Who have butted the weak with horns and have scattered them abroad ?

SANTOSO

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Beloved ones, I am considering what I have heard:

“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭34:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I was wondering,”have we strengthened the weak? How we should have strengthened the weak? This is the counsel that we have heard:

Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14:1-3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, let us receive one who who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.

For those who didn’t receive one who is weak in faith but continue to dispute doubtful things. This is what we have heard:

“Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14:4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭34:21-22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, let us judge another servant’s. And let us NOT be those who pushed aside and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with our horns, and scattered them abroad. Let us fear the judgement of the Chief Shepherd. For the Lord Jesus Christ will save His flock.

To God the Father be thanksgiving through Christ. Amen.
 
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SANTOSO

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Beloved ones, I am considering again what I have heard :

The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭34:4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I was wondering,”have we strengthened the weak? How we should have strengthened the weak? Is there also other counsels that we also have heard, that we have not yet carefully heeded? This, we heard:

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples (weaknesses) of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:1-7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, we who are strengthened by the love of Christ should bear the weaknesses of the weak and not to please ourselves.

Though we may have been disgraced, let us be continuously strengthened with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, please our neighbors for their good, leading to edification. And let us be neighbors who show mercy. Let us hold on whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Let us pray for those who prosecuted us, and those who were wrongfully our enemies.

Holy Spirit,
You are the God of patience and comfort grant me to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that …..and I may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

To God the Father be thanksgiving through Christ. Amen.
 
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mreeed

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Thank you for sharing this Santoso. I appreciate the Word you've shared, and your thoughts, prayer and heart for God's people.

Thoughts that come to mind...
Who are the weak? From the verses you've cited:
They include but are not limited to those who are sick, have been broken or driven away, or are (temporarily?) lost
Those lacking in faith in general or specific matters.
Perhaps some who find it hard to bear reproach, maybe also some who reproach others without discernment

Sometimes we may need to distinguish between weakness and deception.
And what calls for human correction, and what is best left to the Holy Spirit and His ways.

Some counsel of the Word on strengthening the weak (all verses from NKJV for consistency with you)...

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. I Peter 2:1-3
- Good feeding of the flock, in good word and deed

“The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater care, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.”
- Showing proper honor and care for each believer

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24
- Recognizing the value of what exists is not negated by what does not exist or its lack in quantity

A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax (wick) He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. Isaiah 42:3
- Recognizing the value of what exists is not negated by its quality

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. II Peter 3:9
- We should be patient with - and be willing to take time for - the weak, following our Lord's example.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I Peter 1:6-7
- Only God knows the heart, and only He can bring out the true faith His people

And who have butted the weak with horns, and scattered them abroad?
The spiritual leadership in Judah, it would seem from your Ezekiel passage, ultimately leading to their scattering among the nations.
On a smaller scale, shepherds of Jewish and Christian congregations with unsound judgment or temperament. Perhaps it is fair to expect some form or time of a coming judgment of them/us also on a larger scale?
 
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SANTOSO

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Thank you for sharing this Santoso. I appreciate the Word you've shared, and your thoughts, prayer and heart for God's people.

Thoughts that come to mind...
Who are the weak? From the verses you've cited:
They include but are not limited to those who are sick, have been broken or driven away, or are (temporarily?) lost
Those lacking in faith in general or specific matters.
Perhaps some who find it hard to bear reproach, maybe also some who reproach others without discernment

Sometimes we may need to distinguish between weakness and deception.
And what calls for human correction, and what is best left to the Holy Spirit and His ways.

Some counsel of the Word on strengthening the weak (all verses from NKJV for consistency with you)...

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. I Peter 2:1-3
- Good feeding of the flock, in good word and deed

“The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater care, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.”
- Showing proper honor and care for each believer

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24
- Recognizing the value of what exists is not negated by what does not exist or its lack in quantity

A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax (wick) He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. Isaiah 42:3
- Recognizing the value of what exists is not negated by its quality

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. II Peter 3:9
- We should be patient with - and be willing to take time for - the weak, following our Lord's example.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I Peter 1:6-7
- Only God knows the heart, and only He can bring out the true faith His people

And who have butted the weak with horns, and scattered them abroad?
The spiritual leadership in Judah, it would seem from your Ezekiel passage, ultimately leading to their scattering among the nations.
On a smaller scale, shepherds of Jewish and Christian congregations with unsound judgment or temperament. Perhaps it is fair to expect some form or time of a coming judgment of them/us also on a larger scale?
Beloved one, thank you for your kind words and I am encouraged that you are diligent in the truth.

Beloved one, consider this, that we heard:
“But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.”
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Are not what was written in Ezekiel‬ ‭34:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬, not in the Old Testament? They are. Let not our minds be blinded in the reading of
Ezekiel‬ ‭34:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬, for the veil has been lifted because the veil is taken away in Christ Jesus.

Beloved one, let us remember what our Lord Jesus have said:

“Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭24:44‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So, all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Prophet Ezekiel concerning Jesus Christ !

Also we heard:
“Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.””
‭‭Mark‬ ‭14:62‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Let us now consider again what we have heard :

“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭34:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬

Beloved one, consider who is the Son of man mentioned in the Ezekiel 34:2 ? The Son of Man is our Lord Jesus Christ!

Beloved one, let us also consider what we have heard:

“My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was SCATTERED over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.””
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭34:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

How the Lord’s flock were scattered over the whole face of the earth? This is what we have heard:

“Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were four horns. And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” So he answered me, “These are the horns that have SCATTERED Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭1:18-19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So what are these HORNS?

Beloved one, if we know what SCATTERED JUDAH, ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM —we will know what the horns are.

This is what we have heard:

“Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was AT JERUSALEM; and they were all SCATTERED throughout the regions of JUDEA and Samaria, except the apostles.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭8:1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

In this verse, the scattering happened at JERUSALEM. And Judea is a Greek and Roman adaptation of the name "JUDAH". While the territory of Samaria was the central region of the biblical Land of ISRAEL , today located in the northern West Bank.

So we perceive the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem are PROSECUTION.

So let us consider again, that we heard:
“The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭34:4-5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones, in order for the Lord’s flock not to be scattered over all the face of the earth due to prosecution, that we should seek and search for the Lord’s flock. And their Lord’s flock will not scattered because there is Chief Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Son of Man.

Beloved ones, remember what Moses have asked :
“Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.””
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭27:15-17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Beloved ones,
the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh,has set a man, that is, the Son of Man, Christ Jesus our Lord over the congregation, who may go out before us and go in before us, who may lead us out and bring us in, for the congregation of the Lord is like sheep which have Chief Shepherd.

Beloved ones, let us perceive and understand these days, how the Chief Shepherd goes out before us and goes in before us, who may lead us out and bring us in, and let us like sheep that have returned to the Chief Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.

To God the Father be thanksgiving through Christ. Amen.
 
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Mr. M

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I was wondering,”have we strengthened the weak? How we should have strengthened the weak? This is the counsel that we have heard:
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual
restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

Many temptations are revealed to us in judging others.

The meek must serve the needs of the weak.
 
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