Ezekiel Chapter 34 "Shepherds and their Flock" This
Bible Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's
transcription/ location Ezekiel 34:1 "And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,"Ezekiel 34:2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" These prophecies are a warning from God and written by Ezekiel to the leaders and preachers in the "houses of God". This chapter is not direct to the house of Judah, and the Jews; but to the Christian world, that is made up of the ten tribes, "house of Israel. Remember in Hosea 1:10, where God told the House of Israel that He would scatter them; "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My People, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God." The Living God is Jesus Christ our savior, and those who call themselves "sons of the living God" are called Christians today. God is warning the shepherds of His flock [the Christians] that they are going to be accountable for their actions; and their tending to themselves, and neglecting their mission and duties to their flock [the congregation]. The eyes of most shepherds today are fixed on this world, and how they will be affected individually. Their actions are guided by their salary, their reputation, even a pension, and not on their flock. The true rewards the shepherds desire have been shifted from the Kingdom of God, to right now in this earth age. Many ministers have lost sight of the purpose of their position, which is the feeding of the flock from God's Word. The nourishment the flock needs is spiritual, and comes from the whole Word of God, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse. Are you receiving that nourishment, or are you under a "one verse Charlie"? Ezekiel 34:3 "Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock." "Ye" [the shepherd] take the tithe and build a comfortable house, they make sure all is well with earthly needs at home, yet the needs within the flock are given a low priority, as long as the tithe continues to flow. This is the most critical of all generations, for the signs of the end times are all about us. Yet, these shepherds [preachers-teachers] continue to preach Salvation---Baptism to the same people, over and over, when they, as "watchman on the wall" [chapter 32-33] should be sounding the warning. Ezekiel 34:4 "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them." When was the last time your shepherd prayed over the sick? Is this a routine matter, or is it earnest prayer for God's intervention in the healing for the soul. When there is a problem, or split in a Home, or the church, do you as the shepherd go to God's Word for the answer? Most ministers today use psychology, or other forms of worldly advice to deal with serious matters within their flock. When people are driven away from your church, it is usually because they are tired of listening to "dribble" week after week coming from their shepherd. Much of the spoken word that is given in many churches is a lie, and just not in the Word of God. It is from the controlled forces at the top of the denominations, and in most cases is from a "Kenite" mind. Most shepherds today teach the rapture theory doctrine, which is contrary to Jesus Christ's warning to His own, that we get ourselves ready so we will not be deceived in the end days [Matthew 24:4]. This is taring down the spiritual defenses of the flock. These shepherds tell their flocks that "the Old Testament" is not important, and it is a damnable lie. Much of the directions for the end times, and the warnings to alert the church of the Antichrist's coming is given in the "Old Testament'. All of God's Word is real and rewarding, and the shepherd that withholds parts of it from the flock, are cheating the flock. God will hold each of the accountable individually. Many shepherds are very harsh, when God's Word calls for compassion and understanding; and in many cases the burdens the church is laying on the flocks, is just as the Kenites did at the times of Christ. They forget what God said, "that when the wicked repent, I don't want it mentioned" [Ezekiel 33:16] for it's blotted out. It is Satan that is the accuser before God in heaven, and those that accuse after repentance on earth are of Satan's realm. In cases of divorce, or any matter; when repented it is not to be brought up again. God's judgment is coming on all shepherds who misuse the flock God has given them. Most Christians today are "meat for all those who will hunt them" spiritually. They are the targets of the media, top priority for the IRS, and any other worldly cause out to defend their actions. Many Christians have listened to Kenite dribble so long, today they put themselves as second class citizens, and are afraid to boldly speak our and take a stand for our Lord. Ezekiel 34:5 "And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered." When the true "House of Israel" scattered through the Caucasus Mountains, they lost touch of who they were. they called themselves Gentiles. Even to this day, they don't know who they are or how they fit into God's promises, and prophecies. Most people just don't care, because they have not had a shepherd to guide them. Ezekiel 34:6 "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." God's "House of Israel" were scattered to all nations, and parts of the earth. They had names such as Celts, Sakka, Cimmerons, Massagatte, Scathyians, and so on. God knows where each of his sheep are, even though they don't know it themselves. Ezekiel 34:7 "Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;" Ezekiel 34:8 "As I live, saith 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;" God is not furious that the shepherds [ministers] have allowed their flocks to to become ignorant of His holy Word, and become spineless, and the prey of every wind of doctrine, and trickster that comes along. Our Heavenly Father is repeating His anger in this verse. The ministers of today are the ones that God will hold personally accountable for each soul that is left defenseless upon the arrival of the Antichrist. God is pointing out their selfish nature of "me first" and disregarding of sound teaching and instruction of His Word. Every soul that has strayed from the shepherd's flock, will be on the hands of the shepherd at judgment. The careless attitude