God’s grace isn’t just a New Testament idea. And it has always been necessary, even in Old Testament times. For when God told His priests to perform a series of animal sacrifices, they were always intended to point people to the greater sacrifice of Christ. Indeed, they were never able to wash away people’s sin – that’s why they had to be offered over and over again (see Hebrews 10:1-4)

Moreover, as the first few verses of Ezekiel 34 point out, the Old Testament priests were all too often selfish sinners. God condemns them for feeding themselves and ignoring the needs of their people. The bottom line is that they were not able to save the people from their sins – and neither can any of our church leaders today.

But God’s people aren’t any more honest or capable. Just after today’s passage, God points out that they are just as guilty as their priests are, abusing one another and ignoring the needs of the weak. If their priests weren’t able to save them, they weren’t really worthy of being saved.

But that’s where God’s grace comes in, as we find so clearly in this passage. Instead of relying on priests or any other religious leaders, God says He Himself will search for His people and care for them and deliver them from danger. God Himself will feed us with the food we need and keep us safe. Moreover, God will bring perfect justice to His people – in short, He will give us everything we need.

And of course, we New Testament Christians know how God has done all of this. Instead of waiting for us to get our act together, God came into this world in the Person of Jesus Christ. And as He walked this earth, He did everything Ezekiel predicted – He sought out the lost, bound up the broken, and healed the sick. And He didn’t rely on the religious leaders to help Him in His ministry – after all, to protect their personal interest, they conspired with the Roman government to execute Him.

No, just as Ezekiel said, Jesus Himself went to the cross, to save a world full of undeserving sinners. He poured out His grace upon us, to give us not what we deserve, but what we need. Isn’t He worthy of our praise and thanksgiving today?

Ezekiel 34:11-16 (NAS)

11 For thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.
12 “As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day.
13 “And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.
14 “I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down in good grazing ground, and they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
15 “I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God.
16 “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.