11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
The LORD is my Shepherd. Jesus is my Good Shepherd. How about this one, Jesus is the Perfect Shepherd who humbles himself to become the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World? Not really a new idea, but a mixed metaphor.
God tells Ezekiel that he is the Good Shepherd. He is going to gather his people to a perfect pasture land, or a holy place. God is going bring these people and lead these people. He is going to provide them with plenty of food, and even still water to drink. God is going to seek out the lost and bring back those who have gone astray.
God truly does have a chore. God has to take care of a lot of children. He has to look after a lot of people who continue to go astray. We are all like sheep. We are idiots and do not always listen to our shepherd, many times we are listening to the hired hands. But God still seeks after us.
Remember it is not we who seek him out, but he who seeks us out. He is the one who provides the door for his sheep to enter his sheep fold. He provides a way for sheep from every nation to enter into that sheepfold. This way is through the sacrifice of the Lamb of price, the pure and holy sacrifice.
Jesus Christ becomes one of us. He does this to save us from our sins. He does this to show us the way to eternal life. He also does this to save us from the hired hands. Listen to him, because he is both the Lamb of price and the Good Shepherd who continues to seek after you his lost sheep. He desires to write your name in his book of life. He also desires to provide you with rest.
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