The Resurrection to New Life

Dry Bones Are Given New Life

Book of Ezekiel Chapter 37

As Christians we already know that Christ Jesus is the only hope for this wicked and evil world.

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

The three Christian statements of our "faith" are built upon "our faith", "our hope", "and our love" in all the promises of Jehovah God.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Why is the greatest of these, charity? What did Jesus say to us?

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

To many people, these are hard lessons. To the Church, we know these words as the truth of God.

These things are the difference between life and death!

The Christians will certainly die, but this death is the doorway to eternal glory!

The lost world will certainly die, but this death is followed with eternal death. A death of eternal torment!

In our lesson today we can see the power of the Almighty God in the valley of dry bones.

*****Eze 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

Eze 37:2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

This valley of dry bones represents a place of death and destruction. A place where two great armies had met and death and destruction followed, their bodies left on the battlefield and never buried. Their bones so dry that they were brittle and broken easily.

In reality this passage represents the resurrection of the dead when the Lord returns with the souls that are in Heaven.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, "even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him".

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The power of Jehovah God is unlimited, and He has given all His power to His Son, Jesus Christ!

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

We have the example of the resurrection:

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

If there is a resurrection of those when the Lord meets the Church in the air, then there is another resurrection of the dead to new life after the Church for those who are martyrs during the tribulation years, and then an end time resurrect for all those who will face the Lord Jesus at the White Throne of Judgment..

Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

As Christians we now have that hope of eternal glory but to the lost, they live in hopelessness.

Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them "that were slain for the word of God", and for the testimony which they held:

Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

All those who know the Lord will be raised to new life!

All those who reject the Lord will be raised to eternal damnation, a terrible, terrible, terrible thing that should cause us to reach out not only to our loved ones but to all that do not know the Lord in a personal relationship!

As we go along, we will see that this valley of dry bones represents the nation of Israel, who are dead to the truth of God, and dead to the reality of salvation by Jesus Christ.

So in this case, this passage represents a revival of the people of Israel that has not taken place as of yet!

*****Eze 37:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

Today there is more than half our world that do not believe in the resurrection of the body, because they reject the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the time of Christ there were influential, but very lost men known as Sadducee.

Mat 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

Jesus said stay away from all who teach the sinful doctrine of the Sadducees and there are many of these unbelievers around today!

Mat 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

For Ezekiel. either by vision or some other method, he would witness what the Lord calls the resurrection of those who sleep in Jesus, but also all those who will be resurrected from the dead to go to the White Throne Judgment.

Ezekiel replied, yes Lord you are powerful enough to do anything you choose to do!

The Lord also has the power to bring revival to a nation as we will witness in this passage, but a revival that has not yet taken place.

Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

We have to accept the fact that Judah was a captured nation and had lost all hope, but by Jeremiah they should have known that this captivity would only last 70 years and the Almighty God would change the power structure of this world once again, which He always has the power to do even in our day.

They should never have been hopeless, but we know they are still blind to the truth.

*****Eze 37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

The house of Israel had been taken captive, and were being forced marched to Babylon to be scattered all over the lands under the domain of the Babylon Empire.

They certainly thought they would never see their homeland again and were aware that they could lose their own lives at any moment.

These things took place because they had forsaken Jehovah and lived any way they wanted to.

They had forsaken the Laws of Moses and the statutes of God.

They had worshiped false gods and they were seeing the results of their sin.

The Lord God Jehovah showed Ezekiel in a vision or some other way, that restoring Israel to a godly nation is always within His powers in that day and today and at any time in the future as long as time last!

Hos 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.

Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

As a child of Jehovah God there is never a time, I should feel hopeless!

There is never a time I should worry about my future because the promises of God are real.

There is never a time I should be afraid of what this world can do to me.

There is never a time I should sink into depression because my God is all powerful.

Even when my bones are lying in a grave or burnt to ashes while my soul is in Heaven, that body of flesh can be restored, except this time it will be made perfect and it will be a glorified body.

