Good Shepherd - Ezekiel 34

Ezekiel 34:11 "For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out."

The flock has been taken away from those who used it for gain for themselves.

The Lord has taken on the role of the shepherd for his people. He has always looked after them but with the use of under shepherds. Now, he is taking the direct role of shepherd.

It was still a mystery, somewhat, when he wrote the next verse I will give. I believe when he says David, he is referring to the descendant of David after the flesh, the Christ.

v23 "And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd."

Refer here to John chapter 10.

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth is life for the sheep."

Hosea 3:5 "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days."

Also in this chapter we have the covenant of peace mentioned. Who would not want peace in a land that has always know war.

v25 "And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods."

Then the verse that brought on a song that I have often heard sung in church.

v26 "And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing."

It is a wonderful chapter. It speaks of when Christ shall reign and there will be no more danger of being attacked or carried away into captivity.

No doubt, the mighty warriors of Israel and Judah were feeling pretty low about this time. They had been stripped and dragged away in chains and made to serve. The last verse tells them that they are still men and things will change.

v31 "And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.

A Promise - Jeremiah 33

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

It is hard to talk to someone who will not talk to you. So it was with Israel. The Lord had tried to talk with them but as it says in another chapter, they had turned their back to him.

But here is a promise that if they would call to him, He would answer. It was in the captivity that a young man did just that and he was shown 'great and mighty things'. His name was Daniel.

Daniel 9:3 " And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes; v4 And I prayed..."

As promised an angel fought his way to Daniel and told Daniel of many thing that were to come.

Daniel 10:14 "Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days; for yet the vision is for many days."

Daniel had been reading the book of Jeremiah when he decided to seek God's face diligently to find out the future of his people.

Here in Jeremiah and this chapter, the promise is continued that after the 70 years Judah and Israel would return to claim their homeland.

v7 "And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first."

Sometimes, in trying to understand the details of these chapters, it might be easy to overlook a major truth. That truth is that God will perform what he says he will perform. He said in our text verse that he would answer when he is sought with a true heart. The story of Daniel bears that out. We can hold that fact in our heart.

v14 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah."

It is the same God that we, as Christians, serve. He made us many promises. One was that He would return someday and he will.

He goes on to compare His covenant with the day and the night. It goes on and on. And with the sands of the sea. He says if you (earthlings) can break the covenant of the night or day then it might be possible for His covenant with David to be broken.

v21 "Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers."

He is saying that they will be gone from the land but only for the time specified by Him.

Jesus Matthew 1:18-25

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto the Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost, And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name JESUS for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken for the Lord by the prophet, saying Behold a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife; And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son, and he called his name JESUS.

Luke 2:1-7 "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea unto the city of David which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manager, because there was no room for them in the inn."

v8-16 "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day int he city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manager. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men."

First and Last Isaiah 48

"Isaiah 48:18 " O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea;"

Isaiah looks beyond the captivity to the calling out of the remnant. Babylon and the Chaldeans are about to be destroyed and in a move of grace (for Israel is still rebellious) the Lord brings them out.

"from the time that it was, there am I"

The Lord speaks of Israel still claiming to be of the holy city but not acting like it.

v2""For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name. but verse one declares "...but not in truth, nor in righteousness."

To further convince them, the Lord tells them that he has told them things that would happen before they happened. He says from the start I told you the truth and didn't hid things from you.

v6 "Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them."

Nevertheless, the Lord still loves Israel and will rescue them again. If he cannot do it for their obedience He will do it for his own name's sake.

v9-11 " For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it; for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another."

Israel could have followed the commandments told Moses and again David and Solomon, and flourished in their new land. They chose idols and suffered chastisement for it. Yet the Lord will still fulfill his promise (for His name's sake) and as He often said for his servant David's sake.

v20 "Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob."

The Branch Isaiah 11

Isaiah 11:1-2 "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;" See also Isaiah 9:6

Lately, I've also been reading some in the gospels. To read about the life of Jesus, as well as, going over the prophecies here, it is truly amazing how accurate they are. In the gospels, we can see this wonderful person who reached out to the hurting and was unafraid to speak the truth even when it caused him problems.

