restoring Shepherd

And they shall know that I am the LORD their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord GOD.  Ezekiel 34:30

Ezekiel 34 is one of scripture’s great passages on God’s tender care. Read it now before reading on.

After exposing Israel’s unfaithful shepherds, the Lord promises that He Himself will seek His scattered sheep, rescue them, find them, and provide a new faithful Shepherd for them. He does it so that they may intimately know the Lord their God. This restoration is more than material blessing; it is about restoring the clear presence of God with His people. The greatest gift God gives His people is Himself. His promises assure weary hearts that they are not abandoned, forgotten, or beyond His love.

God’s restorative work usually unfolds gradually. Like a shepherd tending His wounded sheep, He binds up the broken, strengthens the weak (even carrying them), and patiently leads His flock back to safe green pastures. There are seasons when the scars of sin and suffering seem too deep to heal, yet God’s promises will be kept and He is stronger than our painful experiences. His faithfulness isn’t dependent on our strength to believe Him, but rather He is faithful because of His covenant love! His restoring grace is certain to accomplish His good purposes even when we are in the dark about the outcome.

This metaphor is fulfilled in Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Who laid down His life for His sheep. He restores people to fellowship with God forever! All broken things are restored in Him when He brings a new heavens and a new earth, the home of righteousness. The God Who promises “I am with them” had not changed. His restoring hand, unfailing presence, and everlasting promises will always be fulfilled as Jesus shepherds us right now!

Song of our Deliverer

I would soon subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their foes.

Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,

and their fate would last forever.​

Psalm 81:14-15

Raise joyful songs with grateful voice,

Let every thankful heart rejoice.

The God of Jacob still is near;

His mighty arm removes all fear.

“I broke your yoke and set you loose;

Why chase the chains that once bound you?

Open your mouth, I’ll fill it still —

Delight to trust my loving will.”

Yet stubborn hearts too often stray,

Preferring every lesser way.

They wouldn’t heed their Shepherd’s call,

And so they stumbled among idols all.

O turn again with faith renewed;

Our Savior offers the richest food.

He is the Rock, the Bread, the Vine —

The sweetest honey tasted in love divine.

humiliated pride

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While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you…”

Daniel 4:31

Pride mistakes God’s gifts for our own greatness. Nebuchadnezzar surveyed his magnificent capital city and took personal credit for all of it. Before the words could completely exit his mouth, God humbled him. The man at the top of the greatest nation on earth became powerless, living like an animal in a zoo until he learned that “the Most High riles the kingdoms of men”.

We may never build such an empire, but our hearts want to claim ownership of our accomplishments, careers, families, ministries, or talents. Every good gift comes from God’s hand. He alone deserves the glory of it all. His sovereignty is in no way threatened by our pride. Instead, He opposes the proud so that all men, including the proud, would learn to trust Him.

Nebuchadnezzar’s bizarre fall ends in hope. He finally lifted his eyes to heaven in submission. His reason returned along with meaningful, heartfelt worship of God. His confession is one that all believers should sing: God’s dominion is everlasting, His purposes cannot be resisted, and no one can question what God has done (Daniel 4:34-35). Humble repentance opens the door to worship and fellowship with God. It abandons self-exaltation and bragging and embraces God’s rule. And in Jesus’ cross proud sinners are saved by a humble king. As we now bow in repentance and faith, our pride is forgiven and our joy is found in the gracious reign of Christ’s everlasting dominion.

awful circumstances / excellent spirit

And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs… Daniel 1:9

Daniel was probably a eunuch, meaning that given his noble lineage (probably a part of the royal family in Judah in some way) and competency in training (due to his position in society), he would have been put to service in the Babylonian court. This meant he was probably castrated and made a royal slave/official. Why else would the court official, Ashpenaz, “chief eunuch”, be given charge over Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego (see Daniel 1:3-7)? This sheds a whole new light on his story, his service, and his ministry to both the Jewish captives in exile and the court of the king of Babylon. Daniel could have chosen to be a bitter and broken young man. Instead, he found favor and compassion with his captors. 