What did Ezekiel witness?

*****Eze 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

This is a resurrection!

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Job 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

This is the great revival of the House of Israel!

Rom 11:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

What did Israel need to know on that miserable day? There was a promise of new life!

What should every lost soul know about the "Gospel"? There is a promise of new life and it is eternal!

I just wonder sometimes when our Pastor is behind his pulpit, if he ever feels like he is preaching to a valley of dry bones.

Ezekiel preached the words God that gave him and all of a sudden, those old dry bones began to come to life.

You see in the eyes of God, we will never be in a situation of hopelessness, because the worst thing that can happen is that we will go on home.

This place of earth is not our home and we should never forget that we are just strangers passing through this wicked and corrupt and evil place.

What is so great about have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?

*****Eze 37:14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

We must never forget it is the Spirit of Jehovah that gives life!

Psa 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

Psa 104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

Psa 104:31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

Our Holy God has the power to conquer death and the proof to the Church is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

What had Moses preached to the House of Israel?

Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

To be honest, when we choose to live a life of death, how can we complain when that time comes, yet we have a merciful God who will even allow a death bed confession.

As long as there is life in our bodies and have not rejected the Holy Spirit to a point that He will not convict us of our wrong, then we can still be gloriously saved, but it is a foolish thing to test God because He will not be tested. In fact today is the day of salvation for everyone because tomorrow my not come to the wicked!

Pro 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

2Co 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

There is an accepted time for each of us to ask the Lord to forgive us our sins and come into our hearts and save us!

The Lord will never forget those who love Him, and the Lord will never forget His chosen people Israel.

For who is a true Jew?

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

God will bring every child of Israel back home who wants to be there, for even they will have to choose Jesus!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

This truth is the same for all people!

*****Eze 37:21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

Eze 37:22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

Eze 37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

When Israel returned after the Babylon captivity, they did not come back perfect, but they were no longer idol worshipers!

They knew it was Jehovah who had rescued them just as He had from Egypt!

They had spent 70 years in captivity and all those who worshiped idols just as in the 40 years in the wilderness, where those who doubted the truth of God had died off.

In the time of Jesus they again rebelled against the truth of God and that whole generation was destroyed by Titus in 70 AD and Israel again has been scattered throughout this world but again they are making their way back home and one day soon their eyes will be opened to the truth of the Messiah!

The words of Jesus:

Luk_11:50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

Today Israel's population is nearly 10 million people and they are growing by 10,000 each year since 1948.

We must remember the nation of Israel is home to all sorts of people and then there are the legitimate children of Israel.

God loves this nation He has delivered them from idolatry.

He has delivered them from false worship.

He has delivered them from wicked behavior.

God is striving for a personal relationship with these people just as He does with all unbelievers!

Jehovah loves personal relationships!

Jehovah has been dealing with Israel as a nation, but His intention now, is to get to know each of them in a personal relationship!

Just as He did with David, and Moses, and Abraham, and Sarah, and all His prophets in the Old Testament. Just as He did Adam and Eve who He walked with in the cool of the day.

Jer 30:24 The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

Jer 31:1 At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

Jer 32:37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:

Jer 32:38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:

Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Psa 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

Psa 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Psa 68:20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

Now remember our study of Chapter 34 of David.

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

David will certainly be resurrected as will all the children of God who are asleep in Jesus, but he will not be king because we have only one king and that is King Jesus!

*****Eze 37:24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

Eze 37:25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

All the covenants of Jehovah are everlasting covenants, but they all have a fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. When King Jesus sits upon the throne as absolute King and Ruler of Israel, He will also be the absolute King and Ruler of this entire planet because He already is. It will be at this time that the entire world will recognize our Lord as the Master of the Universe, in fact Master of the Cosmos!

King Jesus will also be that Great Shepherd of the souls of all His people.

