The Lord Seeks for His Own

 We continue our study in Ezekiel, the last time we met was about Israel's Shepherds Disciplined. You can read more in my Ezekiel Studies here and here.

Oh....this passage... God seeking for his sheep, seeking for those who belong to him.  Not willing to let them remain scattered and at risk. 

Oh...this passage is a comfort you know?

• He seeks them out.
• He rescues them from all the places where they have been scattered.
• He feeds them.
• He gathers them together.
• He feeds them in GOOD pastures.
• He lets them lie down.   A sheep that is scared won't lie down, they stay on their feet ready to run, so image if God has gathered his sheep together and lets them lie down.  That means no danger threatens.
• He will seek the lost.
• He will bring back the strays.
• He will bind up the injured.
• He will strengthen the weak.       

 ¹¹ “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. ¹² As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. ¹³ And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. ¹⁴ I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵ I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. ¹⁶ 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, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

He will destroy the fat and the strong.
He will feed justice.  
He will not let his sheep hurt each other...drinking clean water but muddying it for the rest, Eating good grass but fouling it for others.   Enough of that stays the Lord.
 
¹⁷ “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. ¹⁸ Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? ¹⁹ And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

God himself will be the judge of his sheep.  There will be one shepherd for his folk.  He will not let his sheep continue to be prey.  He will not let his sheep hurt the weak among them.  He will divide the fat sheep from the lean.   David will be his shepherd to mind the sheep.  David will care for them and feed them and be their shepherd.
²⁰ “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. ²¹ Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, ²² I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. ²³ And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. ²⁴ And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.

God is the Lord.  He has spoken and so it will be. 

I find this passage hugely comforting.  Don't you? 
It speaks to me about how it will all come out good in the end.  He's got our backs you know?