Ezekiel 34:26, commentary and pictures

The chapter belongs to failed shepherds and to God's own care for His flock, with a call for the shepherds to return to loyalty that is made clear when read with Isaiah 58. It is part of God's covenant of peace and gives precious encouragement, standing as one of Scripture's assurances concerning the church. God makes His flock and the places round about His hill a blessing by causing rain to come down in its season as showers of blessing, showing that all nature obeys the bidding of Jehovah.

That blessing brings fruit from the trees of the field and increase from the earth, safety in the land, breaking of the bands of the yoke, deliverance from enslavers, freedom from being prey to the heathen and from beasts, dwelling safely with none to make afraid, the raising up of a plant of renown, and an end to hunger and to shame from the heathen. The result of the blessing is that they know that He is the Lord, that the Lord their God is with them, that they the house of Israel are His people, and that they as men are His flock, the flock of His pasture, and He is their God. The most striking feature of this covenant is the exceeding richness of pardoning mercy to the sinner who repents and turns from sin, as salvation through the tender mercies of God.

God does not turn from justice in showing mercy, for Christ's sacrifice satisfies the demands of the law for every repentant, believing sinner, and under the new covenant perfect obedience is the condition of life, with pardon for the sinner who repents and confesses and power to become sons of God for as many as receive Christ and believe on His name, receiving of His fulness grace for grace. The promise is to those who receive grace and are consecrated to God: they and their surroundings become a blessing as channels through whom God shares the riches of His grace with others. Those who give light and share in bringing souls to Christ themselves receive blessing like showers sent in their season, picturing blessing both received and shared.

Those who receive are to impart to others, ministering gladly to fellow men, answering calls for help from every direction, enlightening a world perishing in ignorance, winning immortal crowns and gaining the kingdom of heaven. Those who have received light, advantages, speech, blessings and promises must let them bless others, especially poor people laboring hard for small wages with barely the necessities of life, by teaching higher and holier interests, speaking the promises to revive them, making the eternal welfare and salvation of workmen at their own doors the first consideration, and representing Christ in home and business by humble, prayerful, tender-hearted courtesy, steady zeal, devotion and noble dealing. The believer's light is to be far-reaching: when he blesses one or two by leading them to piety, devotion and energy in the cause of God, these in turn bless others and they still others, so all the places round about are made a blessing.

God's hired servants are called to give time, thought and tact to God's work and to talk and live Bible truth, if they expect the wages of eternal life and to hear approval when Jesus comes. The forbidding desert places of the South will become as the garden of God as the injury done to the colored people is repaired and missionaries multiply to bring souls out of darkness and ignorance into marvelous light. It belongs to God's own work of searching His sheep and seeking them out, delivering them from the cloudy and dark day where they were scattered, feeding His flock, seeking the lost, bringing again the driven away, binding up the broken, strengthening the sick, making a covenant of peace with them, and making Himself known as present with them as their God, and He will pour out His Spirit on those who respond to this call so that in the strength of Christ their work will fill heaven with rejoicing.