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2Timothy 4:3 For the time will
come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts
shall
they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears;
Jeremiah 9:6 Your habitation is in the
midst of deceit;
through
deceit they refuse to know me, says the LORD.
"IN THE AGE OF UNIVERSAL DECEIT,
TELLING THE TRUTH IS A
REVOLUTIONARY ACT"
Ezekiel 34:1-2
The
cruelty to the flock,
negligence
and unfaithfulness of the shepherds is exposed,
Ezekiel 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against
the shepherds of Israel,
Prophesy,
and say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD unto the shepherds;
Woe
be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves!
should
not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Ezekiel 34:3-6 The reasons why the shepherds are threatened
to be
deprived of their office,
Ezekiel 34:3-6 You eat the fat, and you clothe
you with the wool,
you
kill them that are fed: but you feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have you not strengthened,
neither have you healed that which was sick,
neither have you bound up that which was broken,
neither have you brought again that which was driven away,
neither have you sought that which was lost;
but with
force and with cruelty have you ruled them.
5 And they were scattered, because there is no
shepherd:
and
they became meat to all the beasts of the field,
when
they were scattered.
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains,
and upon every high hill:
yea,
my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth,
and none did search or seek after them.
Ezekiel 34:3-6 Gill Notes with other related inserts:
Verse
3. You
eat the fat,
&c.] The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin,
and
Arabic versions, render it, "the milk";
the
words for fat and milk differ only in the points; and this was not unlawful,
for
who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?
(1Corinthians 9:7 ……. who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof?
or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?)
provided
it was done with moderation, that they ate some, but not all;
but
these rulers milked their subjects too much, oppressed them
with
heavy taxes, and got their substance into their own hands.
The
Targum (Targum is the distinctive designation
of the Aramaic translations)
is,
“you eat the good; ”
They
got possessed of the best of their substance; as did also their ecclesiastical
rulers,
who
were greedy shepherds, that could never have enough;
they
looked for their gain from their quarter,
and
even devoured widows’ houses,
(Isaiah 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough,
and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to
their own way,
every one for his gain, from his quarter.)
Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long
prayer:
therefore you shall receive the greater damnation.)
Matthew 6:7 But when you pray, use not vain
repetitions, as the heathen do:
for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.)
Simple short prayers from the heart is all that is required
not dramatic public extravaganzas.
Unfortunately
often that is not the case today,
but
rather we have theatrical productions.
Christ and the apostles performed powerful miracles with short
simple sentences.
Mark 4:39 And he (Christ) arose, and
rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,
Peace, be still.
And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
John 11:43 And when he (Christ) thus had spoken,
he cried with a loud voice,
Lazarus, come forth.
Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all
forth, and kneeled down, and prayed;
and turning him to the body said,
Tabitha, arise.
And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
you clothe you with the wool: the pure wool, as the Targum, the finest of it;
they
fleeced the flock, and stripped the people of their riches;
and
minded nothing but their own backs and bellies:
you kill them that are fed; or, that "are fat" {q};
the
richest of the people they brought accusations and charges against
for
capital crimes; and so put them to death under a colour of justice,
that
they, might get their estates into their hands:
but you feed not the
flock; did not
govern the people well,
by
doing justice and judgment among men, as became civil magistrates;
did
not deliver out words of faith and sound doctrine, to feed the souls
of
men with, which is the duty of those that preside in the church of God.
Ezekiel 34:7-10, and the Lord promises to take the care of the flock upon himself,
to
seek out his sheep, and feed them, and do every kind office to them,
7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of
the LORD;
8 As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely because
my flock became a prey,
and
my flock became meat to every beast of the field,
because
there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock,
but
the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
9 Therefore, O you shepherds, hear the word of
the LORD;
10 Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against
the shepherds;
and I
will require my flock at their hand,
and
cause them to cease from feeding the flock;
neither
shall the shepherds feed themselves any more;
for I
will deliver my flock from their mouth,
that
they may not be meat for them.
