THE GOOD SHEPHERD

1.  Wicked Shepherds Described and Judged (Ezekiel 34:1-10) 

     A. Wicked Shepherds Destroyed the Flock (Ezekiel 34:1-6) 

     B. Wicked Shepherds Removed (Ezekiel 34:7-10) 

2.  Wicked Sheep Described and Judged (Ezekiel 34:17-22) 

     A. Wicked Sheep Are Selfish (Ezekiel 34:17-19) 

     B. Wicked Sheep Face Judgment (Ezekiel 34:20-22) 

3.  Good Shepherd Described (Ezekiel 34:11-16, 23-31) 

     A. Jesus Rescues His Scattered Flock (Ezekiel 34:11-16) 

     B. New Shepherd Appointed (Ezekiel 34:23-31) 

Central Truth:  Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, who cares for His sheep. 

Focus:  Compare sinful leadership with godly leadership and commit to follow Christ. 

Evangelism Emphasis:  Jesus Christ gave up His life so that lost sheep might be found. 

Text:  “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” (Ezekiel 34:16). 

INTRODUCTION 

There are times we wish for a bit of good news. On the days when troubles, trials, temptations, and tests pile up, we long for divine intervention. At our lowest point, we pray for things to turn around. God is faithful to meet us at those low points and to give us a message of hope. That is exactly what He did for Israel in Ezekiel 34. 

Ezekiel’s message of judgment spans the first thirty-three chapters of the book. The prophet repeatedly rebukes the Israelites for their idolatry, wickedness, and unfaithfulness. God is angry, and Ezekiel describes God’s anger vividly and powerfully. In fact, God is ready to punish Israel severely. God’s threats are fulfilled when the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord (33:21). The land of Israel is made a desolation, and the remaining people are led away as captives to join Ezekiel and his companions in Babylon. 

The destruction of Jerusalem marks the lowest point in the Book of Ezekiel. The presence of the Lord had departed from Jerusalem (10:1-22). The Israelites had lost their land, the Temple, their way of life, and their liberty; they had hit bottom. However, at their lowest point, God speaks a word of promise. In the darkest hour, God shines a light of hope. Ezekiel had predicted Jerusalem’s death—now he predicts her resurrection. The Exile is not the end. 

In the remainder of his book, Ezekiel tells us of at least six new components of the restored Israel: (1) a new shepherd (34:23-24); (2) a new covenant (34:25-28); (3) a new land (36:34-35); (4) a new nation (37:21-23); (5) a new king (37:24-25); and (6) a new temple (40:1—48:35). Today’s lesson focuses on the first two elements of the restoration. 

1. WICKED SHEPHERDS DESCRIBED AND JUDGED 

A. Wicked Shepherds Destroyed the Flock (Ezekiel 34:1-6) 

2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4 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; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 

After receiving the tragic news of Jerusalem’s destruction, Ezekiel’s preaching transitions from a message of judgment to a message of restoration. At their lowest point, as they pass through “the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4), the Israelites are offered hope and a future. However, as his final point in his message of judgment, Ezekiel condemns the selfishness of Israel’s leaders (shepherds) and the corresponding selfishness of many Israelites (sheep). God will replace the uncaring leaders, and He will bring healing to the sheep. Thus, the first point in Ezekiel’s message of hope is that God cares for His sheep. 

The metaphor of leaders as shepherds was common in the ancient world; and the Biblical identification of God as Israel’s Shepherd goes back to Jacob’s reference to God as “the shepherd, the stone of Israel” (Gen. 49:24) and to Psalm 23:1, which states, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” A reference to God’s people as His sheep is found in Numbers 27:17, where Joshua is appointed as Israel’s leader so “the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.” The implication is that Joshua will be Israel’s shepherd (see also 1 Kings 22:17). The prophets, then, utilize the imagery of Israel as God’s sheep and of Israel’s leaders as their shepherds (see also Ps. 80:1; Isa. 56:11; Jer. 50:6). 

