Daily Bread for Sep 10, Eze 34-36

Today's readings are Eze 34-36.

Eze 34 is an indictment against the poor shepherds (leaders) of Israel. For those called to leadership positions, this is a sobering caution to take proper care of God’s people. God will demand an accounting of the sheep placed in their care. If they have been eating the sheep (taking advantage of, using them for their own purposes) instead of caring for them, there will be a price to pay (Eze 34:7-10)! The warning goes out to all those who would seek personal profit or gain from positions of authority or leadership over the church.

We see a hint of a new covenant to come, one of peace and grace (Eze 34:25-31). This is an encouragement for those who are in subjection, those who have been betrayed, abused or abandoned by their leaders. The overall theme of Eze 34 is that God will tend to His people Himself. This is not just a promise that suffering for His children will end, it points to the time when God will come in the flesh to pay the price for the sins of those who have faith in Him. They are unable to save themselves. Their leaders are unable to save them. God will do it for them.

Eze 35 tells us that Edom (Mt Seir), who should have been a close ally of Israel, was hoping to get the land for themselves by coming against Jerusalem when it was attacked by the Babylonians. Enmity between Edom and Israel goes all the way back to the time of Jacob (whose descendants eventually settled Israel) and Esau (whose descendants settled Edom in Gen 27-28). Edom has continually worked against Israel. God's judgment frequently has an ironic twist. While we see the consequences of a dark hour in Israel’s history in Eze 34, we see hope and judgment coming against her adversaries in Eze 35. Edom will suffer the fate they had planned for Jerusalem.

Ezekiel's ministry takes a turn in Eze 36. It becomes more encouraging. He prophesies that prosperity will return to Israel and the people will be cleansed and restored. God will do this, neither because the people deserve it nor because they have earned it, but to preserve the reputation and integrity of His name. This is a beautiful picture of how His grace functions, meted out because of who He is, not who His people are.

Eze 36:32 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came." 

God will deliver His people with a familiar promise, by giving them a new heart and putting His Spirit in them (Eze 36:26). While there are many who are fond of quoting this promise, even today, few take the time to read the next verse to see why God gives this new heart and this indwelling Spirit.

Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

God does it to sanctify His people, to bring them to a new level of holiness and purity, to enable them to “walk in His statutes.”

Furthermore, God gives them these new hearts and does all this life-changing transformation in His people so that the nations will know that He is Lord (Eze 36:23, 32, 38). God saves and transforms His people so that they will be living evidence that He is God. They will put that evidence on display by their desire to conform to His word.