither have you bound up that which was broken
neither have you brought again that which was driven away
neither have you sought that which was lost
BUT with force and with cruelty have you ruled them
AND they were scattered
BECAUSE there is no shepherd
and they became meat to all the beasts of the field
when they were scattered
MY sheep wandered through all the mountains
and upon every high hill
YEA – MY flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth
and NONE did search or seek after them
Shepherds that are selfish verse 7- 8
THEREFORE you shepherds – hear the word of the LORD
As I live – says the Lord GOD
surely because MY flock became a prey
and MY flock became meat
to every beast of the field
BECAUSE there was no shepherd
neither did MY shepherds search for MY flock
BUT the shepherds fed themselves
and fed not MY flock
LORD considers these shepherds HIS enemies verse 9- 10
THEREFORE – O you shepherds
hear the word of the LORD
Thus says the Lord GOD
BEHOLD – I am against the shepherds
and I will require MY flock at their hand
and cause them to cease from feeding the flock
neither shall the shepherds
feed themselves any more
FOR I will deliver MY flock from their mouth
that they may not be meat for them
LORD treats flock well verse 11- 16
For thus
says the Lord GOD
BEHOLD I – even I – will both search MY sheep
and seek them out
As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day
that he is among his sheep that are scattered
So I will seek out MY sheep
and will deliver them out of all places
where they have been scattered
in the cloudy and dark day
I will bring them out from the people
and gather them from the countries
and will bring them to their own land
and feed them upon the mountains of Israel
by the rivers
and in the inhabited places of the country
I will feed them in a good pasture
and upon the high mountain of Israel
shall their fold be there
shall they lie in a good fold
and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon
the mountains of Israel
I will feed MY flock – and I will cause them to lie down
say the Lord GOD
I will seek that which was lost
and bring again that which was driven away
and will bind up that which was broken
and will strengthen
that which was sick
BUT I will destroy the fat and the strong
I will feed them with judgment
LORD speaks to HIS flock verse 17- 19
AND as for you – O MY flock
thus says the Lord GOD
BEHOLD I judge between cattle and cattle
between the rams and the he goats
Seems it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture
but you must tread down with your feet the residue of
your pastures?
AND to have drunk of the deep waters
but you must foul the residue with your feet?
AND as for MY flock
they eat that which you have trodden with your feet
they drink that which
you have fouled with your feet
LORD going to judge flock verse 20- 22
THEREFORE
thus says the Lord GOD to them
BEHOLD I – even I – will judge between the fat cattle
and between the lean cattle
BECAUSE you have thrust with side and with shoulder
and pushed all the diseased with your horns
till you have scattered them abroad
THEREFORE will I save MY flock
and they shall no more be a prey
and I will judge between cattle and cattle
LORD going to set a descendant of David of them verse 23- 24
And I will set up ONE SHEPHERD over them
and HE shall feed them – even MY servant David
HE shall feed them
and HE shall be their shepherd
And I the LORD will be their God
and MY servant David a PRINCE among them
I the LORD have spoken it
LORD going to establish peace again verse 25- 28
And I will make with them a covenant of peace
and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land
and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness
and sleep in the woods
And I will make them and places round about MY hill a blessing
and I will cause the shower to come down in his season
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS
AND the tree of the field shall yield her fruit
and the earth shall yield her increase
and they shall be safe in their land
and shall know that I am the LORD
WHEN I have broken the bands of their yoke
and delivered them out of the hand of those
that served themselves of them
AND they shall no more be a prey to the heathen
neither shall the beast of the land devour them
BUT they shall dwell safely – and none shall make them afraid
LORD going to abundantly bless land verse 29- 31
I will raise up for them a PLANT OF RENOWN
and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land
neither bear the shame of the heathen any more
Thus shall they KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD their God
am with them and that they – even the house of Israel
are MY people
says the Lord GOD
And you MY flock – the flock of MY pasture – are men
and I am your God – says the Lord GOD
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
: 3 You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock.
Selfishness is a sin. Leaders who are selfish are sinning against the LORD and those who are under their leadership. Many are seeking to learn more about the LORD in their journey through life.
Young adults want to see genuine leadership in a pastor or teacher of the Bible. If they see that they are only interested in themselves or just getting numbers in church they are turned off to that type of Christianity.
Genuine leaders are those who instruct the people in a way that helps them grow in the LORD. They will give them the right diet to help them gain strength. Some of those under their leadership are sick in sin and need help.
