Ezekiel 34

Message: Prophecy against the shepherds of Israel; the Lord is our Shepherd and the Lord has a covenant of piece

Time: The Lord speaking to Ezekiel

What the Lord is Saying:

The Lord tells Ezekiel to speak against the shepherds. What was their problem? They focused first on their own nourishment and then looked out for their flock, second. This is obviously a problem. The shepherds drank milk, wore wool, and then butchered the the best animals. But they did not take care of the weak. They have not sought out and looked after the lost. Instead, they have been harsh. And the sheep have scattered, and no one is searching for them. And the message is that the shepherds have neglected the flock.

Immediately, I see several applications for this passage. The father should care for his family. The pastor should be more concerned with his church than his self. The Christian needs to look out for those wandering and meet their needs. I thought of Cliff that I met yesterday in church and within a minute he was letting me know he was getting a divorce. Wow. And I just directed him to the auditorium. Why didn't I stop and figure out a way to minister to him? He didn't sound like God was in his life. But, I didn't do anything. I let him wander. O God, rescue Cliff and draw Him.

I also think of my kids and how I am constantly making it sound like it is a trial for me to do everything for them. And yet they are children. They need a shepherd even though they are prone to wander.

This is our role as believers and stewards of Christ. And my role as a husband, manager, leader, to look out for the flock and give them what they need.

The Lord says, "I myself will search and find my sheep." Is this because the shepherd he set up abandoned them? Or is He just saying that He is the one that finds the sheep? Either way, the Lord will work to bring his sheep back into the fold, no matter the circumstance that they are in. The Lord will feed them. He will gather them and bring them back into his own land. He will give them good pasture. He will seek the lost, bring back the strayed, bind up the injured, strengthen the weak.

And he mentions that he will be judge over the lean and fat sheep. The fat don't need to be around. The problem is these sheep don't just take the good pasture, but they instead want it all.

And the Lord desires to make a covenant with them. They will be secured where they are at and they will not have to fear the enemy. I will send them rain when they need it. They will know that "I am the Lord."

Promise: This is an interesting passage. Did the shepherd not do good enough and so then the Lord stepped in? The bottom line is that God takes care of his own, but he wants his leaders to also tend to their flock. As we seek the Lord, we will never be led astray.