Ezekiel 34:7-10 Gill Notes
Ver. 7.
Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord.] Or, "you
governors",
as
the Targum, both civil and ecclesiastical; you kings, princes,
and
magistrates;
you
prophets and teachers of the people,
who
ought to have attended to the word of grace, to the doctrines of the
Scriptures,
and
fed the people with them; but, since you have not,
hear
the word of threatening from the Lord,
and the just punishment that shall be
inflicted on you.
Ver. 8.
As I live, says the Lord, &c.] It is an oath, and which he swore in his
wrath,
being
provoked with the shepherds for their misadministration:
Surely,
because my flock became a prey,
and
my flock became meat to every beast of the field,
because
there was no shepherd; a prey to all the kingdoms of the people,
being
without a governor, as the Targum; or to false teachers,
there
being no spiritual pastors to take care of them:
neither
did my shepherds search for my flock; that was scattered,
and
carried captive,
and
became a prey to others; even those that were of God’s appointing,
as
the kings of Israel, their priests and prophets;
for
both their civil polity and ecclesiastical hierarchy were of God,
though
the ends thereof were not answered,
or
the persons put into office did not do their duty:
but
the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock.
Ezekiel 34:11-16 Gill Notes
and
then the strong of the flock, that oppressed the weak,
are
threatened with punishment,
Ver. 11.
For thus says the Lord God, &c.] Since the shepherds
are
so negligent, careless, and cruel:
behold,
I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out;
as he
did the Jews,
in all
countries where they were, so his elect in all places where they are:
He is
the omniscient God, and knows them that are His,
and
can call His own sheep by name; He knows the places where they are;
for
He has fixed the bounds of their habitation,
and
was delighting Himself in the habitable parts of the earth,
where
He knew they would be, even before the world was;
He
knows the time of finding them, which He himself has fixed,
and
which is a time of love, and a time of life; and He can distinguish them,
notwithstanding
the filth they have contracted by their sins and transgressions,
and
from the crowd they are among:
and
He is the omnipotent God,
that
can take them out of what hands wherever they may be,
or in
whatsoever state and condition they are; though in the hands of Satan,
in
the paws of that devouring lion, and in a pit wherein is no water,
in a
horrible pit, the mire and clay: He that says this is the owner and proprietor
of them;
and
that is the reason why He searches and seeks them out;
and
which He repeats for the confirmation of it,
and
to show the vehemence of his affection towards them,
and
how bent He is upon it, and how eager and resolute in His pursuit after them:
He
searches for His chosen people among the ruins of Adam’s fall,
in
whom they fell as others; among the men of the world, where they are;
among
the dust of the earth, where His lost piece of silver and those pearls lie;
among
the mountains of sin or self-righteousness,
where
these sheep are wandering; and He never leaves off seeking and searching till
He
has found them: and what moves Him to it is not their nature,
for
they are no better than others; nor their numbers, for they are few;
but
His love to them, the relation He stands in to them as their Shepherd,
His
interest and property in them, His covenant on their account,
and
also His own glory.
Pastors Rebuked:
Jeremiah 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the
LORD?
and
they that handle the law knew me not:
the pastors also transgressed against
me,
and
the prophets
prophesied by
Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
Jeremiah 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish,
and
have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper,
and
all their flocks shall be scattered.
Jeremiah 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard,
they
have trodden my portion under foot,
they
have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
Jeremiah 22:22 The wind shall eat up all your pastors,
and
your lovers shall go into captivity:
surely
then shall you be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.
Jeremiah 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter
the
sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.
2 Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel
against the pastors
that
feed my people; You have scattered my flock, and driven them away,
and
have not visited them: behold,
I
will visit upon you the evil of your doings, says the LORD.
Prophets Rebuked:
Jeremiah 23:9 Mine heart within me is broken
because of the prophets;
all
my bones shake; I am like a drunken man,
and
like a man whom wine hath overcome,
because
of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness.