Too often the church looks the other way when people, especially young people, drift away. This is wrong.
CHALLENGE: Our ministries should answer the questions they have regarding the Word of God and how it applies to their lives. God wants good shepherds to feed their sheep.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 10 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. (1245 “seek” [baqash] means require, desire, exact, request, to seek to secure, demand, or begging.)
DEVOTION: This chapter is talking about the leaders of the children of Israel. They are called shepherds. They are to care for the sheep, which were the people under their care.
Instead of being good shepherds that care for the people in their care, they got fat and strong and took advantage of them. They caused them to be scattered. They caused them to be driven away, broken, and sick.
The LORD told Ezekiel that HE was going to judge these bad shepherds. HE wanted them to feed the flock but they only fed themselves. They only cared for themselves.
HE informed Ezekiel that HE was going to care for the flock. HE was going to send a shepherd in the future. This shepherd was coming like David that took care of his father’s flocks. He also took care of the children of Israel while he was king.
This coming shepherd was the Messiah. HE was Jesus Christ. HE is going to care for the flock properly. There would be a new covenant of peace with the children of Israel. HE was going to bless them. The verse states that HE was going to bring them “showers of blessing.” This can only describe the time of the Millennium.
The time period is still future for Israel but we are singing it to say that we are receiving the blessings of the LORD today. The LORD is blessing today.
However, we have spiritual leaders today who are scattering the sheep instead of feeding the flock. One of the consequences of leadership is a greater judgment for our actions. We are to feed and care for the flock that the LORD has given to us. If we neglect the flock the LORD will have to judge us. If we are not seeking the flock the LORD has given us, we will be judged. The LORD promises to destroy and feed the leaders with judgment for their lack of care for the flock.
We have a responsibility to the people we know to teach them what we know of the word of God. We need to practice it to the best of our ability with the LORD’S help. Each day we make a choice. Are we feeding others with the Word of God? I am trying. Are you sharing these devotions or the Word of God with others?
CHALLENGE: We need to go after those who are straying from the local assembly to find out what is going on in their life. We should be out searching even today.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. (1653 “showers” [geshem] means rain, rainwater.)
DEVOTION: We receive water coming down on us on a regular basis in the spring. We need rain to keep the plants going. We need to eat and the LORD waters the food to give us something to eat on a regular basis.
There have been many times in the history of our world that there has been a lack of rain. If this happens the plants do not grow. The animals don’t have food to eat and they starve. If there are no animals to eat then the people starve. It is called a time of famine.
Famine can not only be caused by a lack of rain but we find in the Old Testament that there are times when the Word of God is not being preached and there can be a famine of good teaching of the Word of God. If the Word of God is not preached correctly the people in the churches starve. If they starve then they have nothing to share with others. When the world is starving for the Word of God the people live according to their own thinking which is very selfish. Selfish people cause others to be selfish and no one helps anyone else out when they need the help. They want others to help them. If the others are government then everyone is depending on government instead of each other.
God is going to establish a time period when there will be so much rain that there will not be enough people to collect all the crops that are in the fields. Everyone will be full and happy with a time period of extra blessings. It is coming in the future.
CHALLENGE: Today we have to be a blessing to others by helping them when we see a need. Don’t depend on government to take care of your neighbor when you can do it. The LORD wants us to be unselfish!
_____________________________________________________
: 31 You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” (NLT)
DEVOTION: As we understand how God speaks, we can understand HIS meaning to certain words. Here HE is speaking about shepherds or leaders who are not taking care of the people (flock) under their care.
Instead they are eating all the food. They are buying nice clothes. They are not caring for those who the LORD has given them a leadership position over them. The LORD gives leadership positions to those who are supposed to lead according to HIS rules. These men were not obeying the LORD’S rules.
The LORD is going to judge them for their mistreatment and selfishness. HE is going to take their position away from them and give it to another who will honor HIM.
Today we have pastors who are supposed to feed the flock of men and women and children under their leadership. Instead they take large wages and feed only themselves. They care little for those who are sick and suffering. They only care for themselves.
People leave the church and they don’t care to go out and find them again. In fact, they like to see people leave the church, so that, there are fewer who are complaining about their lack of leadership.