The word of the Lord comes to Ezekiel, and the Lord pronounces “woe” unto the shepherds of Israel (34:2). The Lord declares the shepherds have been selfish. Instead of feeding the flock, the shepherds have been feeding themselves. They have taken advantage of their positions to eat the sheep and make clothing from their wool (v. 3). In essence, the shepherds have not fulfilled their leadership responsibilities toward God’s people. In the ancient world, shepherds were not owners of the sheep, but caretakers. Therefore, they had no right to eat the sheep or take the wool for themselves. Israel was God’s flock, but the shepherds acted as if they owned the flock. Superseding God’s authority, they sheared the sheep and slaughtered the finest of them for their own pleasure. 

A shepherd’s highest responsibility is to care for the sheep, protect them from danger, and prevent them from harming one another (rams, especially, can become aggressive). However, Ezekiel rebukes Israel’s leaders for six areas of neglect: (1) They have not fed the sheep. (2) They have not strengthened the diseased. (3) They have not healed the sick. (4) They have not bandaged the wounded. (5) They have not retrieved the sheep that had been driven away by predators. (6) They have not searched for sheep who had wandered away and become lost. To summarize, Ezekiel says the leaders have ruled the sheep “with force and with cruelty” (v. 4)—conduct strictly forbidden by the law of Moses (Lev. 25:43, 46). Moreover, it was with “force and cruelty” that the Egyptian slave masters ruled over the Israelites when they were in bondage in Egypt (Ex. 1:13-14). Now Israel’s leaders were ruling over their own people with the same cruel tyranny. 

The prophet Isaiah leveled a similar criticism against Israel’s leaders. He called them “greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain” (Isa. 56:11). Clearly, the leaders of Israel sought only to benefit themselves; they gave no thought to the well-being of their people. 

• How should spiritual leaders “feed the flocks” (v. 2)? 
• What happens when there is “no shepherd” (vv. 5-6)? 

Servant Leaders 

Jesus identified two basic types of leaders: those who want to be served and those who serve others. The first category of leader loves attention and enjoys exercising authority over everyone else. Jesus said this type of leadership “shall not be so among you” (Mark 10:43 NKJV). Instead, Christian leaders are called to be servants, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (v. 45 NKJV). 

B. Wicked Shepherds Removed (Ezekiel 34:7-10) 

7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; 8 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; 10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. 

In light of the shepherds’ selfish behavior, the Lord pronounces judgment on them. After all, the shepherds of Israel serve at the bidding of the Lord, and they represent His authority and His care for Israel. Their refusal to protect the sheep means God has both the right and the obligation to remove them from service. Therefore, the Lord calls to them and demands that they hear His word (v. 7). 

The beginning of this message must not be overlooked. The phrase “as I live” (v. 8) is as an oath formula, which means God is swearing an oath (see Heb. 6:13). The oath formula raises the level of intensity and makes the listener more aware of God’s passionate opposition to the shepherds’ reprehensible conduct. 

As a result of the negligent leadership, God’s sheep had been “scattered” (Ezek. 34:5), thereby becoming “prey” for predators (v. 8). The Lord offered a similar assessment of Israel’s condition in Jeremiah 50:6, “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray” (NKJV). The Lord repeats several of His accusations against the shepherds: “My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock” (Ezek. 34:8 Amp.). This repetition punctuates the seriousness of the leaders’ failures. 

The Lord concludes His message to the shepherds with a blunt statement of His displeasure: “Behold, I am against the shepherds” (v. 10). God’s rejection of the leaders will result in their removal from office and their handing over the sheep to God’s own care. The word translated require means to “seek” or “to care for”; therefore, the entire phrase means because He cares for His sheep, God will seek after them and take them out of the hands of the unfaithful shepherds. God’s judgment on the shepherds was predicted also by Jeremiah, who wrote, “Weep and wail, you shepherds; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For your time to be slaughtered has come; you will fall like the best of the rams” (Jer. 25:34 NIV). 

Bullying Disallowed 

Pastors have been called to a leadership role, and opportunities to abuse their position abound. They must resist the temptation to control and manipulate. . . . While the pulpit certainly should be used for vision—casting and moving forward the agenda of the body—it should not be used to bully people or advance personal agendas.—Carl R. Hobbs 

2. WICKED SHEEP DESCRIBED AND JUDGED 

A. Wicked Sheep Are Selfish (Ezekiel 34:17-19) 

17 And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. 18 Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? 19 And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. 