1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

These things will be eternal when we reach the New Jerusalem!

As one bone is connected to the next bone all the children of Israel will come to their respective families and respective tribes just 7 or more years after the Church is taken out of this world and is in Heaven.

True peace will come to this world and to Jerusalem the city of peace that has never before seen peace!

*****Eze 37:26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

What are the steps of this great event?

The people of Israel will be gathered.

All the tribes of Israel will be united.

All of Israel will be purified.

The nation of Israel will be established under the rule of the Messiah.

Jehovah will make a covenant of "Grace" with the "Apple of His eye".

This will be and everlasting, eternal covenant.

The Lord will place them and give them to the land He promised to Abraham.

The Lord will multiply them.

The Lord will set His sanctuary in the midst of them.

Where is God's sanctuary?

Psa 102:19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

Psa 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

Psa 102:21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

Psa 102:22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

Remember the Church is with the Lord during all these things and the Church and the saved Israel, will be with the Lord throughout eternity!

*****Eze 37:27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Eze 37:28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

The fathers of the nation of Israel had a tabernacle built after they escaped from Egypt (type of the world of sin) a place of worship that they carried with them as they traveled in this wilderness of sin, but our Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ has brought with Him a better tabernacle, a Spiritual tabernacle, and a heavenly tabernacle so they can leave a world of sin and become holy, a people serving a holy God, and they will come to know the Joy of the Lord and become a blessed people forever!

Today the heathen are still mocking God because they have no fear of Him, but when our Savior appears in that Heavenly Sky returning to this earth in full view, they will see how foolish they have been and they will first try to destroy Him and next they will try to hide from Him and both these things are impossible.

Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

We live in a foolish world that keeps denying our Creator, but on this day, they will not be able to deny Him!

The nation of Israel shall feel the full force of the Holy Spirit, and they will accept all the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, and will be sanctified to serve our Holy God just as the Church!

1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

This lost world will feel the wrath of our Heavenly Father, when they did not have to!

Amen

Let's Pray

The Promised Land

God's Nation Is Physically Blessed

Book of Ezekiel Chapter 36 Verses 5-11, 17-19, 22-28

Early in this Chapter of the Book of Ezekiel we see where the Babylonians had destroyed the lands of Israel as they marched toward Jerusalem.

We see that others from the adjacent lands, the enemies of these Jews, had helped these Babylonians to destroy the land of Israel and Judea.

We see that war destroys not only people, but also the land those people live on and depend upon.

Had by chance the Jews defeated Babylon, they could not have even recovered from such devastation.

Reminds us of Japan and World War 2, how the lands were devasted by just two nuclear bombs and Japan would never have recovered without the help of the United States.

In fact many nations would have had great trouble without the help of the USA, but these things are now forgotten by most.

The truth of Israel, and Judea, and Jerusalem:

*****Eze 36:5 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed "my land" into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.

Eze 36:6 Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen:

Eze 36:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.

Eze 36:8 But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.

It seems that the governments of this world just do not realize just how much Jehovah God loves the Holy Land of Israel and the people He placed there so many years ago!

Zep 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Notice how God, who promised land, which many now call Palestine, had already given this to Israel, but He still says it is His land!

Idumea is the name given by the descendants of Esau, and they have been the enemies of the Jews then and are still now.

They hate the Jews, all the descendants of Jacob who was the twin brother of Esau!

These heathen, are to be considered, all the unbelieving people of the world, as compared to the Jews who are believers, and who are God's people set aside for His use.

Jehovah said to Ezekiel, be sure to write these things down for all the world to know, that this promised land is very special to our Holy God.

The land that is the "promised land" belongs to Jehovah God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit(Ghost)!

We speak of God's wrath, that we will miss out on, but God is giving us a small view of what His wrath looks like.

Jehovah will not allow His land to suffer because of the "heathen"!

Those who put shame and reproach upon God’s people, though God may have made it serve a purpose to His end, will sooner or later have it turned upon themselves.