We know that Jesus was rejected by his own people but accepted by many others. The prophecy of his rule and reign from David's throne and those of the tranquility between the animals themselves and mankind, are yet to be fulfilled. Isaiah's words apply to several time periods.

v6 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."

For an understanding of the joys of the thousand year reign, one should study Daniel and Revelation. Hosea, Habakkuk and Zechariah as well should be looked at.

We have to remember that the words of Isaiah were unclear to the people of his time. As Jesus said, many had sought to know the things He taught his disciples. Matthew 13:11 "He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." Enter the mystery of the church and salvation to the Gentiles.

Then the chapter talks of gathering the remnant 'again'. We know they went off into captivity and a remnant came back to build the wall and that at the time of Jesus there was a working government in Jerusalem under the supervision of the Romans. Again they were disbursed as history tells us but in 1948 the nation was reborn and the children of Israel continue to return.

v11 "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt and from pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea."

I would have to refer you to those who have studied prophecy much more than myself to see if this was a prophecy of the returning to build the wall or a later time and event. There is a reference to some geography in this chapter that the water separating Israel from Egypt would be dried up.

v15 "And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. See also Revelation 16:12

Revelation 16:12 "And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."

So we see how the Bible has been knitted together over the centuries. It speaks of one writer using the pen of many to tell the story that has happened and that will happen. It is so solidly bonded that it should greatly increase our faith as we study.

Psalm 119:163 "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

Job's Long Speech Part 1 Job 26

Job 26:1-2 "But Job answered and said, How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?"

This is followed by several other questions that would make the most devoted person wither:

v3 "How hast thou counseled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?"

v4 "To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?"

Then in a final (well not completely final) Job shows an edge to his words:

v5 "Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof."

Although there are many precious insights gained from Job and even his friends that give us an idea of when Job was written, when he lived and their knowledge of the earth; it seems to me that their conversations have turned accusatory in nature. We are leading up to another person who is waiting on the sidelines or in the wings if this were a play and not real life.

I think Job may be feeling some better. Perhaps the healing process has already begun. We will find out later and it seems obvious that Job has started to justify himself some. He also has become a critic of his 'friends'. I do not think it is a good thing to return spiteful words with the same.

The next verse goes back to the previous discussion of whether God is hide in heaven and cannot see what goes on on earth (as one friend said) or as Job rightfully said, that his eye is everywhere.

v6 "Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering, he stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing." v7

That last verse would have helped NASA and scientist long ago if they had read the Bible: "He...hangeth the earth upon nothing."

Job goes on to talk about the clouds holding rain, how the oceans are held in place and relates their movement to the day and night (tides). The chapter but not the speech ends with this verse:

v14 "Lo, these are parts of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?"

Psalm 139:6 "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it."

Job has shown that he knows a lot about most everything. He must have been a great teacher. But he reached the same conclusion as David in the verse above when he said:

Job 42:3 "Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not;"

Job speaks of God's expanse.

Previous study post.

Bildad Speaks Again Job 18

Job 18:2 "How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterward we will speak."

Tell us when you are finished and we will speak, says Bildad. I do not see evidence that it would make any difference.

Bildad still charts out the wickedness of Job and the penalty of the same.

In a way, Bildad is correct. We are all sinners. In this case, it does not seem the time to point out Job's faults. Job is in great distress and it is a time for comforting a friend. But he continues:

v5 "Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine."

These words bring out the best in Job's responses. We will see them in the next chapter.

Bildad wraps it up with hopelessness: v20 "They that come after him shall be astonished at his day, as they that went before were affrighted. v21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God."

You know, these speeches of Job's 'friends' sound much like someone trying to impress someone with how smart they are. They do hold truth but not all the truth. They do hold wisdom but only one side of the issue. If they only knew the whole picture they would feel very ignorant.