Ezekiel’s message leaves no stone unturned. After delivering a scathing rebuke of Israel’s shepherds, the prophet speaks to the internal dissension among the sheep. God’s flock is often attacked from the outside, but sometimes the flock is wounded from within by its own members. The phrase “cattle and cattle” (v. 17) should be translated “sheep and sheep” (NKJV) or “one sheep and another” (NIV). No cattle are involved here. 

It would be a mistake to think of sheep and goats as calm, peaceful, and harmonious. It is from aggressive sheep that we derive the expression “to butt heads.” Part of the shepherd’s task is to prevent the stronger, more aggressive sheep from abusing the weaker ones. In Ezekiel’s day, however, the shepherds had failed; therefore, God stepped in and mediated the conflicts among the sheep. 

In verses 18 and 19, the Lord points to two particularly selfish behaviors. First, the stronger sheep were eating up the best pasture, which is bad enough by itself; but they were also trampling the rest of the pasture with their feet. With no concern for the other sheep, the strongest ones were taking the best portion for themselves and destroying what was left, so that the weaker sheep had no opportunity for grazing. Second, the strongest sheep would push their way to the front so they could drink of the clear streams of water ahead of the other sheep. After drinking, however, they would not leave the stream. They would stomp around in the water until they had stirred up the mud and silt from the bottom of the stream or pond. Their inconsiderate behavior meant the weaker sheep had to drink muddy water. 

• According to James 4:1-2, what causes some of God’s people to fight against each other? 

B. Wicked Sheep Face Judgment (Ezekiel 34:20-22) 

20 Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. 21 Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; 22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. 

The Lord declares He will judge between the “fat and the lean sheep” (v. 20 NKJV). The fat, selfish sheep represent the more affluent and influential members of Jewish society. One Biblical scholar said these upper-class Israelites “oppressed the weak with violence and grasped the limited resources for themselves without considering the needs of those without influence or power. Even what they did not need for themselves they spoiled, thus denying it to others (vv. 18-19). They had abandoned the traditional responsibility of the upper class for the social well-being of the other classes” (Iain M. Duguid, Ezekiel). 

The stronger sheep have pushed and shoved the weaker ones, abusing them for selfish gain. In God’s kingdom, the strong have the responsibility of caring for (not abusing) the weak (see Acts 20:35; 1 Thess. 5:14). Even more outrageous was the mistreatment of those who were ill. The Lord says to the strong sheep, “You have . . . butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad” (Ezek. 34:21 NKJV). We would do well to remember these profound words of Jesus:  “It is impossible but that offences should come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones” (Luke 17:1-2). 

The Lord’s care for His sheep causes Him to intervene on their behalf (Ezek. 34:22). God will never forsake His covenant, and He will never abandon His people. The Babylonian Exile is not the end for Israel; God will restore His people to the land of Judah. He will cause Jerusalem to be rebuilt; and He will return to His temple (43:1-5). God will do whatever is necessary to save His flock. 

The result of God’s restorative work is twofold. First, Israel will no longer “be a prey” (34:22); instead, they will live in security and be safe from enemy attacks (see Deut. 33:28). Israel has always been surrounded by unfriendly nations that have desired their destruction. However, God will not allow those enemies to defeat Israel. Second, they will live in peace among themselves, because God will “judge between sheep and sheep.” Sometimes, internal strife is more dangerous than external attacks. Many nations, governments, institutions, and even churches have crumbled from the inside; but God is watching over His people to protect them from division and discord. 

Fractured Witness 

Few believers actually relish disunity; no, our fractured witness is most often the byproduct of pride and acting and speaking before we think. Unfortunately, we are all subject to such human weaknesses.—Charles Colson 

3. GOOD SHEPHERD DESCRIBED 

A. Jesus Rescues His Scattered Flock (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. 

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. 

Israel’s shepherds had abandoned the sheep who were lost, but the Lord promises to “search” for His sheep and “seek them out” (v. 11), which has to do with inspection and care. Therefore, after the Lord finds the sheep, He will inspect them, care for them, and “look after them” (NIV). He compares Himself to a faithful shepherd who seeks and finds all the lost sheep (v. 12). If the day were “cloudy and dark,” the sheep may have wandered into dangerous places and need to be delivered; if so, the Lord will save them. 

