Ezekiel Chapter 34 Part Two

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: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment."
Which was lost... 14 fold condition of the flock:
1. Robbed vs. 3 2. Murdered 3. Sick and diseased vs. 4, 16 4. Broken 5. Driven away 6. Lost 7. Oppressed 8. Scattered vs. 5, 6, 12, 21 9. Destroyed and eaten up vs. 5 10. Wandering vs. 6 11. A prey to others vs. 8 12. Shepherd-less 13. Eating and drinking garbage vs. 19 14. Pushed with horns vs. 21

The Fat... 5 fold condition of Shepherds:
1. Feed themselves, not the flock vs. 2
2. Eat the best of the food vs. 3, 18
3. Wear the best of the clothes vs. 3
4. Wax fat and strong vs. 16
5. Drink the best water vs. 18

Feed them... 8 fold judgment of God upon Shepherds:
1. Woe to them vs. 2 2. I am against them vs. 10 3. I will require My flock of them 4. Their dominion will be taken away 5. They will not feed themselves again 6. I will deliver my flock from them 7. I will destroy them vs. 16 8. I will feed them with judgment.
The "fat" in the Scripture, here, is speaking of the shepherd who took everything for himself. The fat and the strong are speaking of those who have abused others, to get what they wanted. The sick and broken are speaking of those who needed a Savior. This is that judgment day, when God separates the sheep, which belong to Him, from the goats at the end of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ for 1000 years.
In contrast to self indulgent leaders who took advantage of the sheep, God will meet the needs of His people (sheep). This is clearly reminiscent in the 23rd Psalm.

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."
Covering verses 17-22. Judge between. Once He has judged the leaders, God will also judge the abusive members of the flock as to their true spiritual state. This passage anticipates the judgment of the people given by Jesus Christ in Matthew 25:31-46 where Christ separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep represent those who treated Gods people as God would treat them during the seven year tribulation period or Daniel's 70th week. The goats are those who mistreat Gods people during this same time frame. The sheep will enter eternal life and the goat’s eternal damnation.

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? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?"
These are shepherds who have taken big salaries, and lived in huge homes, and driven expensive cars, when their people were just barely scraping a living. They had taken the best for themselves, and let some of their people go hungry.

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 have fed the flock with messages they had ruined. They had altered the food God provided. They have actually trampled on the Word of God. Then, they fed it to the sheep.

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."
On judgment day, the judgment is just, because Jesus is the Righteous Judge.

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;"
This is pure and simple oppression of the rich over the poor. It could be those in high authority taking advantage of those who are of low estate. This would be those who are poor being removed out of social churches. "Horns" symbolize power.

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 fact that it says the cattle and cattle, just means they are supposed to all be Israelites. Some will be saved, and some will not. This, also, is speaking of those who call themselves Christians. Not all who call themselves Christians will be saved.
Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

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."
This is speaking of David literally he will be the chief under-shepherd of Israel--all Israel, the whole 13 tribes-- under the Messiah. The 12 Apostles will reign over one tribe each under David and the Messiah.

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]."
This is speaking of God the Father He here affirms David His servant and prince. Jesus opened the way to the Father for each of us, when He gave His body on the cross. The veil in the temple in Jerusalem rent from the top to the bottom, giving all believers in Christ access to the Father.
Christ took on Himself the form of a servant on the earth. He is that promised King that will reign forever. Jesus Christ purchased us with His precious blood, and we are now sons of God, if we believe.
Romans 8:14-15 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

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 covenant of peace is made by the Messiah at His 2nd coming. An actual gift offered to man. The old covenant has failed, because mankind did not obey God. The new covenant is the covenant of grace. We remember in previous lessons, how Israel had trouble during the siege with the wild animals. There will, now, be peace. Their safety is provided by God. This is speaking of actual animals that will be tamed in the kingdom and no enemies to cause fear (see Isaiah 11:6-9; 35:9 and Hos. 2:18).

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 a reference to Jerusalem and Zion in particular where the Jews will come to worship the Lord during the eternal reign of the Messiah. “Showers of blessing”: The “times of refreshing” in Acts 3:19-20 when the curses of Deut. 28:15-68 are lifted the whole earth will be fertile; it will produce abundantly in its seasons as God originally intended when He created it.
God controls the elements. It rains, when He tells it to. The blessings of God are now upon them, so the rain and the sunshine will come just at the right time for the crops to flourish. All good gifts come from God.

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."
God's blessings are back upon them. God will, again, be their protection. They are His people and He will pour out blessing on them, as He has done in the past. His anger is gone. He loves them as a Father loves a son.
The faithfulness of the land is also indicated in Amos 9:13.

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."
The enemy will not come against them now, because the enemy is afraid of Israel's God. The only time the beasts, or the heathen, could attack them before, was when God took His protection away. His protection is back now. They are His people, and He is their God.
God will stop other nations from subjugating the people of Israel.

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 anymore."
This "plant of renown" could have been speaking of Jesus as the Branch. It could, also, be speaking of the abundant food supply they would have, now that they are back in good graces with God. Many had starved during the famine, when Babylon attacked them. There will be plenty to eat now.

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."
They were His people, even when they were in captivity in Babylon. He was chastising them as a Father does a misbehaving child. They had been unfaithful. Now, all of that is forgotten. God has forgiven them, and taken them back.
“The Lord their God”: An oft repeated Old Testament theme. This speaks of the ultimate salvation of Israel as in Romans 11:25-27.

Ezekiel 34:31
"And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, [are] men, [and] I [am] your God, saith the Lord GOD."
This leaves no doubt that the sheep were speaking of God's people. They must choose to be His people, and He will be their God.