Tuesday after Epiphany I - A devotion

 Lectionary for January 12
Ezekiel 34:1-24      Romans 3:19-31

This Old Testament lesson is truly amazing.

I do not know how many Christians believe that the Old Testament is all about the Law, and the New Testament is about the Gospel, but the numbers must be staggering.  It is incredible how many times Christians will say something like, “We’re people of the New Testament, not the Old Testament.” And yet, the merciful heart of our Lord is so vibrantly exposed and brilliantly expressed in this text from Ezekiel.

Let me reprint here verses 11-16.  11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

There are fifteen times in these 6 verses in which God tells the people what He will do for His people.  He also says that He will destroy the fat and the strong.  It is how He states that He will destroy those who rely upon themselves, who feel they are good enough on their own, and who prey upon others.

In the meantime, 15 times He states what He will do for His people.  He tells how He will be the one doing everything.  Were you listening?  Hear them again:
I myself will search for my sheep,

(I will) seek them out,

As a shepherd seeks out his flock... so will I seek out my sheep

I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered

I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries,

I will bring them into their own land.

I will feed them on the mountains of Israel

I will feed them with good pasture,

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep,

I myself will make them lie down,

I will seek the lost,

I will bring back the strayed,

I will bind up the injured,

I will strengthen the weak,

I will feed them in justice.

We are the sheep who love to wander in the wilderness of the world, and wallow in the decadence of sin, but thanks be to our God, for we the sheep would never choose Him as our Shepherd, but He chooses us as His sheep.  He sought us out because we were running from Him, and brought to Himself in the waters of baptism.  He has brought us from numerous places to be His people – from Embarrass, Algoma, Detroit, Connecticut, California, from foreign lands and places.

This is about Jesus. In the 10th Chapter of John's Gospel, Jesus connects Himself with this text. He proclaims that He is the one foretold to do all these things. 11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep...17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” (John 10:11, 17-18)

So yes, Jesus fulfills this Old Testament lesson from Ezekiel.  He lays down His life for His sheep on the cross and victoriously rose on the third day.

It is Jesus who comes to us still in Word and Sacrament. He brings us to His house, His land, His mountain, His pasture – that He may make us to lie down, to bind up the wounds of our sinfulness with His Word, strengthen us to live in His grace, and feed us unto life everlasting with His precious body and blood.

“I will do it,” declares the Lord, and He does.  Our text is an Old Testament prophecy telling of the work of God’s Son, the Good Shepherd.  It declares to us the merciful heart of God who does not leave us to our own devices, but comes to us and saves.  Thanks be to God, for He has done – and is doing it – in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.