25 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

"Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? (Ezekiel 34:2)

I heard John C Maxwell say this, “everything rises and falls on leadership” In other words, good things happen when there is good leadership at the helm and bad things happen when there are wicked (or bad) leaders at the helm of affairs.

The LORD is well aware of this and this is the reason He begins the process of restoration by tackling the leadership (shepherds) first. “Prophesy against the shepherds of Israel”

You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. (Ezekiel 34:3)

They lived sumptuously at the expense of the flock. But still they did not feed, i.e., care for the needs of, the masses (v 3).

Ezekiel 34:3-4

you do not feed the flock....Word

1.The weak you have not strengthened. .....

2.nor have you healed those who were sick,

3.nor bound up the broken,

4.nor brought back what was driven away,

5.nor sought what was lost;

but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.

Ezekiel arranges the sheep who need special care into five groups: the weak, sick, broken, straying, and lost sheep. These are the poor and defenseless among the population. They had been ruled with force, not with consideration and justice (Matthew 9:36).

So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. (Ezekiel 34:5)

The above are reasons why the sheep are scattered

I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. (Ezekiel 34:13, 26)

Ezekiel 24:11-16, 23-24

Ezekiel compares our Heavenly King to a shepherd.

Shepherds were outcasts in society, doing an important but dirty job. They were simple men, who owned little more than their staff and the cloak on their backs.

Ezekiel shows here that, as different as the two concepts are, the best kind of king is also a shepherd.

It seems weird to us, but the picture would have been treasured by the people of Israel. Ezekiel uses the name David here, not only because the Christ would come from the line of David, but also because David himself was also a shepherd king. David grew up in the fields and knew both the lowliness of the pastures and the grandeur of the palace. His father owned the sheep he tended and his brothers would inherit them.

Chapter 34