Daniel would be known in Babylon for having “an excellent spirit” (Daniel 5:12; 6:3). His life was a powerful testimony to God’s grace. A young man who had lost his homeland, family, future descendants, and even the physical ability to enjoy marriage or family nevertheless focused on being useful for God’s purposes in less than wonderful circumstances. His identity and hope did not rest in earthly categories of happiness. He was dedicated with excellence to the service of the Lord. In this way another prophet’s predictions that royal children would be made eunuchs in captivity and would find a promise grow would take root in Daniel as he would receive “a name better than sons and daughters” (Isaiah 33:7; 56:3-5).

tears as prayers

​

My eyes will flow without ceasing,

without respite,

until the LORD from heaven

looks down and sees;

Lamentations 3:49-50

Jeremiah does not pretend that faith eliminates sorrows or silences our weeping tears. Instead, we see here that faithful suffering brings every cry into God’s presence. There will be seasons when our prayers seem to be more sighing than speaking, when the aching in our hearts squeezes out words and answers seem to never be coming. But in these verses we are reminded that our tears aren’t wasted. The Christian weeps with hope because the Lord sees perfectly, knows completely, and will act in His gracious wisdom and timing for our good and His glory.

Our greatest assurance is found in Jesus Christ, the Man of Sorrows, Who Himself wept, suffered, and cried out to the Father. At His cross, Jesus entered the deepest human grief so that those who trust Him would never suffer alone without purpose. Now that Jesus is risen and reigns, we can wait with confidence, knowing our Lord will certainly “look down and see” in the prefect sense, wiping away every tear and making all things new. Until that day, our tears can be prayers and our sorrow is an invitation to lean on God’s steadfast love. Our hope remains anchored in our Savior Who has promised to never leave or forsake His people!

the fire of His wrath

​

He has cut down in fierce anger

all the might of Israel;

he has withdrawn from them his right hand

in the face of the enemy;

he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob,

consuming all around.

Lamentations 2:3

His mighty arm withdrew His shield,

the hope of mercy hidden away.

Like blazing fire His anger reeled,

consuming all before its sway.

No corner stood without His flame,

no fortress held, no refuge stayed;

The proud and low treated the same,

as all beneath His judgment paid.

Who then shall stand before His face?

His holy justice burns so bright.

Our only hope is sovereign grace —

the cross where wrath gives way to light.

carrying our condemnation

My transgressions were bound into a yoke;

by his hand they were fastened together;

they were set upon my neck;

he caused my strength to fail;

the Lord gave me into the hands

of those whom I cannot withstand.​

Lamentations 1:14

Sin is not merely a collection of isolated failures. It is a crushing burden we will never throw off by our own efforts. Every selfish word, every act of pride, any thoughts of unbelief are all woven into a yoke that weighs us down before a holy and just God. We have tried to carry this burden ourselves by excusing sin, self-improvement efforts, and religious exertions only to find our strength failing. We forget that the gospel announces an exchange we could never broker on our own. Jesus Christ stepped willingly beneath the yoke by which we were self-bound. He bore the full weight of the guilt of our sins on the cross, endured the judgement we earned, carrying our condemnation so that we who trust Him might be forgiven and set free.

Father,

We confess we daily add to the burden of our transgressions. Our sins deserve judgment. Thank You that Jesus does not leave us to stagger under this impossible load. Thank You, Lord, for carrying our yoke to Calvary, where You satisfied justice and secured forever our peace once-for-all by Your death and resurrection. Teach us to abandon self-trust and to rest in Your finished work. Having thrown off our sinful yoke, rest upon us Christ’s easy yoke, as grateful disciples now walk in obedience until the day we see you face to face!

Amen

a numbers game

​This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. Revelation 13:18

Avoid the temptation for speculation in Revelation. John calls us to exercise spiritual discernment. Scholars vary wildly on whether “666” is a real person or a representation of an empire or political force. I tend to lean toward the latter. What we do know is that the number has intense symbolism. Seven in Revelation often represents completeness, especially in God’s execution of judgment on the world. Six falls short, making “666” a picture of humanity’s futile repeated failures and rebellion against God — an attempt at imitating God’s power but never fully realizing it. This makes sense given the wonders the beast performs and the worship the beast demands in this chapter. The number is man’s attempt to do what only God can do.

We should not try to identify every new possibility to tag the identity of “666”. Instead, we focus on those who belong to Christ bearing His name (Revelation 14:1). The encouragement for us is to stay faithful, refusing to compromise with any human-devised demands for worship, allegiance, or trust. Those belong exclusively to Christ alone! Because Jesus has already conquered by His death and resurrection, believers can face any attempted deception or persecution with confidence. The Lamb has already overcome the beast. Amen!