We should understand that few lands have been attacked and ravaged more than the Holy Land given to the Jews.

Each time God has given this land back to the Jews! This is why to them it is still the "Promised Land"!

It's time for the world to recognize this fact!

Zep 2:1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;

Zep 2:2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come upon you.

Zep 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

As Israel has borne the shame of reproaches and taunts of the heathen for so many years, so they when God's wrath comes, will still bear the shame of God's wrath upon His enemies!

Israel will bare that shame because none of these things would have ever happened, had the children of Israel remained faithful to Jehovah God all these years that have passed since the time of Abraham.

This world would have been an entirely different place, had the Jews remained faithful all these years!

We have seen the land of the Jews blossom from desert to a place of beauty, but this will be nothing compared to how all the world will blossom, when the Lord Jesus Christ will sit upon His throne in Jerusalem.

At this time in history, the 70 years of captivity was coming to an end, and Ezekiel is warning all those who claimed Judah that the Jews were soon coming home as prophesied by Jeremiah.

What happens when the Jews are on the promised land? These desert lands will be tilled and sown.

*****Eze 36:9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:

As we have seen since 1948, the land of Israel has become a garden and now the world sees the value of this land, when it was nothing more than a desert waste land that no one upon this earth wanted, because it had no value.

But even greater things are in the future for those who turn to the Lord!

Zec 8:12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.

Zec 8:13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

This is the truth of the land when the land is not occupied by the people of God.

This is also the truth of that lost soul!

The lost soul is but a waste land if it is left alone without our Savior!

A creature that lives without his Creator will die a horrible death!

God looks upon the heart of man as a field in need of plowing and sowing, so it can blossom and produce fruit.

The heart that is not plowed or sown, will produce something, but it will resemble weeds that must be removed by the root and burned that they are destroyed.

Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

If we cannot allow the Lord to come into our heart, then we will become a waste land!

If we can ask the Lord to come into our heart by our faith, then we can produce the fruit of life!

*****Eze 36:10 And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:

What we see is, when the Lord is living within us, we will produce life.

Notice here again, God knows where all the tribes of Israel are located.

At the time of Ezekiel we know that it was just the house of Judah and Benjamin that returned only to a small portion of the promised land.

Most all the other tribes were scattered too far, or they were too poor, or they were slaves with human masters unwilling to let them go.

When Israel became a nation again, there was an open invitation for all the tribes of Israel to return home.

Until the return of Christ to His throne in Jerusalem, this prophesy will not see its ultimate fulfillment!

All the house of Israel even all of it, the Holy Spirit says will one day go home!

The cities will be bustling with people, all the waste places will be built upon, and the land will produce enough food for them all!

But only if they will call upon the LORD. His name is Jehovah!

Isa 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

Isa 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Isa 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

We know this has not taken place, yet it is still in the future.

Only those who call upon the Lord God Jehovah, can see these wonders of the rebuilt earth!

Isa 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

Only those who call upon the Lord will be able to see the ever greater, glories of the New Jerusalem!

Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

This time has not yet come, but we can see just a taste of it in the revival of Israel today!

*****Eze 36:11 And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

From a meager beginning in 1948, Israel now has a population of nearly 9 million people and growing about 10,000 people each year. There are more than twice as many births as there are deaths in Israel.

God is still multiplying the people of Israel, but keep in mind that there were estimates of at least a million Jews who left Egypt in the time of Moses and God later scattered them all around the world.

What we see is, that with all the things that happened to this tiny nation, there is still a great future that awaits them!

We also see even in adverse conditions these people continue to multiply.

This land will be more prosperous than it has ever been before, because Jehovah has chosen this land for His own!

From previous lessons we know that Jehovah is able to do everything He says He will do!

From the time of Noah we know that this land has been defiled.

Defiled meaning polluted, corrupted, violated.

