Ezekiel 34 - Shepherds of Israel

 

Ezekiel 34 – Shepherds of Israel

 

For many decades, the shepherds of Israel, the nation’s leaders, both spiritual and governmental had failed to lead the people into godly ways of living. Even worse, they did not model how to enjoy a growing relationship with the living God. Instead, they acted to enrich themselves at the expense of others. The Babylonian conquest occurred because they failed to carry out their God-given duties. The nation collapsed and the people were scattered because its leaders failed.

 

The Lord removed the flock of Israel from the care of the nation’s spiritual and governmental leaders by eliminating those leaders through the Babylonian attack. While it is a great privilege to lead God’s people, its a privilege that comes with enormous responsibility (James 3:1).

 

Through Ezekiel, the Lord gives another promise that He will one day search for, seek out, and gather the people of Israel from all the places He has scattered them and bring them back to the Promised Land, where He will care for them and make them prosper. He will do for them what their failed shepherds refused to do. This prophecy began to be fulfilled when the good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, was born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:6) and shepherds celebrated His arrival (Lue 2:8-14). As the Good Shepherd, Jesus ministered to the crowds, who were like sheep without a shepherd (Matt (:36).

 

Faithful shepherds of God’s flock pay special attention to the weak sheep among them and so take appropriate action to tend to their unique need. We are to “comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all” (I Thess. 5:14).

 

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Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible