Wednesday, February 17th 2017
Woe to shepherds
Key verse: 23:1
The text speaks about the false shepherds of Judah, they are the leaders of souls who abuse their rights and finally receive a deadly sentence. The judgment of God for his bad servants is very severe.
1. The judgment on the shepherds (1-8)
God speaks about the bad shepherd who have dispersed the sheep. The mercenaries don't take care of the sheep but they drive them out. God feels pity for these people driven out by the false shepherds. God promises to gather them together in the sheepfold again. Jesus is the true shepherd established by God and he gives his life for his sheep (Jn 10:11). He is a righteous germ established as the king David. The Eternal God is living because by Him the people will be restored from all the country were they will be dispersed.
2. The judgment on the prophets (9-40)
The country is full of adultery and makes the prophet shiver. But the false prophets are themselves corrupted, so the problem of the country doesn't touch them. Even in the house of God they practice evil by the servants (11), and through them, the corruption spreads on all the country. Preaching peace to those who despise God, they become enemies of God. The anger of God will burst into flame against them. They pretend to attend the council but God doesn't send them. They say: "we had a dream from God" but they make the people forget the divine name of God. They are compared with straw, and those who preach the true message are compared with wheat. The first persons feed the people and the second persons mislead the people. They say "menace of God" ("menace" means burden or oracle), pretending to have sent the message of God, but it is discredited by their injustice. Their influence is very sad.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be a good shepherd according to Jesus Christ. Help me to have the spiritual discernement and your true oracle.
Bottom line: the good sphepherd gives his life for his sheep
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