Ezekiek 34: 2 - 4 > Woe to the shephards
| Ezekiel 34: 2 - 4 ( King James Version ) |
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| Son on man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Soe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? |
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| 34: 3 > Ye eat the fat, ad ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. |
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| 34: 4 > The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. |
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| Ezekial 34: 2 - 4 ( New American Standard Bible ) |
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| Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, "Thus says the Lord God, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shephards feed the flock? |
| v. 3 > You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the clock. |
| verse 4 > Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. |
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| Text Quoted in Spirit of Prophecy |
| Instead of being a protector of men, Babylon became a proud and cruel oppressor. The words of Inspiration picturing the cruelty and greed of rulers in Israel reveal the secret of Babylon’s fall and of the fall of many another kingdom since the world began: “Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.” Ezekiel 34:3, 4. Education, page 176.1 Read entire Chapter 19 |
| The Pharisees had not entered by the door. They had climbed into the fold by another way than Christ, and they were not fulfilling the work of the true shepherd. The priests and rulers, the scribes and Pharisees, destroyed the living pastures, and defiled the wellsprings of the water of life. Faithfully do the words of inspiration describe those false shepherds: “The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away; ... but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.” Ezekiel 34:4. { DA 478.1} |
| “The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.” ( Isaiah 5:7; Ezekiel 34:4). { ULe 8.8 } |
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| “And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: and I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant: and He looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.” Isaiah 5:3-7. “The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.” Ezekiel 34:4. { AA 15.3} |
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| The priests and rulers, the scribes and Pharisees, destroyed the living pastures and defiled the wellsprings of the water of life. Inspiration describes these false shepherds: “The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.” Ezekiel 34:4, RSV. { HLv 324.1 } |
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| I feel deeply, feel that we have erred in not manifesting greater love, forbearance, and pity for others. “The diseased have ye not strengthened” ( Ezekiel 34:4), is the reproof given to unfaithful shepherds. Our feelings must not be a ruling power. We must walk in all humility of mind. The Lord loves His servants who are unselfishly engaged in the saving of souls. He will as readily guide them in judgment and teach them His will as He will teach us. We must believe that Jesus stands at the helm. He will be captain, and we may trust His own work in His all-powerful hands. { 11MR 26.1 } |