10 For the land is full of adulterers; for
because of swearing
the
land mourns; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up,
and
their course is evil, and their force is not right.
11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yes,
in my
house have I found their wickedness, says the LORD.
12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as
slippery ways in the darkness:
they
shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them,
even
the year of their visitation, says the LORD.
13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria;
they prophesied in Baal, and caused my
people Israel to err.
14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible
thing:
they
commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands
of
evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness:
they
are all of them unto me as Sodom,
and
the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts
concerning the prophets;
Behold,
I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink
the
water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem
is profaneness
gone forth into all the land.
16 Thus says the LORD of hosts,
Hearken
not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you:
they
make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart,
and
not out of the mouth of the LORD.
17 They say still unto them that despise me,
The
LORD hath said, You shall have peace; and they say unto every one
that
walks after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD,
and
hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth
in fury,
even
a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the LORD shall not return, until
he have executed,
and
till he have performed the thoughts of his heart:
in the latter days you shall consider it perfectly.
21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran:
I
have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my counsel,
and
had caused my people to hear my words,
then
they should have turned them from their evil way,
and
from the evil of their doings.
23 Am I a God at hand, says the LORD, and not a
God afar off?
24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall
not see him? says the LORD.
Do
not I fill heaven and earth? says the LORD.
25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name,
saying,
I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies?
yes,
they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my
name by their dreams
which
they tell every man to his neighbour,
as
their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream;
and
he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.
What
is the chaff to the wheat? says the LORD.
29 Is not my word like as a fire? says the LORD;
and
like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD,
that
steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, that use
their tongues,
and
say, He says.
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams,
says
the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies,
and
by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them:
therefore
they shall not profit this people at all, says the LORD.
33
¶ And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying,
What
is the burden of the LORD? you shall then say unto them,
What
burden? I will even forsake you, says the LORD.
34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people,
that shall say, The burden of the LORD, I will
even punish that man and his house.
35 Thus shall you say every one to his
neighbour,
and
every one to his brother,
What
hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the LORD spoken?
36 And the burden of the LORD shall you mention
no more:
for
every man’s word shall be his burden;
for
you have perverted the words of the living God,
of
the LORD of hosts our God.
37 Thus shall you say to the prophet,
What
has the LORD answered you? and,
What
has the LORD spoken?
38 But since you say, The burden of the LORD;
therefore
thus says the LORD;
Because
you say this word, The burden of the LORD,
and I
have sent unto you, saying, You shall not say,
The
burden of the LORD;
39 Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly
forget you,
and I
will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers,
and
cast you out of my presence:
40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon
you, and a perpetual shame,
which
shall not be forgotten.
It is worth noting that the book of Jeremiah was actually written
to all the nations of the earth
and is completely up to date and very relevant to us today
.
Jeremiah 25: 17 Then took I the cup at the
LORD’S hand,
and
made all
the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:
26 And all the kings of the north, far and near,
one with another,
and
all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth:
and
the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.
29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which
is called by my name,
and should you be utterly unpunished? You
shall not be unpunished:
for I will call for a
sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth,
says
the LORD of hosts.
30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these
words,
and
say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high,
and
utter his voice from his holy habitation;
He
shall mightily roar upon his habitation;
He
shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes,
against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 A noise shall come even to the ends of
the earth;
for
the LORD hath a controversy with the nations,
He will plead with all flesh;
He
will give them that are wicked to the sword, says the LORD.
32 Thus says the LORD of hosts,
Behold,
evil
shall go forth from nation to nation,
and a
great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that
day
from
one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth:
they
shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried;
they
shall be dung upon the ground.
Becoming True Disciples of
Jesus Christ
is the only way out of
this dilemma.
The only way out of this dilemma is Jesus Christ.
He is the only way of escape.
Praise the Lord.
Come soon Lord Jesus.
Amen.
(Bible Explanations, Messages of Life, Hope &
Encouragement)