Westminster Annotations, Ezekiel · Chapter 34 – Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXIIII.
Vers. 2. SHepherds of Israel] Jer. 23. 1.
We be to the shepherds] By the shepherds he meaneth the King, the Magistrates, Priests, and Prophets, all Governours both Ecclesiasticall and Politick.
V. 3. Ye eat the fat] Zech. 11. 16. Ye seeke to enrich your selves by their commodities, and so spoyle their riches and substance. Zech. 11. 5.
V. 4. The diseased have ye not strengthened] He describeth the office and dutie of a good Pastor, who ought to love and succour his flock, and not to be cruell toward them.
with force and with crueltie have ye ruled them] 1 Pet. 5. 3.
V. 5. And they were scattered] Spiritually, by running into errours, superstitions, idolatries, vices, and disorders▪ or corporally, by their dissipation out of their countrey by the ill leading of their guides.
because there is no shepherd] Or, without a shepherd, and so vers. 8. That is, no true and faithfull shepherd. For lacke of good government and doctrin they perished. Zech. 12. 7.
V. 10. for I will deliver my flock from their mouth] By destroying the covetous hirelings and restoring true shepherds; whereof we have a sign, so oft as God sendeth true Preachers, who both by doctrin and life, labour to feed his sheep in the pleasant pastures of his word.
V. 12. As a shepherd seeketh] Heb. according to the seeking.
that he is among his sheep] When after they have been scattered by some sudden storme, the shepherd tels and musters up his sheep, to see whether any be wanting, and seeketh them out, and gathereth them together.
in the cloudy and dark day] Which is full of calamities, and publike desolations, Joel 2. 2. And this promise is to comfort the Church in all dangers.
V. 13. and will bring them to their own land] Corporally and according to the letter, into the land of Israel, by delivering them out of captivitie: and spiritually, into the Church, which is the true sheepfold of all the elect. J…h. 10. 16.
V. 14. I will feed them in a good pasture] Psal. 23. 1, 2.
V. 15. I will feed my flock] This doth not inferre any abolishment of either Ecclesiasticall or Politick government in the Christian Church: but doth inferre a more effectuall and renewed presence of God in it, by his spirit, providence, grace, and vertue: Or the mysticall and inward operation of Christ, true God, upon all the members of his body, in quickening, conducting, comforting, and defending them.
V. 16. the fat and the strong] Those who in my Church shall abuse my benefits unto pride and rebellion against me; and to contempt and oppression of their brethren: See Isa. 5. 17. & 10. 16. Amos 4. 1.
with judgement] That is, by putting a difference between the good and the bad, and so give to either according to his work, as in the next verse. See Psal. 62. 11, 12.
V. 17. Behold, I judge] Chap. 20. 37, 38. Zech. 10. 3. Matt. 25. 32.
cattel and cattel] Heb. small cattel of lambes and kids.
he-goats] Heb. great he-goats.
V. 18. Seemeth it a small thing unto you] O ye powerfull and rich Jews, is it not sufficient for you to enjoy my blessings in abundance, unlesse you trouble the poore in the possession of their small portion.
to have eaten up the good pasture] By good pasture and deep waters is meant the pure word of God, and the administration of justice, which they did not distribute to the poore, till they had corrupted it.
V. 23. And I will set up one shepherd over them] Isa. 40. 11. Joh. 10. 11. Heb. 13. 20. 1 Pet. 2. 25. & 5. 4.
even my servant David] Namely, Jesus Christ the sonne of David according to the flesh: and for this reason often called David, Jer. 30. 9. Ezek. 37. 24. Hos. 3. 5. and the servant of God, by reason of his humane nature, and office of Mediatour, Isa. 42. 1. & 49. 6. & 53. 11. Phil. 2. 7.
V. 25. of peace] Of grace, reconciliation, and blessing. Jer. 31. 31.
and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land] Isa. 11. 6. 8. & 35. 9. Hos. 2. 18. I will free the land of those wild beasts that overran the land in the time of captivitie: Figurative termes, to shew the Churches safeguard against all her spirituall enemies.
V. 26. I will make them and the places round about my hill, a blessing] I will blesse them, and their habitation, and their pastures abundantly.
showres of blessing] Psal. 68. 9.
V. 27. and the earth shall yeeld her increase] Psal. 85. 12.
when I have broken the bands of their yoke] When I have brought them out of captivitie; and so likewise, when I freed and redeemed them by the bloud of my Sonne, from the spirituall captivitie of the devill and sinne.
V. 28. but they shall dwell safely] Jer. 30. 10. & 46. 27.
V. 29. a plant] Jesus Christ, glorious in his divine majestie, and strength: who shall make his Church famous through his gifts and graces, being the true tree of life. See Isa. 11. 1. Jer. 23. 5.
of renown] Or, for renown. Christ shall be of renown not only among the Jews, as in time past, but also abroad among the Gentiles, which is demonstrated in the last verse, and more copiously, Chap. 36.
consumed] Heb. taken away.
V. 31. my flock the flock of my pasture] Joh. 10. 11. Psal. 100. 3.
men] All the aforesaid things are to be understood spiritually, with a relation to the soul of the elect, and the salvation of it: So that the correspondency which is between the sheep, a brute beast, and the shepherd, which is man, is found in spirit between man and his God.
CHAP. XXXV.
Vers. 2. SEir] Where the Idumeans dwelt, who came of Esau. Gen. 36. 9.
prophesie against it] Jer. 49. 7, 8. Ezek. 25. 12. Amos 1. 11. Obad. 11.
V. 3. most desolate] Heb. desolation and desolation.
V. 5. perpetuall hatred] Or, hatred of old. Against Israel. See Ezek. 25. 15. Amos 1. 11.
and hast shed the bloud of the children [Heb. poured out the children. That is, hast assisted the Chaldeans in making a horrible slaughter of my people. Psal. 137. 7. Ezek. 25. 12.
force of the sword] Heb. hands.
in the time that their iniquitie had an end] Or, brought an end. At which time the measure of my peoples sinne being full, I also caused my judgements to fall violently upon them. Ezek. 21. 30. & 22. 2.
V. 6. bloud shall parsue thee] Namely, the sword and violent death.
sith thou hast not hated bloud] Psal. 109. 17.
V. 9. I will make thee perpetuall desolations] Jer. 49. 18. Mal. 1. 3, 4.
and thy cities shall not return] To wit, to their former estate.
V. 10. These two nations] Thou hast perswaded thy selfe that thou shouldest possesse the land of Judah, and of the ten tribes.
and we will possesse it] Psal. 83. 4, 12.
whereas the LORD was there] Or, though the LORD was there. Though the Lord hath taken it for his own proper habitation, placing his people there, and his Temple, with the signs of his presence.
V. 11. and I will make my self known amongst them] I will make my self known to my Church by new trials of my justice and power against her enemies, and of my love and mercy towards her.
V. 12. to consume] Heb. to devoure.
V. 13. boasted] Heb. magnified.
and have multiplied your words against me] 1 Sam. 2. 3.
V. 14. When the whole earth rejoyceth] Namely, when I shall cause all the world to rejoyce at my peoples deliverance, and their reestablishment in their countrey, then will I increase thy desolation: This was partly verified in the Idumeans: but hath been accomplished in the enemies of the Church, whose curse and condemnation increased, when salvation appeared to the elect, and beleevers, through Christ.