Fleecing Spiritual Israel

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Posted by Rick [Rick] on November 04, 1999 at 19:29:03 {yxewwqp4aA7ajbiu2wnkFMFBt36Xyc}:

I have written the following commentary to demonstrate why Ezekiel Chapter 34 applies to our organization's present administration, and provoke careful thought.

Fleecing Spiritual Israel

Modern Parallels to Ezekiel Chapter 34

Christ's flock neglected by modern shepherds of spiritual Israel in his absence.

1
The word of the LORD came to me:
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"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?

Shepherds of spiritual Israel take advantage of the wealthiest and most educated members of the flock.

3
You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.

Shepherds of spiritual Israel have refused to direct billions in funds to care for personal needs of impoverished sheep; refuse to enter the Internet to search for the lost; and form committees to mete out harsh and brutal discipline to straying sheep.

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You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

Opting for use of fear over wise ancient shepherding, the Shepherds of spiritual Israel scattered the flock over the vast internet. The resulting culinary demand for Rack of Lamb by discriminating apostate diners actually led to shortages of sheep on some parts of the net.

5
So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.
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My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

These shepherds of spiritual Israel are declared bloodguilty due to their gross negligence over the flock, and their replacements as anointed in the ranks of the 144,000 are chosen from the new young generation. No longer will they have the ability to cannibalize the best wooliest sheep from the flock to serve their interests.

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"`Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
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As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,
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therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
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This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

Christ himself must rescue the scattered flock, tend to each sheep for the duration of this system, and lead them through the coming great tribulation into the promised land.

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"`For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
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As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
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I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.
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I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
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I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Christ reaffirms that justice will return to the flock.

16
I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

Christ will determine who is a "ram" headstrong in his ways but salvagable, and who is a "goat" not salvagable.

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"`As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.

The shepherds of spiritual Israel enjoy the spiritual banquet of educational materials written by world-renouned Bible scholars, then verbally trample that pasture with their feet. They enjoy the clear waters of reasoning from internet sites and forums, then muddy that water with their feet. The flock has no choice but to feed on what the shepherds have trampled upon. This apalling spiritual abuse has resulted in a few fat sheep treated well, and lots of lean sheep being driven away.

18
Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?
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Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
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"`Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
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Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away,
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I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.

New younger shepherds are appointed to replace the old abusive shepherds, and a "prince" will arise from their ranks to restore the flock who is like God's servant David of old.

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I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.
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I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.

Then will come the great tribulation and cleansing of the entire Earth for peaceful habitation.

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"`I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety.
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I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.
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The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.
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They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid.
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I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations.
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Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Sovereign LORD.
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You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"

Commentary by Rick ;-)


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