On Lessons from the Minor Prophets

My morning reading is taking me through the minor prophets and Jeremiah and Ezekiel have gotten my attention this time around more than other times. My 40,000 foot view of their prophecy:

Idolatry is Adultery

Lordship is Leadership.

Kindness is Godliness.

Arrogance is Ignorance.

Humility is Stability.

Hubris is not Justice.

They also place a high value on shepherds who lead the flock with righteousness and integrity. In their prophecies–and in our experience, pastors can be distracted, disappointed, disrespected, and dismayed. Pastors can be crass, callous, and cruel. The spiritual leaders of Israel were thoroughly selfish, self-seeking greedy, proud and corrupt. 

Pastors can be called to do something that in human terms is unimaginable, unbearable, and unreasonable. Ezekiel was told he could not mourn his wife. 

But God says that if we won’t lead with spiritual integrity, He will provide for His sheep another way. In His hands, the sheep are 

led, fed, and put to bed

sought, brought, and bought.

And He will bring the dry bones to life. In Chris Tomlin’s song, “Awake My Soul” I have always been inspired by the interlude and outro that features hip hop artist Lecrae (close your eyes and hear him or find it online...)  

Interlude

Then He said to me

Prophesy to these bones and say to them

Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones

I will make breath enter you

And you will come to life

So I prophesied as I was commanded

As I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound

And the bones came together, bone to bone

And I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them

And skin covered them, but there was no breath in them

Then He said to me

Prophesy to the breath

Prophesy, son of man, and say to it

Conjure the four winds of breath and breathe

Outro:

Yeah, I’m not alone, I realize

You breathe out, I come alive

Your word gives life to my dry bones

Your breath tells death it can ride on

Awake me, make me a living stone

A testament to your throne, I

I’m nothing without You, I’m on my own

The only one who satisfies my soul

Key thought in Ezekiel 36: “I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord. One of Ezekiel’s repeated prophecies is “then they [and you] will know that I am the Lord.” (58 times in Ezekiel).

Let us as shepherds not need to be reminded that He is the Lord. Let us lead the flock well.