We can just imagine that this is what the Lord thinks of all our lands today, and He will cleanse all the lands of this earth one day and that one day may be soon coming!

*****Eze 36:17 Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.

It’s a sad thing when we pollute the lands we live upon, but the Lord is not talking about this type of pollution.

It is the worship of pagan gods whose human sacrifices are an abomination to Him!

It is the worship of all false deities!

It is the massive killing of unborn children.

It is all those still running in Sodom and Gomorrah.

I can just imagine how the Lord feels about the abortion of so many babies throughout the world today, which is nothing but a mockery to the laws of God.

The Lord God Jehovah is even more tied to the land promised to Israel, but remember, all that we see and all that we cannot see, are God's creation!

Uncleanness is best described as filthiness and we live in a world that parades its filthiness before God's people every day!

In fact uncleanness describes sin!

Isa_64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

What is the difference of those who walk with the Lord from those who do not?

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

What does God think about uncleanness? Look at the example given to us of Israel.

*****Eze 36:18 Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it:

Eze 36:19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.

The question we should ask ourselves is, since God will punish people, then what makes the world think God has changed in His ways?

What had these people done that God would do such a thing?

They lived unclean lives in the filthiness of sin.

They committed violence in the promised land.

They polluted the promised land with idolatry.

Remember Jehovah God said this was His land!

The world should be very careful with the decisions they make about God's land. All creation belongs to our Holy God, but this land given to Abraham, every place he placed his feet, God has chosen for Himself!

God may be slow to punish, but we can be sure God will punish all those who make a mockery of His Words!

Rom_12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

We should also understand that the stroke of judgment from the Lord is like a lightening flash, it is irresistible, it is fatal, and it kills in the twinkling of an eye.

Eze_33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

The "judgment" and the "chastisement" of the Lord will be according to the doings of that guilty person or that guilty nation!

The truth is, when God punishes you, it is because you are guilty. Jehovah has never made a mistake and He never will!

Since Israel wanted to be like the heathen nations, then Jehovah scattered them among the heathen nations to live, and He scattered them well!

This punishment was to help them see the error of their ways!

This punishment was to rid the promised land of idolatry and corruptness!

*****Eze 36:22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.

Jehovah did also show the world that He will not tolerate sin from His chosen people!

What is the truth?

From the time of Abraham, the Israelites had professed to know the only "Living God".

When their land was destroyed and they were exiled, the world mocked their claim, and this is still the truth of today!

The world is still mocking Jehovah God!

In 1948 the nation of Israel was "Born Again" according to prophesy.

Isa_66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

The true Israelites are now returning to the "Promised Land"!

This one prophesy opened the eyes of the world and the world seeks to defy Jehovah as if He does not exist, but this time the tiny nation of Israel will be protected by the "right arm of God" the arm of power, until the Lord returns to set things in order.

Mic 4:5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

Mic 4:6 In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;

Mic 4:7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

The world may still be mocking Jehovah, but many see the fulfillment of God's promises are in the making!

*****Eze 36:23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

Israel is being restored not because they have ended all their sinful ways because they have not completely given themselves to Jehovah, because they still reject the Son of God.

Israel is being restored because Jehovah does exactly what He says and no power on earth can stop Him!

Israel is being restored to show the world that Jehovah is a Holy God and that He alone is the Lord of this world!

We see all those who hate Him raise up their voices, but God has always had this one saying for the world.

Gen_12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

We are more in this period now than we have ever been!

The nations who are against the Lord are gathering together and the nations that help Israel are also assembling and this taking place today.

As the Church we must know that the Lord will take us home before these things reach fulfillment!

What does Israel lack?

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

This healing has not happened as of yet, because Israel has not yet humbled themselves before the God they used to claim!

*****Eze 36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

After many years, the Jews are still returning to God's land some 10,000 each year.

To be a true resident of Israel, then they must be a child of a mother who is in the bloodline of a Jew, just as it was with Sarah and Abraham.

