Ezekiel 34

Shalom in the Sheepfold

Posted on by Betsy

 Have you ever noticed how many times the Bible talks about sheep? References to sheep, sheepfolds, and gates are abundant in the Old Testament. Psalm 23 gives us beautiful language that speaks about God’s safe and protected meadows: “The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He lets me rest in grassy meadows; he leads me to restful waters; he keeps me alive. He guides me in proper paths for the sake of his good name” (Psalm 23:1-3, Common English Bible). Let’s read the entire psalm in the New King James Version. As you do, try to see the word pictures in your mind:

Psalm 23 (New King James Version)
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
[e]Forever.

 God’s sheepfold has always been a place of abundance, rest, and safety. David’s beautiful psalm speaks directly into our need to be rescued from the valley of the shadow of death and ensconced in a place where we need fear no evil.

 In a similar manner, Ezekiel 34 speaks of keeping the sheep of Israel protected from predators and famine. As you read this, note the beautiful undertones of shalom that come with God’s provision and presence:

Ezekiel 34 (Common English Bible)

 “I will make a covenant of peace for them, and I will banish the wild animals from the land. Then they will safely live in the desert and sleep in the forest. 

26 I will give them and those around my hill a blessing by sending the rain in its season.

They will be rains of blessing. 27 The trees in the field will bear fruit, and the earth will yield its harvest. They will be safe on their fertile land, and they will know that I am the Lord when I break the bars of their yoke and deliver them from those who enslaved them. 

28 The nations will no longer prey on them, and wild animals will no longer devour them. They will live in safety, with no one to trouble them” (Ezekiel 34: 25-28).

The war that continues to rage in Gaza makes us long for peace in that region. The still-held hostages, the constant bombing, and the loss of life and property grieves our hearts. Daily we pray for a resolution in Israel and daily we wait. It is good to remember God’s promise of shalom as we wait for the end to come.

Oh, how we long for this peace in our land as well!  

Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Let There Be Peace on Earth by Michelle Robertson

Sheeples

Posted on by Betsy

The phrase “sheeples” has become the dirty word of 2020. Used when people have opposing views, it is a derogatory way of saying one group is vapid enough to believe things that the other group finds offensive, false, or ridiculous. In this mindset, if you are “so stupid” that you hold a particular opinion, you might be called a sheeple by someone who holds the opposite opinion.

The underlying thought behind this put-down is that sheep are supposedly simple-minded. Come on now! Y’all are giving sheep a bad name. Sheep may be dumb, but they would never be mean enough to engage in name-calling. I’m here to stand up for the sheep!

In all seriousness, there is beautiful language in scripture that uses images of sheep-like behavior in a very positive ways. If you look closely, these scriptures usually end up being more about the shepherd than the sheep. When people are compared to a flock that is ready to follow the care and concern of a Shepherd, it is a comforting image and a humbling lesson.

Most Bible readers are familiar with the Good Shepherd imagery that Jesus used in John 11:

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

But today’s lectionary takes us back to Ezekiel, well before Jesus arrived. This was written during the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon, when the people were scattered all over the place. Note the connections between the prophet’s writings and Jesus’ own words:

Ezekiel 34 (Common English Bible)

11 The Lord God proclaims: I myself will search for my flock and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out the flock when some in the flock have been scattered, so will I seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered during the time of clouds and thick darkness. 13 I will gather and lead them out from the countries and peoples, and I will bring them to their own fertile land. I will feed them on Israel’s highlands, along the riverbeds, and in all the inhabited places.

Call me a sheeple, but this is exactly where I want to be. I want to be in the care of a gentle leader. I want to be sought out when I stray. I want to be rescued and led into the fertile land.

I want to be fed.

 14 I will feed them in good pasture, and their sheepfold will be there, on Israel’s lofty highlands. On Israel’s highlands, they will lie down in a secure fold and feed on green pastures. 15 I myself will feed my flock and make them lie down. This is what the Lord God says. 

16 I will seek out the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the wounded, and strengthen the weak. But the fat and the strong I will destroy, because I will tend my sheep with justice.

Your Shepherd is calling you, too. He himself is ready to feed you and provide you with rest.

Is the Lord seeking you? Are you lost? Wounded? Weak?

All you have to do is follow. God tends his sheep with love, mercy, kindness, and justice.

I don’t know about you, but I just wanna be a sheep.

He Leads Me Beside the Still Water by Wende Pritchard