And ye, my flock, &c.— These words at the close of the chapter, explain the metaphor which runs through the whole: that which was said of a flock and its shepherd, is to be understood of men and their governors, and especially of God's people, whom he takes care of as a shepherd does of his flock. We may just observe, that the present is a chapter upon which both magistrates and the rulers of the church ought to meditate very seriously. The complaints which God here makes of false shepherds, and the terrible denunciations threatened against them, shew, that it is the business of pastors, with their utmost diligence, to watch over the sheep with which they are in-trusted, and to provide with care and readiness for all their necessities; and that if they fail herein, they must give a severe account to God. This too lays an obligation upon princes and magistrates to govern faithfully and justly the people committed to their trust. What befel the Jews, who for the unfaithfulness of their teachers and magistrates were utterly destroyed, shews that it is the greater misfortune to a nation to have wicked rulers; and that all who are in any degree concerned for the glory of God, and the edification of his church, have the utmost reason continually to beseech him, that he would always raise up to his people good and faithful pastors. See Ostervald.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, We have here,
1. A woe denounced against the shepherds of Israel, the princes and magistrates, or the priests and Levites, who were the great authors of Israel's ruin; and though their station was so high, and their profession so respectable, yet neither would screen them from severe rebuke, nor exempt them from God's fearful wrath.
Negligent pastors are the most criminal of all transgressors, and may expect the heaviest judgment.
2. The sin charged upon them is, enriching themselves at the expence of their neglected flocks; indifferent what became of the people committed to their charge, they never thought of feeding them, but of fattening themselves. The magistrates took no pains to vindicate the oppressed, to relieve the poor, to suppress vice, or encourage religion: the ministers, intent only on their tithes and of offerings, took no pains to seek the lost, to instruct the ignorant, recover the erroneous, warn the unruly, or comfort the feeble-minded; the souls of men seemed in no wise their concern. With force and cruelty, both in church and state, they ruled; and used to the purposes of oppression the power committed to their trust for the protection and edification of God's people; so that they had really no shepherd; yea, worse than none: for those who usurped the office, were in fact ravening wolves. Woe to the poor people that are in such a case!
2nd, The careless shepherds are cited to God's bar. God will punish them, and graciously rescue the flock which they have abused.
1. He will punish the shepherds for their neglect and rapaciousness. God is against them, and his wrath who can abide? He will call them to a severe account for the loss of every sheep of his stock that perished through their negligence. Zedekiah, and the princes who rebelled shall bear the guilt of all the innocent blood which was shed in consequence thereof. And every lost soul shall cry for vengeance against the unfaithful minister who, unconcerned, suffered him to die in his iniquity. God will turn them out of their office, and suffer them no more to fatten on the spoil. The king and princes of Judah shall be hurled from their high estate, and cast into the depths of abject wretchedness, and those priests and Levites who abused their sacred office be degraded. Note; (1.) Ministers can never too often reflect upon the solemn account that they must one day make. (2.) God justly deprives oppressors of the power which they abuse.
2. God will himself take care of his believing people. Though their pastors are unfaithful, and neglect them, he will provide for them. Behold, I, even I the Lord, able and willing to save them; I will [1.] both search my sheep, and seek them out, all who stretch forth their hands unto him; all who mourn for his pardoning love; and all his distressed people, whether under persecution, oppression, temptation, or any other affliction. And this was fulfilled primarily in the restoration of the Jews from their captivity; and is spiritually still fulfilling day by day; while by his word and grace the Lord is gathering in all those precious souls who will receive the offers of his love, calling them out of darkness into his marvellous light; till he has accomplished his glorious plan of redemption, and his eternal kingdom come: may my soul in that day be the object of his care! [2.] He will feed them upon the mountains of Israel, and cause them to lie down in peace and safety, in a good fold, and a fat pasture. The Jews, on their return to their own land, enjoyed abundance of blessings, and particularly the privileges of the sanctuary and ordinances of God's worship. And in the church, the mount of God, do all believers find the rich pastures of grace, and the sweet waters of divine consolation: his saints are inclosed as in a fold, under the protection of their Almighty Shepherd, are safe from all the powers of evil, and rest under his shadow with great delight: happy the people that are in such a case! [3.] He will not only recover these penitent souls from their wanderings, but heal those of them that were hurt during their state of departure from him, and strengthen those that were sick. The awakened sinner feels his deadly wounds, his heart is broken with a sense of guilt, and weak he finds himself, and unable to resist his corruptions; but the Saviour who bought him with his own blood, pours in his precious balm to assuage his pains, and rescues him from his state of despair. By his Spirit he renews the minds of such, gives the medicine which heals their sickness, even his divine grace and pardoning love, which can save them from the bondage of corruption; and he strengthens their weakness, that they may be enabled to walk with him and please him.