Gen_21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Gen 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

Gen 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

Gen 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

Gen 17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

The Muslim may claim Abraham and they should, but they cannot claim the covenant God made with the descendants of Sarah and her son Isaac unless they also claim the Lord Jesus Christ is God in the flesh and the true Messiah!

They, just like all others, can be a part of the covenant with Isaac if they accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the true Son of God, and therefore much more than a prophet and a good man, but Jehovah God in the flesh!

Notice how all that are not part of the scattered tribes of Israel, are called heathen!

Notice also how God's land is now called the land of the Jews (their own land)!

How will God cleanse these people?

No one can come to God until they are cleansed from sin!

It is sin that clogs the heart and keeps out the 'Love of God"!

You see Jehovah will give them a new nature.

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Eze 11:20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

They will meet the Savior!

1Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

1Jn 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

1Jn 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

1Jn 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

There is no other way to be cleansed from sin, and without this cleansing there will be no new heart, only with a new heart will God's blessing bear fruit!

*****Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Eze 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

As we can see, Jehovah makes things so simple.

According to the Bible, the heart is the center of all spiritual activity and all the operations of human life.

The heart is the home of the personal life!

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Psa 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

Psa 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

The heart is the seat of our conscience!

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

When we were living among the lost souls of this world, how could we describe our hearts?

Jer_17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

So the salvation process must begin with the heart!

It is called faith that brings repentance with it!

A new frame of our soul.

A mind changed from sinful to holy, from carnal to spiritual.

A heart that can have the law of Jehovah written upon it.

Our own spirit will not ever be suitable, so we must have the Spirit of Jesus!

Php_1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Which is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost!

The Spirit of God will come to live in every believer! He will never live in a filthy heart!

It is only these things that will cause a disposition of holiness!

We will be willing:

We will be able:

We will walk:

We will keep the judgments of Jehovah and walk in the statutes of Jehovah and we will live in holiness because these are the ways of Jesus Christ!

For Israel they will live freely in their land for 1000 years with King Jesus upon His throne in Jerusalem, as promised by Jehovah.

Then we all will live in the New Jerusalem throughout eternity.

Amen

Let's Pray

Sheep Looking for the Good Shepherd

God's Sheep Find Their Shepherd

Ezekiel Chapter 34

Today we will begin this quarter in the Old Testament, and we will see that God was the same in all His "judgments" as He is today and the answer to every question is still our "Perfect Shepherd" the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must remember, all the Old Testament teaches us about the character of our Heavenly Father.

How He expects us to live a holy life.

How He will chastise us when we go against His Word.

How He will judge those who reject Him.

How He will be a Shepherd to those who love Him.

In the world of animals, sheep may be the dumbest of all animals.

This is evident as a trait of our own human character! I realize main will object to this statement, but the truth is never well accepted by all!

What is the truth? If you have a flock of sheep, then there is a great need of a shepherd!

In our lesson today we will meet a nameless shepherd who would eat from his flock. He would kill them for meat and clothing. He would take from them their milk for nourishment and the products that come from the milk, and he felt that this was the only reason for having this flock.

What do we find? We find that this shepherd would not feed his flock. He would not lead his flock to drinkable water. He would not fight off the predators. He saw his sheep only as merchandise.

What would these sheep do? They would go in search for food and drink, they would be scattered. Their strength would soon fade. The stronger sheep would push away the weaker sheep until those weaker sheep would become weaker and diseased and become easy prey for their enemies and worthless or be of very little value.

This shepherd did not care for his sheep. He would just continue to take from this flock for his own personal needs, regardless of the needs of his flock.

Obviously, this flock of sheep would one day perish if no one would help them and so would this shepherd for he would run out of sheep to slaughter to meet his own needs.

We must learn from this lesson and carry our learning into the Church of today, and not forget we now serve the True Shepherd, the Good Shepherd.