CHALLENGE: God wants HIS leaders or pastors to care for those under their care. HE is going to send HIS Son, Jesus Christ, back to care for HIS flock in the future but for now HE expects pastors and leaders to honor HIM by caring for HIS flock of men and women.
___________________________________________________________
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
_______________________________________________________________
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORD verse 1, 7, 9
Thus says the Lord GOD verse 2, 10, 11, 17, 20
I the LORD have spoken it verse 24
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 7, 9, 24, 27, 30
Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master) verse 2, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 20, 30, 31
GOD – Jehovah verse 2, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 20, 30, 31
Lord GOD verse 2, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 20, 30, 31
MY flock verse 6, 8, 10, 22
I will search for MY sheep verse 11
I will seek them out verse 11, 12
I will bring them out verse 13
I will feed MY flock verse 15
I will seek the lost verse 16
I will strengthen the sick verse 16
I will destroy the fat and strong verse 16
Judgment of LORD verse 16, 17, 20, 22
Save MY flock verse 22
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name) verse 24, 30, 31
Control of nature verse 27
LORD their God verse 30
I am your God verse 31
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
One Shepherd verse 23
My servant David verse 23
HE shall feed flock verse 23
Prince verse 24
Plant of Renown verse 29
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Heathen verse 29
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Selfish shepherds (leaders) verse 2, 3, 8, 16, 27
Not feed the flock verse 2, 3, 8
Not caring for sick verse 4
Not looking for lost verse 4, 6, 8
Cruelty verse 4, 19- 21
Evil beasts verse 25
Heathen verse 28, 29
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Prophesy verse 2
Shepherds that feed the flock verse 2, 5, 23
Strengthen the sick verse 4
Heal the sick verse 4
Bind up the broken verse 4
Bring back those that have wandered verse 4
Seek lost sheep verse 4
Search for sheep verse 12
Deliverance verse 12, 27
Feed sheep verse 13- 15, 23
Peace verse 15
Seek the lost verse 16
Strengthen the sick verse 16
Flock of GOD verse 17, 19
Save verse 22
Covenant of peace verse 25
Blessed verse 26
Showers of blessing verse 26
Dwell safely verse 27, 28
Know the LORD verse 27
Not be afraid verse 28
Presence of the LORD verse 30
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Son of man = Ezekiel verse 2
Shepherds of Israel verse 2, 7
Bring Israel to their own land verse 13
Mountains of Israel verse 13, 14
MY flock verse 17, 30, 31
David verse 23, 24
House of Israel verse 30
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
_____________________________________________________________
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
_______________________________________________________________
QUOTES regarding passage
34:25–31 Ezekiel concluded this series of messages with the Lord’s promise of a “covenant of peace” with his people (v. 25), referring to what Jeremiah called the “new covenant” (Jer 31:31). The designation here indicates that this new covenant relationship will provide his people with peace (cf. Num 25:12; Josh 9:15; 10:1; Pss 29:11; 85:8; Isa 54:10). It was peace and rest which humanity lost through sin (Gen 3:15; 4:8) and which the Mosaic covenant promised as a result of obedience (Lev 26:6). But in spite of Israel’s disobedience, the prophets envisioned a coming restoration of peace and all the other characteristics of life before the fall (Isa 9:6–7; 52:7 53:5; 66:12; Jer 30:10; 33:6, 9; Hag 2:9). This will come to pass in the Messianic Age with the restoration of the ideals of life as it was lived in Eden (see “Restoration of Edenic Ideals,” p. 349).
This covenant is the same as the one promised in Ezek 16:60 (see discussion of 16:53–63), which will establish an unbreakable bond between God and his people. By it he will assure their well-being and personally act as covenant mediator (v. 25).
“I will bless them” (v. 26) begins a list of the benefits of the “covenant of peace.” There will be showers at the right season (v. 27a) that produce bountiful crops. The people will dwell in security and freedom (v. 27b–28). There will be no famine or threats from enemies (v. 29). The people will know that God, their Shepherd, is with them and that Israel his flock is his people (v. 30).
This covenant anticipates events and promises never realized in the first return of Israel from captivity. When the people came back to the land after 535 b.c., they were under the control of every world-dominating power including Medo-Persia, Greece, and finally Rome until a.d. 70 when the nation was destroyed by Rome.
