The Promise Of The Shepherd/King

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Ezekiel 34:23-31
Psalters: 297, 241, 220, 53
  1. Who He is.
    1. After declaring that He, Lord Jehovah, will be a shepherd (11ff.), He promises a royal shepherd.
      1. Such a king was very different from the kings of other nations who had the people serve them.
      2. Israel?s kings were ?servants of God? (23,24) who serve Him by serving His people.
    2. This begins with the promise to set up one shepherd over them, ?even my servant, David? (23).
      1. David was the first in this line, with the Messiah coming as the Son of David, fulfilling David the type.
      2. David was the best picture of a shepherd king, having qualities the Messiah possessed perfectly.
    3. This promise is obviously fulfilled in Jesus, the Shepherd King (John 10:11,14).
  2. The rule of this promised Shepherd is one of grace, not based conditionally on works.
    1. When He establishes a covenant with the flock (25), it is obviously of grace.
      1. The salvation of God?s flock comes in the way of God making a covenant with them in this Shepherd.
      2. This covenant is a relationship of love and friendship between God and the people of His pasture (31).
    2. As a ?covenant of peace? it is a rule of grace (25).
      1. This peace is the forgiveness which removes the cause of their distress.
      2. When speaks of ?one Shepherd? it is implied that the two divided kingdoms are united, though scattered (12).
      3. Important to the Shepherd/King?s rule is that He provides good under-shepherds.
    3. And He blesses with refreshing showers of blessing (26).