David prayed much for the destruction of the wicked until he found himself among those who might sin. In Psalm 40 verse 2 we see his condition and his redemption:

Psalm 40:2 "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings."

Bildad Speaks again.

Previous post.

Dedication of Wall Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah 12:47 "And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron."

We again see a list of names. I think this chapter is retro and is a summary of the people and the events of the time.

The book of Ezra covers about 80 years and Nehemiah covers about 11 years. Nehemiah came up after Ezra (14 years)and set things in order. I do not quite get the time frame of Zerubbabel but it seems he was the strong man of the people who returned.

In reading these books we should do some remembering. Israel was redeemed out of Egypt as slaves. The wondered in the wilderness where they were taught to trust in the one true God and learned the law there. They rose to the greatest nation on earth under David and Solomon. They turned from God and worshipped idols and as a result were taken away into captivity. They were granted permission to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild it. Most of the people choose to stay in Babylon and Assyria because they prospered there. A remnant, with a heart for God, came back and did the rebuilding of Jerusalem. These books are their stories.

v27 "And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgiving and with singing with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps."

It is a flashback to the procedures set up by David to praise the LORD. The people were divided into two groups and they climbed the steps above David's house and joined at the top to dedicate the wall.

v43 "Also that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off."

The chapter places emphasis on the singers set up by David and Solomon, Asaph was chief in the old days. His descendants carry on the talent for the LORD. Looking in the book of Psalms, you will see the name of Asaph on many of the chapters.

v46 "For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God."

So to some degree we see now the shame taken away. The destroyed city of Jerusalem represented the nation Israel and the shame they bore for turning from the LORD. It is a physical sign of their spiritual revival.

Next we have the last chapter of Nehemiah.

Malachi 1:5 "And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel."

Dedication of the wall of Jerusalem.

Who will live in Jerusalem?

Who will Live where Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah 11:1 "And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities v2 And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem."

The thousands of people, the children of Israel, are back in Judah and the wall is built. Now, they decide who will live where and make arrangements that Jerusalem be occupied. The rulers stay in Jerusalem which would make it the capitol.

I'm sure most of the people were ready to claim their possessions and get to work on the fields and vineyards but as verse 2 says some stayed in Jerusalem.

v3 "Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem, but in the cities of Judah dwelt everyone in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants. See I Chronicles 9:1-3.

Nethinim: a class of persons who were employed as servants to the Levites in their ministrations in the tabernacle and in the Temple. See I Chronicles 9:2

The Zechariah in verse 4 is not the author of the Bible book by that name. His father is different. The same with Joel in v8. I expect the names are passed down and around. They are good names, I don't blame the parents for using them.

We are given the numbers of those staying in Jerusalem and what their jobs were. In verse 22-23 we find the descendants of Asaph, the singer and song writer's descendants in the number and still singing.

v23 "For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day." This I believe, if I remember correctly, was David's orders that the singers do this.

v20 "And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance."

Here we can see the importance of the scribes who kept records of the genealogy. When the remnant came back, they all knew exactly where their home was and who owned what. In many cases these were the children of those taken away into captivity, so the records were of utmost importance.

Joel 3:20-21 "But Judah shall dwell forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion."

The people are in their possessions except those designated to live in Jerusalem.

Josiah II Chronicles 34

II Chronicles 34:1 "Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. v2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left."

Josiah was very young when he started to reign. It does not say here but he must have had someone guiding him in the tasks of the king. His life was very systematic so far as his growth was concerned.

v3 "For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images."

He was sixteen when he turned to the LORD on a personal level. That says a lot for him when he had the authority and riches of a king to play around with but he choose to follow God and seek his will. Then when he was twenty, he shook up the kingdom by exerting his authority as king and working to do away with idol worship.

v8 "Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

Important to note here the last part of the verse: "...his God." He did not say the God of Israel, thou he is, but his own personal God. So Josiah found the God he was seeking when he was sixteen.

