Daily reading

Today’s reading is: Ezek. 34-36

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Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-Four

  1. Chapter 34 is a scathing rebuke upon the shepherds (princes, prophets, priests) of Israel for their dereliction of duty.
  2. The shepherds have been taking care of themselves and not caring for the flock (Ezek. 34:2b,3).
  3. Their negligence is recorded in five areas (Ezek. 34:4a).
    1. The sickly need strength.
    2. The diseased need to be healed.
    3. The broken need to be bound up.
    4. The scattered need to be brought back.
    5. The lost need to be sought.
  4. The shepherds’ activity is called a “domination” and is characterized by “force” and “severity” (Ezek. 34:4b).
  5. The Lord’s solution to His flock’s lack of a shepherd is to step in and be their Good Shepherd (Ezek. 34:7-24).
    1. He will relieve the negligent shepherds of duty (Ezek. 34:7-10).
    2. He will faithfully feed the faithful flock, and destroy the false shepherds & false sheep (Ezek. 34:11-22).
    3. He will lift up David to be their eschatological theocratic kingdom shepherd (Ezek. 34:23-24; Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 37:24-25; Hos. 3:5).
  6. The eschatological theocratic kingdom conditions for this flock are described (Ezek. 34:25-31).

Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-Five

  1. Chapter 35 is another prophetic message against Edom (Ezek. 35:1-15 cp. 25:12-14).
  2. The Good Shepherd protects His flock from the preying wolves (Ezek. 34:5,8,28), Edom most of all.
  3. Historically, Edom celebrated Israel’s fall to Babylon.  Prophetically, Edom will do likewise (Ezek. 35:5-9).

Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-Six

  1. Ezekiel receives a message that describes the glory of the coming eschatological theocratic kingdom.
  2. The mountains are addressed (Ezek. 36:1) and promised abundant blessings (vv.8-15).
  3. The millennial blessings of Israel will produce amazing birthrates (Ezek. 36:10-11) and the erasure of the infant-mortality rate (v.12).
  4. The Lord explains to Ezekiel why the restoration of Israel has been promised, and then delivers three messages concerning this promised restoration (Ezek. 36:16-38).
    1. Ezekiel’s explanation of the promised restoration is that the Lord is acting for the sake of His own name (Ezek. 36:16-21).
    2. Message #1 highlights the unmerited nature of Israel’s eschatological theocratic kingdom blessings, and spotlights the ministry of the Holy Spirit in that day (Ezek. 36:22-32).
    3. Message #2 indicates the miraculous nature of the rebuilding of the earth after the Tribulation, and the glory that God will receive for restoring Eden on the earth (Ezek. 36:33-36).
    4. Message #3 describes the blessings of Israel to be multiplied numerically and be blessed spiritually throughout their eschatological theocratic kingdom prosperity (Ezek. 36:37-38).