Joh_10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

The Holy Spirit is using this word "shepherd" to represent not only "shepherds" but also "the religious leaders of Israel" and "the government of Israel" who knew they had been told by the Word of God to take care of God's people, but they had become so greedy they could only think of themselves and had forsaken the people of Judah and the nation of Judah would go into captivity and their lands destroyed. Even the Temple the House of God was destroyed.

This is a picture of things going on today as most governments are forsaking the people of God, in fact all people, while doing their very best to destroy the Church.

This makes no sense because Christians are normally the most productive and law abiding, people you will ever meet. They just will not go against the Word of God.

Today we see many false shepherds of the Church are doing their best to destroy the Church of the Living God from inside the Church.

*****Eze 34:10 Thus saith 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.

Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

Who is the Shepherd of these sheep? The Lord God says, "my sheep". All those who belong to the Lord are "His sheep" and He is their Shepherd!

Bad shepherds are selfish and do their best to exploit the sheep.

Our Good Shepherd loves His sheep and diligently cares for His sheep!

The nation of Israel had been destroyed. The House of God had been destroyed. Yet the True Shepherd keeps up with each of His sheep.

The True Shepherd of Israel knows exactly where every true Jew is today and there are no lost tribes and there are no lost sheep of Israel.

It is the same for each Christian, God knows exactly where all His children are and what is going on in their lives!

Notice Jehovah says "I will" search for and seek out my sheep.

Jehovah likes to get up close and personal with all His children!

Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

Isa 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Isa 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Isa 40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

Isa 40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

Isa 40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

You know when the Lord says, "I will" then you had better believe "He will"!

He will deliver His people!

*****Eze 34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

What does the "Good Shepherd" do? He will seek out and find all His flock!

Again this Good Shepherd is Jehovah, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

He will return His people to the promised land!

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

He will feed His flock!

Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He will lead His flock to good pastures!

We should understand that if we "rightly divide" the Scriptures, we will see that God wrote somethings to the Nation of Israel that will not involve the Church, and all these things will occur according to God's timeline.

After the Church is removed and the Lord focuses on fulfilling His promises to Israel, we will be with Him wherever He goes, and He will rule Israel from the city of Jerusalem, and we will be with Him.

Also "rightly dividing" the Bible there are some things that will happen to non-believers and these things will be fulfilled also!

Remember all those who reject the Word of God are already "judged"!

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death"; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This death being eternally separated from our loving God, in a place of eternal torment!

The Lord knows His sheep and His sheep know Him!

God will deliver His people.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

There are no lost tribes of Israel in fact God knows each of the Israelites and where they are located today!

*****Eze 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

Lost sheep that are scattered, will feed off whatever they can find, and it is not always good for them.

They haven’t been cared for and they become ragged.

They end up around other people who do not care for them and certainly do not love them.

They become lost sheep in a lost world!

Listen to the promises of Jehovah God.

God will gather them away from those lost people of the world who only care for themselves in most case by robbing the poor.

God will gather them away from those people who live by false hopes in countries where there is no hope of the truth.

God will gather them into their own land and feed them in a land of pleasant pastures.

God will gather them into a land where they can be loved and cared for.

Over and over again we see that God will get up close and personal with these lost sheep. Why?

Because Jehovah is the true Shepherd of Israel. He is also the true Shepherd of all those who are lost!

Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

We cannot read this passage of Scripture without seeing the love, the passion, the pity, the caring, of Jehovah God, Yahweh, for His people.

We cannot read this passage without thinking about what God has said about His people.

Deu 7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Deu 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Deu 7:8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deu 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Deu 7:10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

God said I will take you home!

*****Eze 34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.

Eze 34:15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

If we count, we will see God use the "I" 15 times in this passage. He uses the word "my and myself" 3 times.

There is nothing on this earth God will not do for those people who obey His commandments!

We know that God never changes because these things are the basis of the love our Savior has for the Church.

Joh_10:30 I and my Father are one.

