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Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 209

"I will purge the rebels from among you"

Text: Ezekiel 20:38

AN ANCIENT PRACTICE OF SHEPHERDS

The Lord was a great Shepherd of Israel (Psalm 23). He was deeply committed to caring for His flock, though many of them were “black sheep”. In the newly revealed plan of God, there would be a remake of Israel.

“I will make you pass under the rod,
and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;
I will purge the rebels from among you,
and those who transgress against Me;
I will bring them out of the country where they dwell,
but they shall not enter the land of Israel.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezekiel 20:37-38

1. “I will make you pass under the rod”

a) This was an ancient practice of good shepherds.

b) A rod was used in this process of assessing the flock.

c) The rod would be used to pass over each sheep.

2. The significance of this process.

a) For counting purposes.

b) For examining the quality of the sheep.

i) Its state of health.

ii) The quality of the wool.

iii) The ownership of the sheep.

c) The people who would be gathered by the Lord would be examined carefully.

d) Those who are not found to be the true sheep would be excluded.

e) This was a process that would involve the personal activity of God.

3. “And I will bring you into the bond of the covenant”

a) The elect would then be brought into the covenant.

b) The covenant would be a bond between God and His sheep.

c) Those among the chosen would value the significance of this bond with God.

4. Those who would be excluded from the bond of covenant.

a) They were rebels.

b) They were transgressors.

c) They would adversely affect others if they were among the chosen elect.

5. Would they still be delivered out of their exile?

a) Yes! They would be emancipated as well.

b) But they would not be included in the bond of covenant.

6. “Then you will know that I am the Lord”

a) This special act of God would help Israel appreciate who the Lord truly is.

b) The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah show that this word from God was carefully honoured and practised.

i) Genealogies were examined.

ii) Only those who can prove their identities were included in the land of Israel that was returned to the people.