3. We have a repetition of the determinations of God concerning the impenitent, to mark the certainty and terribleness of their destruction. I will destroy the fat and the strong; for he who glorifies his mercy in the salvation of the faithful will glorify his justice in the damnation of his and their enemies; feeding them with judgment, inflicting the righteous vengeance due to their iniquities.
3rdly, The prophet turns from the shepherds to the flock, for they were of different kinds. The church of professors ever consisted of a mixed multitude, good and bad; but there is a discerning Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, here spoken of, who will shortly separate the precious from the vile.
1. A heavy charge is brought against some of the flock; the fat, the rams and he-goats, the wealthy who oppressed their neighbours, and, not content with the gains of extortion, embittered by their ill usage the little which remained to the poor flock, as if they took a pleasure in their distresses. Nay, they not only trod down the pastures, and fouled the waters, but thrust with side and shoulder, and pushed the diseased with their horns, adding affliction to the afflicted. Many apply this to the scribes and Pharisees, who devoured the poor, fouled the waters of truth by their traditions, and oppressed with their anathemas the poor of the flock, who confessed the Lord Jesus: though it may be also generally applied to wicked men in every age, who have copied these destructive ways, and, though in profession the flock of Christ, have shewn themselves the most inveterate enemies of his pious people; but God will judge them, deliver his believing people from them now, and make an eternal separation shortly between the precious and the vile.
2. Rich consolation is spoken to the faithful few. God will save them, nor will he suffer them to become a prey to their enemies; particularly by raising up the promised Messiah, under whose protection his people should dwell in safety.
[1.] His character and office are described. I will set up one shepherd over them: both Jew and Gentile under him shall become one fold; and by the divine appointment he is constituted the head over all things to his church; and he shall feed them by his word, his Spirit, his ordinances, his ministers; even my servant, David, so called as being David's promised seed, and God's servant, as employed by him in the work of the salvation of lost souls: a plant of renown, most transcendently glorious in his person and offices, and exalted in the preaching of his Gospel.
[2.] For his sake God will make with them a covenant of peace. Man is by nature in a state of enmity with God, till Christ, our peace, brings us, who were far off, nigh unto God; then we become interested in the covenant of grace; God engages to be our God; and his servant David, the Lord Jesus, becomes our prince and Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins, and to reign over and protect his faithful people, his Israel, all true believers; for there are his people, who love, serve, and enjoy him.
[3.] Inestimably great and precious are the privileges to which the flock of God—the faithful, become entitled, in virtue of this covenant of peace. While the Lord their God was with them, their deliverance was sure, and peace and plenty were now their happy portion. They shall be safe under the divine protection; their spiritual enemies, the evil beasts, subdued, and caused to cease out of the land: they shall be delivered from fear of evil; though in the midst of snares, and temptations, God will preserve them; and, having broken the oppressors' yoke, and rescued them from those who served themselves of them, he will make them know he is the Lord, by blessed experience of his almighty power, grace, and love. They shall want no manner of thing that is good; all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus shall surround them. I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; so eminently shall they be distinguished with his favours; and all who see them will call them blessed; yea, they shall themselves also be blessings to other. And I will cause the shower to come down in his season; the graces and consolations of his Spirit, which the Redeemer showers down upon the hearts of his believing people, according to their various necessities. There shall be showers of blessing; the greatest abundance of the richest gifts of God, pardon, adoption, holiness, freely bestowed upon the believing soul: and the tree of the field shall yield her fruit; the fruits of righteousness, which spring from these quickening showers of grace: and the earth shall yield her increase, in an abundance of converts raised up by the preaching of the Gospel. They shall be no more consumed with hunger, but be richly fed with that Bread which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world: neither shall they bear the shame of the heathen any more: God having appeared for them, and made it evident, by the dispensations of his providence and grace, that he is their God, their present portion, and exceeding great reward. The Jews, returned from captivity, enjoyed literally many of these blessings outwardly; but they are most eminently fulfilled to the Israel of God—the faithful, in every age, who in Christ Jesus are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things.