There are only two possible conclusions concerning the meaning of the “covenant of peace” and the promises of Ezek 34:23–31. Either the restoration Ezekiel envisioned was only an unrealistic hope and therefore never came to pass or the prophecy concerned some future return beyond the scope of the return in 535 b.c. under Zerubbabel and later returns under Ezra and Nehemiah. Even the author of Ezra-Nehemiah recognized that the restoration community was not the final fulfillment of Old Testament promises of redemption (see comments on 11:17–21). Yet God’s promises themselves and the incomplete fulfillments that God’s people have experienced gave the people of Ezekiel’s and later times renewed strength and courage to face daily trials, knowing that God is faithful and will bring it to pass (Pss 31:24; 37:9; 42:11; Isa 40:31; Lam 3:19–40; 2 Cor 3:12; Col 1:5; 1 Thess 1:3; 4:13; 5:8; Heb 6:19; 1 John 3:3). (Cooper, L. E. (1994). Ezekiel (Vol. 17, pp. 303–304). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
___________________________________________________________
Israel could rejoice; for though she had experienced the cruel and incompetent leadership of recent rulers, she now was assured that God would provide perfect leadership through the Good Shepherd, the Messiah, who would care for her as a shepherd should. There was hope! (Alexander, R. H. (1986). Ezekiel. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 914). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
__________________________________________________________
34:25–31. God’s care and protection will result in peace for His people. I will make a covenant of peace with them. The peace that Israel has always longed for will be experienced. The uncertainties associated with desolate places, wild animals, other nations, and unpredictable weather will be alleviated. The land will enjoy peace and prosperity. Trees will bear fruit and the ground will yield its crops, and the people will be secure in their land, living in safety.
God’s “covenant of peace” looks forward to the blessings Israel will experience in the Millennium. This covenant will establish Israel in her land permanently with David as her shepherd. Later Ezekiel stated that the covenant of peace will also involve the rebuilding of God’s temple as a visible reminder of His presence (37:26–28).
God will restore Israel because of her unique relationship to Him. You My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are My people, and I am your God. (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Ezekiel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1295). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
________________________________________________________
Protecting the flock (Ezek. 34:23–31). This is definitely a prophecy of future events, because the returned remnant didn’t have an august ruler caring for them, nor did “showers of blessing” come to the land. The economic situation at the beginning was difficult, the harvests were poor, and the peoples of the land were opposed to any Jewish presence there. But when Israel is regathered to her land in the end times, the Messiah will rule over them and be their Shepherd-King. The “prince” (v. 24) will not be King David, resurrected and enthroned, but the Lord Jesus Christ whom Israel will receive and trust when they see Him (Zech. 12:9–13:1; see Jer. 23:5; 30:8–10; Hosea 3:5). Ezekiel mentions “David the prince” in 37:24–25; 45:22; 46:4, and these references point to the Messiah.
Agriculture in the land of Israel depended on the early and latter rains from the Lord, and He promised to send the rain faithfully if the people honored His covenant (Lev. 26:1–5; Deut. 28:9–14). But if they disobeyed Him, the heavens would turn to brass and the ground to iron (Deut. 11:13–17; 28:23–24). If the people repented and sought His forgiveness, He would send the rain and heal the land (Deut. 30; 2 Chron. 7:12–14).
The Lord also promised that the people would be safe in the land and not be oppressed by the peoples around them. Except during the reigns of David and Solomon, the nation of Israel has been attacked, conquered, and ravaged by one nation after another, but this will cease when Messiah is on the throne. A “covenant of peace” would govern the land (Ezek. 34:25; see 37:26), which probably refers to the New Covenant that Jeremiah promised in Jeremiah 31:31–34. The law of God would be written on the hearts of the people and they all would know the Lord and obey His will.
Neither the pain of scarcity nor the shame of defeat will rob the Jewish people of the blessings the Lord has planned for them. In the past, their sins forced the Lord to turn His face against them; but in the future kingdom, He will smile upon them and dwell with them. Ezekiel had watched the glory of God leave the temple (Ezek. 11:22–23), but he would also see God’s glory return (43:1–5). The name of the holy city would become “Jehovah Shammah—the Lord is there” (48:35). (Wiersbe, W. W. (2000). Be reverent (pp. 154–155). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor/Cook Communications.)
