7 Times Jesus Claimed to Be Godනියැදිය

Ezekiel brings a message of hope to Israel, and also a warning. Hope that God can save His people, scattered throughout the world, abandoned and abused by evil kings. He can gather them and give them rest. Yet there is also a warning of judgment.

The message of hope and the warning of judgment both describe God as a shepherd and His people as His sheep. God is the good shepherd who goes looking for lost sheep, who heals the injured sheep, who strengthens the weak, and who separates the sheep from the goats. Those who trample on His creation and muddy the water, He will remove so that there is no more evil or oppression.

Jesus talks about Himself in exactly the same way – the good shepherd who gathers the lost sheep, the one who will judge between the sheep and the goats. To anyone who was familiar with Ezekiel – which would be all of Jesus’ listeners – this sounds a lot like Jesus is identifying Himself with God.

Someone might object that Ezekiel also says that God will make David (meaning David’s descendant, the Messiah) the Shepherd, and perhaps Jesus is only claiming to be the Messiah, the King anointed and appointed by God. Well, He is claiming that. But not only that. In Ezekiel, it is not David who gathers the lost sheep and judges the people; it is God. Jesus doesn’t just say He is the good shepherd, but that he is the one who finds the lost sheep and judges the flock. In Matthew, Jesus also combines this claim with the Son of Man title we looked at yesterday, adding that He will come with His angels and sit on His throne. He is not just describing Himself as the King of Israel, but the King of Heaven.

In a world full of evil and suffering, we need reminders that God will intervene and rescue us, as well as reminders to turn away from our own evil desires. Are these verses comforting you or convicting you? What problems do you face that you need to entrust to God’s goodness? What inner struggles do you need to surrender to God?