In the Last Days, the Lord Will Gather the Lost Sheep of Israel—the Messiah Will Be Their Shepherd
Ezekiel 34:11–16
11 For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:
“Had not Jehovah said by the mouth of Ezekiel: ‘Woe be to the shepherds of Israel’—to the priests and Levites, to the scribes and Pharisees, to those who should have been guides and lights and teachers of the people—‘Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?’ Had not Jehovah said of those who should have cared for His flock: ‘The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost.’
“Did not Jehovah promise by the mouth of Ezekiel: ‘Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. . . . I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick. . . . And I will make with them a covenant of peace. . . . And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God’ (Ezekiel 34:2, 4, 11, 15–16, 25, 31).
“Had not Jehovah said by the mouth of Jeremiah: ‘Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. . . . Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them. . . . And I will gather the remnant of my flock. . . . And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch’ (Jeremiah 23:1–6).
“. . . These divine prophecies shall see their most glorious fulfillment when Jehovah returns, continuing ever as the Branch of David, to bring again Israel into His fold in the last days . . .”
(The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [1979–81], 2:305–6.)