__________________________________________________________
In the day of Israel’s restoration to God and to the land, the Lord will recognize them as His covenant people, He Himself becoming their Protector, so that no harm will touch them in the future; evil beasts will cease out of the land, and they will dwell securely even in the wilderness or the forest; and He will order everything necessary for their welfare. No longer will the land suffer for lack of moisture: the former and the latter rains, as another prophet has told us, will be given in their season, and there shall be showers of blessing. These words have made an appeal to many hearts and spoken loudly of both spiritual and temporal mercies which God delights to send for the refreshment of His trusting people (Ironside, H. A. (1949). Expository notes on Ezekiel, the prophet. (pp. 240–241). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
_______________________________________________________
Ver. 26. And I will make them, and the places round about my hill, a blessing, &c.] Alluding either to the city of Jerusalem, and the places adjacent; or to the temple, and the houses about it. So the Targum, “I will cause them to dwell round about the house of my sanctuary;” and so Kimchi interprets it of the temple. Some Christian interpreters, by the hill or mountain, understand Christ; and not amiss; who may be compared to one for height; he being higher than the kings of the earth, or than the heavens and angels there, as man and Mediator; as well as is God over all, blessed for ever; and for fruitfulness, from whom the saints have all theirs, either in grace or good works; and for shade, he being the shadow of a great rock in a weary land; which yields delight and refreshment, and is a protection from the heat of a fiery law, flaming justice, the wrath of God and man, and the fiery darts of Satan; and for shelter and security, there being salvation in him, when none in other hills and mountains; and for duration and immovableness, being the same to-day, yesterday, and for ever: and now the persons about him are such who are made nigh by his blood; brought to him by his powerful and efficacious grace; are worshippers about the throne where he sits; such as cleave to him, and follow him wherever he goes, and shall be with him to all eternity; these he makes a blessing, or most blessed. So the Targum renders it, “and they shall be blessed;” they are blessed in Christ their head; they are blessed through him as their Redeemer and Saviour, who was made a curse for them; they are blessed through being in him, and by the imputation of blessings to them from him, and through the application of them by his spirit; their persons are blessed, and so are the places or habitations where they dwell: or rather this may be understood of the church of God, often compared to a hill for its height and eminence; for its fertility and fruitfulness; for its stability and firmness; and in allusion to the hill of Zion for its holiness, and being the place of the divine residence; see Psal. 15:1 and 24:4 and 68:15, 16. now, the persons about this hill are those who are come to Mount Zion the church of God; being brought there by the Lord himself, and who take up their abode there; who lie about this hill, as flocks of sheep, in their several folds or congregated churches; see Jer. 23:3 and 33:13 and these the Lord makes a blessing to one another, by their spiritual conversation, prayers, and services of love; and to the world, to kingdoms and states, to cities, towns, and neighbourhoods, and to particular families, where they are placed; and even to the world in general; for they are the light, stay, and stability of it; and without which it would be in darkness, corrupt and putrefy, and not continue long: and I will cause the shower to come down in his season: which, in the spiritual sense, may design the Gospel; which, like a shower of rain, comes from God; descends from heaven; is a gift of God; which falls according to divine direction; refreshes, revives, and makes fruitful; brings a plenty of divine blessings with it; and comes in season, at its proper time; and is a word in season to weary souls: there shall be showers of blessings, which the Gospel brings with it; spiritual blessings, blessings of grace; such as peace, pardon, righteousness, and eternal life: these, like showers, come from God; are free-grace gifts of his, of which there is a large abundance; and which descend on Mount Zion the church of God; which is another Gerizzim, on which the blessings are pronounced, Psal. 133:3. see Isa. 55:10, 11, Zech. 10:1. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, pp. 180–181). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
___________________________________________________________
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
______________________________________________________________
God’s Shadow
“The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.” (Lamentations 4:20)
In the hot desert lands so familiar to the Israelites, a place of shade was considered a blessing wherever it could be found, and this was often taken as a symbol of God’s protection from the hot hatred of their (and His) enemies. In fact, the Hebrew word for “shadow” is used twelve times in the Bible as a type of God’s guarding presence.
The first is in Psalm 17:8: “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings.” Three other times “the shadow of thy wings” is used (Psalm 36:7; 57:1; 63:7). Isaiah speaks of His presence “as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land” and as like being hidden “in the shadow of his hand” (Isaiah 32:2; 49:2; also 51:16). The Lord is compared to “a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain” (Isaiah 4:6). He is “a shadow from the heat” and like “the shadow of a cloud” (Isaiah 25:4-5).