God the F.O.R.T.R.E.S.S.

​Within her citadels God

has made himself known as a fortress.

Psalm 48:3

For thousands of years

From age to age

Foes kept at bay

Forever our fortress

Over all reigns

On Zion’s hill

Our king worshiped

Omnipotent great God

Ruining the enemy

Raised against Your people

Reaching the world

Radiant with Your glory

Trembling at Your power

Trusting in Your deliverance

Thinking on Your steadfast love

Telling the next generation

Right hand filled with goodness

Righteousness over us

Reaching to the ends of the earth

Ruling and reigning royally

Everyone should notice

Every act of Your mercy

Even in our failures

Eternity we see

Sons of the covenant

Sing of Your great love

Solemn vows are brought

Sacrifices offered

Son of David ruling

Son of God giving

Sacrifice sufficient

Satisfied the Father

dragon’s war

​Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Revelation 12:17

Three quick observations from Revelation 12:17:

1. Christians should expect spiritual opposition. We are at war with the dragon (Satan) himself. That is why even today Christians know suffering, persecution, temptation, deception, and opposition. These are not random actions. We have an active enemy. The devil’s domain (the world) hates us because it hated Jesus first (John 15:18-20). We live in the midst of a burning war zone.

2. The dragon rages because he has already lost. This may be our greatest encouragement as the fight goes on. Christ has already been caught up to God’s throne (Revelation 12:5). Satan has already been cast out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9). Heaven has already announced victory (Revelation 12:10). Believers overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:11). The dragon is enraged because he cannot win (Revelation 12:17). This war is a temper tantrum as the final minutes of the game tick down. The devil does not have a victory strategy at this point.

3. Christians are known for perseverance and faith in Christ. Faithful Christians throughout Revelation are those who continue trusting Christ despite pressure. Obedience flows from allegiance and faith. Jesus is clearly the Savior with the power. Our security rests in Christ’s victory because it is by the blood of the Lamb that we overcome!

they will know

and the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 29:9

The trumpet sounds where silent idols fell,

And every shattered wall has a story to tell.

Sword, famine, plague, and burning flame

Testify to the holy power of God’s name.

“Then they will know that I am the LORD”, He cries

Above the smoke darkening stubborn skies.

The mountains echo, the valleys feel His weight

There is justice that no person can evade.

Pride is humbled as kingdoms fade to dust,

Everyone must learn in Whom to trust.

His judgments are not mere chaos that is random,

But righteous decrees coming from His wisdom.

Mercy still shines beyond His chastening rod;

The Shepherd drives wanderers back to God.

The exiles hear a promise through their tears,

A faithful King Who overcomes all fears.

At Calvary the nations see the LORD,

Where wrath and grace unite in one accord.

The cross declares to every tribe and tongue

“Then they will know that I am the LORD — the Holy One!”

prince of Tyre / prince of darkness

therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

Because you make your heart

like the heart of a god,

therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you,

the most ruthless of the nations;

and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom

and defile your splendor.

Ezekiel 28:6-7

The prince of Tyre was a ruler whose pride led him to claim godlike status while trusting in his wisdom, wealth, and political/commercial success. The Lord declares that such arrogance will end. He would be humiliated, defeated, and die at the hands of enemies. Ezekiel prophesies a lament over the king telling the story of his exalted position, extraordinary beauty, and tragic fall because of his proud and corrupt heart. No one, no matter how full of themselves, prosperous, or powerful can stand against the sovereign God.

The description of the king of Tyre moves beyond earthly rule and echoes the rebellion and ultimate end of Satan. References to Eden, the beautiful guardian cherub, and being cast away from God’s presence point us to a greater story than just the spectacular rise and fall of Tyre’s king and trade empire. The message is clear: Pride brings destruction. God will easily dismiss every rebellion against His throne and no one can claim to be like God. Through the victory of Christ, Satan’s final defeat is certain, while those who trust in Jesus are delivered into His everlasting kingdom.

A chart of chaos and judgment

​The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come. Revelation 9:12

Sometimes the facts themselves are what I need to think about. Nearly impossible to get application today so here’s a handy-dandy chart: