Ezekiel 34

An image-lover is a God-hater. Idolaters are said to go a whoring from God (Ezekiel 34:15). How can they love God?

(4.) The church-thief, or pluralist, who holds several benefices, but seldom or never preaches to the people: he gets the golden fleece, but lets his flock starve. (Ezekiel 34:2) Woe be to the shepherds of Israel. Ver. 8. They feed themselves, and feed not my flock.

As if his riches lay in them: a man seals a bag of money for his use: so the Lord seals his people as his portion with a double seal, the one of election (2 Timothy 2:19), the other of assurance (Ephesians 1:13). 7. God calls them his plant of renown (Ezekiel 34:19). He hedges i…

But the Lord makes David, that is Jesus the Son of David, Prince over his people, not with power to save or destroy his redeemed flock, and so as all the flock may eternally perish. Ezekiel 34:22: "Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey." — Verse 23: "A…

The sheep or ox that goes astray, must be brought home again (Exodus 23:4), much more your neighbor. Christ himself brings home again the lost sheep, and so must every shepherd (Ezekiel 34:4). Now the Galatians were in all likelihood persons curable: and therefore not to be cut…

By bearing of our own burdens, is vnderstood giving an account for our selues to God. Nowe euery man is not to give account for himself alone, but for those also that are cōmitted to his charge, as the father for his child, the master for his seruant, the magistrate for the sub…

"They shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king," (Jeremiah 30:9.) Again, "my servant David shall be a prince among them," (Ezekiel 34:24; 37:24.) "They shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king," (Hosea 3:5.)

But the latter root has been more fertile in suggestions. John Alberti, no mean authority, in his Glossarium Graecum, (under Luke 11:38,) defines Φαρισαῖος, to be διακεχωρισμένος, separated, and quotes the Septuagint as employing that participle (Ezekiel 34:12) for, נפרׁשות the…

When our Lord says that the separation of the sheep from the goats is delayed till that day, he means that the wicked are now mixed with the good and holy, so that they live together in the same flock of God. The comparison appears to be borrowed from Ezekiel 34:18, where the Lo…

And, 2. to give them quiet and cool resting-places in the time of heat, when the Sun becomes scorching; and therefore prays she to him, Seeing you do both these to yours, let me know the right way of partaking of the benefit of your care. Which two petitions imply, 1. That there…

Next, by foxes are understood false teachers (Ezekiel 13:4): O Israel, your Prophets (that is your flattering teachers as the context clears) are as foxes in the deserts. And (Matthew 7:15) they are called wolves in sheep's clothing: Hereby are meant, not every one, who in somet…

This dealing of theirs cannot be to speak a word in season to the weary soul of a tender person, whose carriage is so convincing even to others, that in verse 9 they give her a high commendation, which is a clear testimony against the malignity of these watchmen; they must there…

The ordinance of sacrificing was the greatest of the instituted types; and the redemption out of Egypt was the greatest of the providential types; and David the greatest of the personal types. Hence Christ is often called David in the prophecies of scripture; as Ezekiel 34:23-24…

There is nothing in the Book of God, in which God is so full in his expression, as when he comes to this argument, to manifest his affection to his Church. Christ is the Shepherd, and when sheep are together, they are under the protection of the Shepherd, when the sheep are scat…

When he sees a poor soul weak, tender, and ready to sink and perish, he takes him into his arms by some gracious promise administered to him, carries him, and bears him up when he is not able to go one step forward. Hence his great quarrel with those shepherds in Ezekiel 34:4: t…

But this truth hangs not on such weak notions as are often used, either for or against it. In that prophecy (Ezekiel 34:16): I will seek, and bring again, etc., and (Psalm 23:3): He restores, or returns, my soul. And that this is the work of this Shepherd the Lord Jesus, God-man…

And there[•]ore in Ezekiel 33. it was the fault of the Shepheards, they ruled all the people with rigour, but we are helpers of your joy; for what have we to doe, but what our Master has set us about to doe? as he did; how did he behaue himself? the smoking Flax, he did not blow…

(4.) The same Covenant made with Abraham is made with the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 6:16): I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Which is prophesied of the Gentiles under the New Testament in Ezekiel 11:17-20, Ezekiel 34:23-25, Jeremiah 31:31-36, Jeremiah 32:36-40,…

(5.) Infants are debarred from Covenant-calling and gathering in under the wings of Christ: contrary to Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 23:37, Psalm 147:19-20, and excluded from God's Covenant-choice: contrary to Deuteronomy 7:6-9, 13-14, Deuteronomy 10:15, and left being heirs of wra…

6. (Jeremiah 31:[reconstructed: 38]) Behold the days will come, says the Lord, that the City shall be built to the Lord, etc. There is a promise of spiritual right in Christ made to the blessings of this life, to these that are personal Covenanters; as (Jeremiah 32:41; Ezekiel 1…

We look little to anything but to have and enjoy the dead lump and body of gold, dead lands without Christ. See (Hosea 2:18, 22; Ezekiel 34:25, 27; Ezekiel 36:29; Leviticus 26:6; Psalm 37:9, 11, 29; 1 Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 13:5-6; Matthew 6:25-26; Psalm 34:10). O fair inheritance.

Argument 1. What argument does prove that there is a people in Covenant with God, who call the Lord their God (as in Zechariah 13:9; Jeremiah 32:38; Isaiah 25:9), the same shall prove Christ to be in Covenant with God: as whoever can say, 'he is my God,' must be in Covenant with…

Fourth, the necessity of this Covenant appears, in that salvation is taken off free-will, and the slippery yes, and no, of free-will in the Covenant of Works, and laid upon one that is mighty, upon David, to govern Israel as their king; but (Psalm 89:19) upon Christ (as excellen…

The scriptures are full of such Testimonies, whereby, we may know, and espy out false Prophets, but they are most lively depicted and set forth. Ezekiel 34 Chapter. Which place, the shortness of our matter will not suffer us, nor admit, to write out here.

So he had them first to the spring. Lo, says he, this is the spring that Christian drank of before he went up this hill: and then it was clear and good; but now it is dirty with the feet of some that are not desirous that pilgrims here should quench their thirst (Ezekiel 34:18-1…

Now it was necessary that Christ the Messiah should lineally descend of a king: Abraham was not a king, Adam was not formally a king by covenant as David was. 2. Christ changes names with David, as he never did with any man: Christ is never called Abraham, but (Ezekiel 34:23, 24…

I would humbly desire of every minister that has thus long remained disaffected to this work, and has had contemptible thoughts of it, to consider whether he has not hitherto been like Michal, without any child, or at least in a great measure barren and unsuccessful in his work:…