The last reference to God’s shadow is in our text above in reference to the forced exile of God’s people into Babylon. In this sad context, Jeremiah laments that even “the anointed of the LORD”—that is, literally, the Lord’s Messiah (fulfilled in Jesus Christ)—has been taken captive with His people. He is even called “the breath of our nostrils,” recognizing implicitly that it was He who breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life in the beginning (Acts 17:25). Thus, He will even be with His people as they undergo their just chastisements; they can even “live among the heathen” under His shadow. No matter how dark our circumstances, we can say with the psalmist: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. . . . in him will I trust” (Psalm 91:1-2). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Chuck Swindoll: Church attendance doesn’t mean a place to sit on Sunday, it’s to challenge your thinking and reshape your life.
___________________________________________________________
Day 1: Praying Together for Us
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
—1 Thessalonians 5:11
Praying together is one of the most intimate and unifying things you can do as a couple. Think of the great promise God has made to those who pray: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Imagine having that kind of peace and security in your marriage.
Praying together is not a therapeutic ritual that will keep every difficulty from your door, rather it is a spiritual habit that will make you allies in life, love, and purpose. Most importantly, praying together is an acknowledgment that you want God at the center of all things.
Enjoy these shared moments of prayer. They will prove to be a great investment in your marriage, drawing you closer to God and to each other.
Praying together for our marriage
He prays: Thank God for the gift of prayer, and for being able to enjoy it together as a couple. Pray that God will use your prayer times together to help you grow stronger in your love for Him and for each other.
She prays: Thank God for the promises He has made to those who pray. Ask Him to make your marriage strong in peace and security through Christ. (Moments with You Couples Devotional)
_______________________________________________________
1 Kings 1
The prophet Nathan and Bathsheba join forces to ensure that Solomon replaces David as king.
INSIGHT
As Adonijah, David’s oldest living son, takes steps to become king, only Bathsheba and Nathan know of David’s desire that Solomon succeed him.
Circumstances seem grim to Bathsheba. Should Adonijah become king, she and Solomon most probably would lose their lives, being seen as threats to the throne. Yet it is God who establishes kings, and His will is that Solomon reign. Again God demonstrates that He is in control-in spite of the foreboding circumstances.
As we consider the perplexing nature of circumstances in the world, we are tempted to lose heart, perhaps to question whether God is really in control. We should be reminded from this passage that He is. Whatever comes our way, the hand of God is there to see us through. It is something we must believe.
(Quiet Walk)
__________________________________________________________
THE URGENT NEED FOR REVIVAL TODAY
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Mark 9:28-29
The church is so constituted that every member matters, and matters in a very vital sense. So I call attention to this whole subject [of revival] partly because I sense there is a curious tendency today for members of the Christian Church to feel and to think that they themselves can do very little, and so they tend to look to others to do all that is needed for them. This, of course, is something that is characteristic of the whole of life today. For instance, men and women no longer take exercise in sport as they used to. Instead, people tend to sit in crowds and just watch other people play. There was a time when people provided their own pleasure, but now the radio and television provide their entertainment and pleasure for them. And I fear that the tendency is even manifesting itself in the Christian church. More and more we see evidence that people are just sitting back in crowds while one or two people are expected to do everything.
Now that, of course, is a complete denial of the New Testament doctrine of the Church as the Body of Christ, where every single member has responsibility and has a function and matters, and matters in a most vital sense. You can read the apostle’s great expositions of that doctrine, for example in 1 Corinthians 12, where you find that he says that our less comely parts are as important as the more comely parts, that every part of the body is to function and is to be ready for the Master’s use, and always to be usable.
Unless we as individual Christians are feeling a grave concern about the state of the church and the world today, we are very poor Christians indeed.
A Thought to Ponder: The church is so constituted that every member matters, and matters in a very vital sense. (From Revival, p. 8, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
___________________________________________________________
May 4 at 9:59 PM Facebook
“Our generation is so busy trying to prove that women can do everything men can do, women are losing the unique qualities that set us apart. The God-given femininity & unique way our Creator designed us. Women weren’t created to do everything a man can do…. Women were created to do everything a man can’t do.”
The lioness does not try to be the lion. She embraces her role as the lioness. She is powerful, strong, and nurturing. She does not mistake her meekness for weakness. The world needs more kind, compassionate, humble, faithful, persevering, confident, fierce, bold, pure, and tender-hearted women.” Be one of them 🌵
____________________________________________________________
We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.