Joh_14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Our God does not have two messages but only one!

We will be fed in a good pasture.

That good pasture is upon the high mountains of the promised land.

This is where the fold of God will be and there is no mountain higher than Heaven.

This is the place of "rest" is only for the believer!

Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Heb 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

Heb 4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

Heb 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

There cannot be many shepherds, there can only be One Shepherd!

*****Eze 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

Eze 34:24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

King David had been dead 400 years when Ezekiel penned these words by the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel is a prophet of God and in this Scripture, he prophesies of the Messiah.

This Shepherd/King who will feed them and be the true Shepherd that will come from the line of King David!

David was a shepherd who minded the sheep of his father Jesse.

Isa 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Isa 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

Isa 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Isa 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Jer 30:9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

Hos 3:5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Again we see the object of Jehovah, is to get up close and personal with His sheep and be the Good Shepherd and even more than this, a Righteous King.

We know that this has not taken place yet, so this prophesy will come together after the Church has been called to be with the Lord.

God's promises will be fulfilled one by one, but we can see that God's timing will come quickly once the Church has been taken out of this world.

What will King Jesus do?

*****Eze 34:25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

Eze 34:26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.

When King Jesus sits on the throne from the city of Jerusalem, He will rule this world! The Scriptures say for 1000 years. This promise He made to the people of Israel.

There will be peace:

1) The animal world will finally be at peace as in the first days of Adam and Eve.

Isa 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Isa 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Isa 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

2) The human world will finally see peace when King Jesus sits on His throne.

Col_2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

3) The lands of all the world will finally be at peace.

*****Eze 34:27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.

Eze 34:28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.

This will be a time when all foods will be grown without fertilizers and poisons, without even organic fertilizers and pest controls!

Farmers will not have to go to Monsanto to buy seed. The plants will produce their own perfect seed.

What precious promises the Lord makes and rest assured, our Lord never breaks a promise!

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

Amo 9:12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

Amo 9:13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.

Amo 9:14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

Amo 9:15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

In America, I can remember when we did not have to lock our doors and most of the population still feel that we are safe in our homes.

In reality we are just not as safe as we use to be!

Weapons are in the minds of most all Americans. Some in a good way and some in a bad way. You want to stop the rise of gun purchases, make us feel safe in our homes again? Quit providing for the needs of the crooks, robbers, and murderers and provide for the victims!

Today the people of Israel never know when the sirens will blare telling them that a rocket is headed their way.

Where that greatest part of their national budget must be spent on the defense of their nation.

Where everyone born must spend some time in the military, so a defense force is always ready.

These people simply do not know what peace is all about, but one day in the future, the City of Jerusalem will become the City of Peace and the enemies of Israel will all be destroyed!

They will dwell safely in that land, because they will have chosen to serve the Lord.

Luk 1:73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

Luk 1:74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

Luk 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

God will remember His promise!

Luk 1:68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

Luk 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

Luk 1:70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

Luk 1:71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

Isa 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Isa 44:25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

Isa 44:26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:

There is coming a day when the children of Israel will have no fear of any nation!

This day has not come yet, but is still in the future and I would hope that all of that nation feel security in the Word of God.

*****Eze 34:29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.

Eze 34:30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD.

Eze 34:31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.

That plant of renown is none other than, the "stem of Jesse", the Lord Jesus Christ, the True Messiah.

Isa 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Isa 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

Isa 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Isa 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

All these prophesies meant much in the past of Israel, but their true fulfillment is still in the future at the return of Christ Jesus.

And the Lord picks up where He began, because we are all still sheep in need of a Shepherd!

Our Divine Shepherd is Adonai, His name is Jehovah the one true God!

Today if you want to be in the flock of the true God you must realize that you are a sheep in need of the true Shepherd!

If you have not found your Shepherd, I will tell you that He is seeking for you today.

Call out for Him and He will find you!

Amen

Let's Pray!