Something happened when they were repairing the house of the LORD. Hikiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses. v14 It was given to Shaphan who gave it to the king. Honestly, I do not know how a people such as Israel who were schooled in the wilderness from the very lips of God could loose the book of law that Moses had written down but they did. It was put aside when they turned to idols and apparently got covered over. Now it is found.

Josiah did not hesitate. He found out what was in the book and realized that they had sinned against God by not following the law written in the book. He took action.

The king was distressed over the pronouncements of the book which described the punishment for Israel for turning away from God. But the LORD was touched by Josiah and told him he would die and not see all that took place.

v27 "Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, ...I have even heard thee also saith the LORD."

So Josiah read the book to the people, further cleaned up the land of idol worship and caused the people to honor the law. "...And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers."

Psalm 149:4 "For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation."

Josiah, a very good king, follows God at a young age and does not turn aside.

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Hezekiah Part 1 II Chronicles 29

II Chronicles 29:1 "Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. V2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done."

We will notice first that Hezekiah is the son of a very bad king named Ahaz. Next we see that his mother is mentioned, her name was Abijah. It is the grace of God that Hezekiah was such a good king after the example he had but his mother must have surely taught him for many years before he was king.

A lot is written about Hezekiah and it takes several chapters to tell his story. So much so that some have mistakenly said that there is a book of the Bible called Hezekiah. Indeed more is written of him by the prophet Isaiah as noted in chapter 32 verse 32. See Isaiah chapters 36-39.

v3 "He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them."

The Levites are called in to prepare themselves to do service in the house of the LORD. Hezekiah recounts the wrongs that have been done and encourages them to do the work.

v15 "And they gathered their brethren and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD."

It took them eight days to sanctify the house of the LORD. v17 They went to work on the vessels and got everything in order.

v20 "Then Hezekiah the king, rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.

So the brought sacrifices and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They brought forth goats for the sin offering and made reconciliation with their blood on the altar. v23-24. All Israel was included in these offerings. v24. It was Hezekiah's intention to bring all Israel together at the house of the LORD.

With the house of the LORD prepared, they began the worship service.

v28 "And all the congregation worshipped and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished."

Much was done that day. They sang the songs of David and Asaph and offered the offerings as in Leviticus 7:12, the thank offerings.

v35b "...So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order."

v36 "And Hezekiah rejoiced and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly."

So, Hezekiah started to rebuild Judah and reached out to Israel by first getting the house of the LORD in order and the hearts of the people turned toward God again. The faith of the people was centered on the house of the LORD and when it was in disarray so was their faith.

Next we continue with Hezekiah in chapter 30. What did he do next?

Psalm 34:11 "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Hezekiah, a good king of Judah, starts to rebuild.

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Jehoshaphat II Chronicles 17

II Chronicles 17:3 "And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; v4 But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel."

Jehoshaphat was a good king. This chapter details how he set up his kingdom. First and foremost, he sought the LORD. He apparently knew the family history. For he picked out the good things and did those.

v6 "And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD; moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah."

v7 "...to teach in the cities of Judah." He wanted the people to know the right thing to do according to the law and not to just follow him blindly.

v11 "Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver and the Arabians brought him flocks..." You remember the Philistines, i.e. Goliath and his brothers. God gave Jehoshaphat rest from his enemies and many gifts were brought to him so that he became very rich.

I found the phrase in verse 3 very interesting where it speaks of Jehoshaphat walking in the first ways of David. We remember the zeal David had for the LORD but also his failure with Bathsheba and Uriah and numbering the people. But Jehoshaphat picked out the good in David and followed after those things. We can do the same with people. People are people. They falter sometimes but that does not discount the good they do.

You might also notice the sevens in verse 11 7,700 rams, 7,700 goats. I don't read anything into the numbers but 7 does pop up often in scripture.

v19 "These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah."

This verse comes after a list of the thousands of fighting men who came to the king an those who were placed in cities ready to defend.

Jehoshaphat was not perfect or all wise. He fell into a trap in the next chapter.

Colossians 1:14 (Speaking of Jesus) "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"

Jehoshaphat, a good king, reigns in Judah. II Chronicles study guide.