The shepherds Ezekiel 34 addressed were the
leaders of both Israel and Judah. Whether kings, princes, judges, priests, or
prophets, they were all found derelict in their assignments. Instead of leading
the nation, referred to here as the flock, towards fulfilling God’s plan they
were found wanting. The neglect of the leadership had left the people
being taken as captives by foreign countries. The people under their care were
scattered all over. These shepherds had failed in their assignments for they
did not discharge their duties responsibly. These were unfaithful
shepherds.
Ezekiel was instructed to bring a message of divine woe against
those wayward shepherds. Firstly, God censured them for exploiting instead of
feeding the flock. So self-consumed were they with themselves that they would take advantage of the
choicest part of God's flock for self-aggrandizement.
Secondly, these shepherds had no concern for the needs of the
flock. The weak were not strengthened, the sick not healed, the broken not
bound, and the straying ones were not pursued but left to wander. Neither did
they care for those who were lost.
Thirdly, instead of guiding and leading the flock, they
rigorously, rigidly, and tightly controlled them. They were literally ruling
them with an iron fist. And fourthly, they abandoned the flock and left them at
the mercy of the predators. Their irresponsibility had left the sheep to be
preyed on by the wild beast.
In the church’s equivalence, the shepherds are the pastors and
people who are playing a leadership role. Never lose sight of the fact that the
people under our stewardship belong to God. They are God’s flock. We are only
under-shepherds. We are to pray and care for them and not to take advantage of
them. We must lead and guide them and not drive or coerce them. There is a need
for us leaders to identify the needy and less mature ones, to take time to
ground them, so that they will not become prey to false teachers and be led
astray.
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