of churchmen today, not caring for each soul in their midst, will be judged harshly. The rewards for their church games, and the defiling words from the pulpit will turn them to ashes. Ezekiel 34:9 "Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;" Ezekiel 34:10 "Thus saith 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. If you fit the description of the shepherd described in verses 1-8, God is addressing His anger at you here. Take a hint, and become a watchman. Have you told your flock how the "House of Israel" was scattered, and divorced, as told in Hosea? Have you made your flock aware of how Ezra and Nehemiah outlined how the priesthood of the Levis were taken over by the "Kenites, and how even at Jesus time these Kenites possessed the "seat of Moses" [leading roles in the temple]? Does your flock know the "parable of the fig tree", or the mysteries Paul taught in I Corinthians 15. these are basics required for your flock to be able to stand against the Antichrist. This is why God is mad at His shepherds in the end times. His sheep are left defenseless, by the reckless church games of the many pastors of today. Most pastors today don't even understand who or what the Kenites are, and where they came from. God is telling you that if you are ignorant of His Word, you don't belong behind the pulpit. If it is just a salary to you, God's reward to you is the damnation of your very soul. The sins of your flock, in bowing to the Antichrist is the loss of their salvation through grace, and the responsibility of their actions in ignorance is squarely upon your hands. Read the verse again and see the pride God takes in His flock; then see the anger He expresses to those false shepherds that are destroying His children. Relate this to the father and his son, when someone comes along and causes his son to be killed by negligence. Now put that in the spiritual light, and you can start to understand God's anger towards these false pastors. Ezekiel 34:11 "For thus saith the Lord God; Behold I, even I, will both search My sheep, and seek them out." People are starting to wake up and and search for the truth on their own. It is the Holy Spirit that is planting the seed of desire to know the truth on His elect's hearts. God is saying that He will get His sheep himself, in that you won't, and God's sheep are hearing His voice and coming to Him. Ezekiel 34:12 "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day." This day that our Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth is at the seventh trumpet. There is no rapture that so many Christians are placing their false hopes in, and most of these poor ignorant and blind sheep of our Lord are going to be led into the slaughter by the Antichrist. God is telling the pastors that He is coming back to personally gather His own to Himself from all the Gentiles. This "dark day" is one we will see very shortly. It is the period called "Jacobs trouble", where Satan will rule the earth through his world government, and on that day you will either know the truth of God's Word, or you will fall. You see it is God that will turn you over to Satan, if you desire to believe a lie. There will be no returning to God during the Antichrist's reign, because all truth will be dried up. Even if you heard the truth, you simply would not believe it. Now is the accepted time and at the sixth trumpet it will be too late. Ezekiel 34:13 "And 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 all the inhabited places of the country." God is saying that He will gather them and teach in that day. This does not refer to Judah and the Jews, but to Israel. God took these Israelites over the Caucasus Mountains into Western Europe, where there was plenty. Then He spread them into the Americas, and there many of them prospered. This old "House of Israel" lost their name "Israelites", and assumed a new identity by this event. They are known today as "Caucasians", which is not a race, but the identity of the offspring of the so called "lost ten tribes". In Joes 2:3 we are reminded that all truth of God's Word will dry up. There is coming with Satan [the Antichrist], a locust army of fallen angels, and during the five months of the Antichrist's rule [Revelation 9:5, 10] the entire earth will become a wilderness [desert] for the truth of God's Word. Today our nation of America is a nation of people from all over the earth. God drew each of the migrants to our land, and He blessed us, fed us, and gave us a special protection. America is our own land though many would try to tell us different. Today also, a new one world system has formed, and is trying to reduce our nation to a sub class status. this is the preparation for a time when the Antichrist will come to earth to rule. After his short five month rule, Satan will go to the pit; and at this time these false shepherds will be dealt with more harshly that any other group of heathen nations. Many so called Christians are going to sell their birthright to God's eternal kingdom, for a bowl of soup, which will be prosperity in Satan's five month system. Ezekiel 34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains 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." Look at the grains, fruits and crops of our land; we truly feed the world. Our standard of living is the highest in the world. The "high mountains of Israel" are the prosperous Christian nations of the world, and the entire world gloats over America. Millions risk their lives, just to live in our land, and it is sad to see Christians so blind that they just don't know how bless God has made us. The sad part is that most of the Christians don't even know why they are blesses, who they are, and they just don't care. Ezekiel 34:15 "I will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God." God said and He meant that they will stay in that land, and not be thrown out. It is time to open our eyes and praise Him for all the gifts He has bless us with. The majority of the people just don't seem to notice how God has had a hand on our nation. The media is brainwashing our people, and they just follow like sheep. Ezekiel 34:16 "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:" God has kept His word, in that the message of salvation went first and foremost to the lost and scattered sheep of the "House of Israel". They are the Christian nations of today. During the Millennium age all of God's children will be brought together, and taught, and all sickness and mental disorder will be gone, and broken hearts will be healed. Ezekiel 34:17 "And as for you, O My flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats." In the first sixteen verses God was addressing the shepherds [ministers] who were not faithful in their teaching, and the feed of God's flocks. The next five verses are directed to the flock. God is telling each of us that He knows His own, and will separate them in due time. The "cattle and the cattle", in the Hebrew text reads "the sheep and the goats". While "the ram and the he goats" is basically the same. A ram is a male sheep. God knows His own, and Matthew 25:31-34 tells us of this time coming when the sheep and the goats will be separated. the sheep will go into God's kingdom, while the goats go into the fire. God is calling false shepherds the "he goats". Ezekiel 34:18 "Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures?" God is asking the flock, did it seem right to you that they know and understood the best part of the word, and yet did not share it with the flock. They had the truth, and they hid it. They knew the dangers coming, yet they kept quiet, and peddled their fairy tales of a rapture doctrine, and gave you only what seemed good to you. They put their salary, pension or job over the preparation of God's sheep for the time of great deception. Ezekiel 34:19 "And as for My flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet." they watered down the messages of God's Word, and stomped it under their feet until that word had no meaning. God's fountain of living waters became worthless and polluted as they corrupted each meaning written that God would have His sheep know. The confusion these false shepherds caused, left the sheep starving. The fountains are all mixed up in tradition, and Kenite doctrine, and these pastors have made your religion filth to God. Ezekiel 34:20 "Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle." The "fat cattle" are the rip-off artist ministers, while the lean cattle are the starved sheep of God. Those fat cat ministers will be judged by their teachings. Ezekiel 34:21 "Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;" Ezekiel 34:22 "Therefore will I save My flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle." The ones in your church that are so poor, that they simply cannot support your church monetarily, do you treat them differently then the ones who give a lot? Do you separate the two in any manner" God is saying if they do, He will take the fake preachers away and feed them myself. This will happen in the Millennium, and the sheep will be fed before the Judgment. Ezekiel 34:23 "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." The shepherd to be set over the entire flock in the Millennium age is our Lord Jesus Christ. David is a type of the Messiah, and will be a prince in the Millennium kingdom. Ezekiel 34:24 "And I the Lord will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it." Ezekiel 34:25 "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." The Millennium age will be a time of total peace. Satan will be in the pit, along with his angels, and those false teachers; they will all be held for judgment. What a wonderful time of praise and teaching. Ezekiel 34:26 "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." This is the time of the latter rain. The latter rain is the rain that ripens the fruit, and makes it ready for harvest. this is a time of teaching where all God's children will be taught and prepared for judgment. Only this judgment is one of receiving rewards, and preparing souls for eternity. Ezekiel 34:27 "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." All of God's sheep will know and understand in that day; for God will have removed all the false teachers of this earth age, and the yokes they have put upon the heads of God's sheep. Psalms 37:20 tells us that those easy money preachers will be held at this time for their roasting in the fires of hell. They will fry as a lamb roasting over a open fire, with the fat dripping. That is God speaking. His judgment is swift and sure. Ezekiel 34:28 "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." God will protect His own. Those shepherds who do teach God's word and prepare His flock will find many rewards in judgment. Just as the sin's of the flock is on the hands of the false shepherds, so also the many blessings and rewards that the flock receives because of that true shepherd, will be given to the true shepherd. Ezekiel 34:29 "And 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." The "plant of renown" is the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. When our Lord returns all people will have full knowledge of the truth of God's Word. I Corinthians 15:50-52 explains to us the mystery of the end of this age. At the sounding of the last trumpet, the seventh trumpet, all people that are living at that time will be changed into our new incorruptible bodies. We will never grow old in that soul body, nor have any sickness to hinder our understanding. All of the heathen nations will not be around, for God and His angels will collect and hold them for judgment fire [see Matthew 13:37-43] This should be sobering to a man of God who plays church, and treats it as a game, or "just a job". the stakes are to high. Ezekiel 34:30 "Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are My People, saith the Lord God." Ezekiel 34:31 "And ye My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God." When our Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth, every knee of every part of this globe will bow to Him, and know Him as their Messiah, or they will not be here. There will be no confusion of who Jesus is, for Jesus will separate His own, from the rest of the world. And then all tribes will know who they are, and the inheritance they posses. Jesus Christ will be our Lord, and Christianity will be a reality, not a religion. It's a way of life and freedom, not a part of ones life. Christ will be the center of your life, thought and direction when you are part of His eternal kingdom.
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