THE KING’S BUSINESS
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by the above references, it is referred to by many other prophets. This restoration of Israel is a direct and explicit answer to the prayer of the Psalmist (Ps. 106:47). This prayer was founded upon God’s cov enant promise (Ps. 106:45). Jehovah’s word cannot be broken: some day every promise and prediction' will be fulfilled to the very letter. When restored there will be great prosperity and abundance for the restored people of God, they shall “feed in a good pasture,” “in a fat pasture.” vs. 15, 16. “I (add, myself) will feed my flock (sheep) and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek out that which was lost, and (add, will) bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick : but I will destroy the fa t and the strong (the fat and the strong I will destroy); I will feed them with (in) judgment." When Jehovah has restored His people to the land He Himself will feed them, and also, give them rest, “cause them to lie down.” This is absolutely sure because the Lord Jehovah says it. The wording very forcibly reminds us of what David says about the.shepherd work of Jehovah his shepherd. (Ps. 23:1-3). Those times will be times of great prosperity for Israel and for other peoples because of Israel’s bless ing (Isa. 25:6; Jer. 31:12-14; 31:27; Zech. 8:23; Isa. 49:22, 23; Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:33-38; Zech. 8:3-5). Five things Jeho vah says He will do in that coming day of blessing: ( 1 ) “Seek that which was lost.” (2) “Bring again that which was broken away.” (3) “Bind up that which was broken.” (4) “Strengthen that which was sick.” (5) “Destroy the fat and the strong.” While it is to be a day of bless ing for the oppressed and the downtrodden, it will be a day of judgment for the oppres sors (cf. 2 Thess. 1:7-9). While the world’s brightest day of hope is in connection with the restoration of Israel at the coming of our Lord, it will be a day of darkest judg ment for oppressors among men, for the kings and rulers and statesmen and generals
prophecy, but they have become still more widely scattered since; in all countries, and to the remotest corners of the earth. But the time is coming when Jehovah will be a Shepherd in the midst of them, and will seek out everyone of His sheep that are scattered and will “deliver them out of all places whither they have been scattered.” Some day every living Israelite will be found out in the remotest corners of the earth and be the object of Jehovah’s shep herd care. The day of the dispersion is a day of judgment, “the cloudy and dark day” (cf. ch. 30:3; Isa. 50:10; Joel 2:1-3; Amos 5:18-20; Zech. 1:15). vs. 13, 14. “ And I m il bring them out from the people (peoples), and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to (into) their own land, and (add, I) will feed them upon the mountains op Israel by the rivers (watercourses), and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a (with) good pasture, and upon the high (omit, high) mountains (add, of the height) of Israel shall their fold be : there shall they lie (add, down) in a good fold, and in a (on) fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.” Having found out His sheep in earth’s remotest spot, Jehovah will bring them one and all “out from the peoples,” nations of every name and lineage, and “gather them from the countries” and will “bring them into their own land,” i.e., the Holy Land (cf. ch. 11:17; 20:41; 28:25, 26; 36:24 ; 37:21, 22; 38:8; 39:27; Isa. 11:11-16; Jer. 23:3, 4, 8 ; 30:3, 18; 31:8; 32:37; Amos 9:14; Zeph. 3:18, 19). To try to spiritualize these numerous passages and make them mean anything else than the literal gathering of Israel into the land of Israel is to do violence to the Word of God. The partial restoration of Israel under Nehemiah and Ezra does not fulfill these predictions. The restoration here predicted is a restoration that still lies in the future, though there seem to be indi cations that the time of its approach is fast hastening on. Ezekiel is especially the prophet of the restoration, but as is seen
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