Employing more literal language, the Lord guarantees Israel’s return from the Exile. He says He will “bring them out,” “gather them,” and “bring them to their own land” (v. 13). Israel’s return from the Exile is presented as a miraculous act of God. The people will not escape captivity and return to Israel by their own will and power. God himself gathers them, leads them out, and brings them back. In agreement with Ezekiel, Isaiah 40:11 promises, “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young” (NKJV). Jeremiah 31:10 agrees: “He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.” 

As Israel’s shepherd, the Lord will “feed them in a “good pasture” and cause them to rest “in a good fold” (Ezek. 34:14). The Lord himself will take the responsibility for feeding His sheep and giving them rest. He promises to seek the lost, bandage the wounded, and heal the sick. No longer will the “fat and the strong” abuse the weak (v. 16). 

The Shepherd Restores 

I wish I could make it all new again; I can’t. But God can. “He restores my soul,” wrote the shepherd. God doesn’t reform; He restores. He doesn’t camouflage the old; He restores the new. The Master Builder will pull out the original plan and restore it. He will restore the vigor, He will restore the energy. He will restore the hope. He will restore the soul.—Max Lucado 

B. New Shepherd Appointed (Ezekiel 34:23-31) 

23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24 And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.                     

30 Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God. 31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.         

God’s care for His flock will be accomplished through the ministry of a new shepherd. God will “set up one shepherd,” and this shepherd will be God’s “servant David” (v. 23). Ezekiel’s prophecy does not mean David will rise up from the grave and rule over Israel. This one shepherd is called “David” because He will be a descendant of King David. When the Lord first appointed David as king over Israel, He had said to him, “You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel” (2 Sam. 5:2 NKJV; see also Jer. 23:4). Later, the Lord promised David, “You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel” (1 Kings 9:5 NKJV; see also Jer. 33:15-17). 

The Son of David, who sits on the throne of David, is Jesus Christ. Isaiah predicted His coming: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever” (Isa. 9:6-7). 

In conjunction with the new shepherd, God will establish a “covenant of peace” (Ezek. 34:25). The Mosaic covenant guaranteed God’s blessings to Israel if they were faithful (Deut. 28:1-13), and it threatened various curses if they were disobedient (vv. 15-68). The Exile was the enforcement of those curses, but this new covenant promises that Israel will enjoy the blessings associated with obedience. They will be safe from wild beasts, famine, and enemies (Ezek. 34:28). 

The most valuable aspect of the new covenant, however, is the promise that God will reclaim them as His people—He will restore His relationship with them: “Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people” (v. 30). Because of this spiritual aspect of the “covenant of peace,” many scholars believe that it is the same covenant as Jeremiah’s “new covenant” (see Jer. 31:31). Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other Old Testament prophets point to the full restoration of God’s kingdom in the new covenant, which is realized through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Subsequently, Jesus taught us to pray for the coming of the Kingdom (Matt. 6:10). 

• What did God want the world to “know” (v. 30), and why? 

SERVING THE CHIEF SHEPHERD 

Ezekiel’s message has many powerful implications for the Church today. Let’s consider just two. First, God has called believers together as the body of Christ, and every member has a function and a responsibility to the body. Every level of leadership will be judged by its faithfulness to God’s purposes. Leaders will give an account of the manner in which they have fulfilled their calling to care for God’s people (Heb. 13:17). Second, Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy—He is the “good shepherd” who “giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). The Church belongs to Christ; it is not ours. We have shepherds (pastors) who watch over us, but Jesus is the “chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4) and the “Guardian” of our souls (2:25 NASB). He is faithful, and He is our model for serving others. 

Daily Devotions  

M. David, the Shepherd of Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-5) 

T. The Lord Is My Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-6) 

W. The Messianic Shepherd (Micah 5:1-6) 

T. Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-5, 11-18) 

F. Elders Must Shepherd God’s Flock (1 Peter 5:1-11) 

S. The Shepherding Lamb (Revelation 7:9-17) 

Adopted from the Evangelical Sunday School Lesson Commentary 2021-2022.