Day 250 – Ezekiel 34-36

Talking Points

• Israel’s shepherds were to lead God’s people to honor His name by upholding His truth. They were to serve as guides, calling for faithful obedience. Instead, they had used their sheep, feeding themselves and living off of them for their own gain. Their failure to protect and guide resulted in the sheep being scattered.
• But, in contrast to the self-serving shepherds, how beautiful is the picture of the true Shepherd — Jesus! Describing the role of the Messiah, the true Shepherd states, “I will seek out the lost, care for them, deliver them, gather them, feed them, and, most awesomely, lead them to rest.” What a tremendous picture of salvation found in the true Shepherd! “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
• God pronounces His judgment against “Mount Seir,” referring to the Edomites. These people were bitter enemies of God and had rejoiced over Israel’s calamities.
• Again we see God’s character revealed in His promise of restoration for Israel. God is clear: given the choice, His people had defiled His name in their wicked actions. They had profaned Him by worshiping false idols. It was utterly disgraceful. Yet, He promises to restore and bless them greatly. Their redemption was not based on their merit — quite the opposite. In His faithfulness to uphold His own name, God would act.

Thoughts

“Where is your mother?” Sometimes, when my kids do something crazy, my eyes get bigger, I look from side to side, and ask, “Where is your mother?” (It’s me. I’m their mother. And, I’m right there.)

It’s in those moments, that I wish my darlings would remember that, wherever they are, whatever they are doing, they carry my name with them. They reflect my discipline, my teaching, my standards. I can just hear someone watching their behavior and saying, “These are her kids?”

As I read this account, these words of God, I can only feel conviction for the many moments God must want me to remember that, wherever I am, whatever I am doing, I bear His name. I see how grieved He is as the actions of His people lead others to scoffingly say, “These are the people of the LORD” (Ezekiel 36:20).

Think about that for a minute, and how it applies to us. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are His — His people, called by His name. Through our actions, we have the tremendous privilege of reflecting His discipline, His teaching, His standards. What if, instead of scoffing at us and at the God whose name we carry, the onlooking world saw our actions which were surrendered to Him, and they said, “These are the people of the LORD,” and then wanted to know that God?

Isn’t He worthy of that? Wouldn’t we want to give Him our best? To give over each word, each deed, each thought, knowing they are carried out before His throne? Knowing we bear witness to Him in a world that desperately needs to know Him?

Lord, help us. Lead us. Teach us to be people who remember whose name we bear.