Ezekiel 34
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“Unfaithful Shepherds”
Tonight, as we begin, we are picking up toward the end of this prophetic book.
And if you studied Ezekiel, you understand that Ezekiel ministered during an extremely dark time in the history of Israel.
Traditionally, this is understood to have been written somewhere in the 600 BC timeframe.
At this point in time, the Babylonians had exiled them.
The nation as a whole e had been given to idolatry.
The people were not faithful to the covenant.
This was the whole reason that they were exiled.
And then, I guess one of the most devastating things in the ministry of Ezekiel is the departure of the glory of God from the temple in Jerusalem.
You can go read about that in(Ezekiel 8–11).
The glory of God left the nation.
And you may think well, what’s the significance of that?
What was the big deal about the glory of God?
At that point, we have to remind ourselves how when the people of Israel were moving from Egypt to Canaan through the wilderness how did God manifest his presence with them ? through a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
We have talked about this before, but every day and every night they would look up to see literally God’s glory resting above them.
It was a steady visible reminder of God’s presence with them as they journeyed through the wilderness.
But there were multiple instances where this glory came, even nearer to the people
In Exodus chapter 40, God’s glory comes and rests upon the Tabernacle that they had set up.
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
This was the moment where the localized presence and glory of God surrounded this place.
This was an important moment because it symbolized a few things.
God’s presence was with them, and
he was able to be approached by them and worshipped through the priestly and sacrificial system.
Even though they were wandering through the wilderness, God was still among his people and he manifested that through his glory.
Now that was on the tabernacle.
But we know the tabernacle was the temporary temple as a journey through the wilderness.
What about when Solomon builds his temple, and we have a more permanent dwelling.
You see something very similar.
And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,
“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever,”
the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
Those two passages are records of the same thing that happened with the tabernacle happening with the temple.
And so in both of those moments, it’s both a comfort and a statement to the people.
God is not like the other gods.
God is not like the gods that you take have to bring them in to wherever they’re going to be worship and set them on a shelf.
He’s not a carved image that is placed here or there in order to be worshiped.
He is the god who comes to dwell in the place of worship himself.
He descends upon it in order to do so.
The second thing this spoke to the nation was the important truth— God is with you.
God’s glory is overshadowing you.
God in his grace and in a special way is with this nation in particular.
But then we get to Ezekiel
And the people and the leaders had filled the temple with idolatry and corruption.
The nation that had been chosen by God and blessed by God had corrupted themselves.
And Ezekiel in the middle of all that corruption sees a vision of God’s glory gradually leaving the temple and finally departing the city altogether in Ezekiel 11:23
Listen to what it says
And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city.
This departure of the glory of God, symbolized God’s judgment and the spiritual ruin of the nation
But why?
idolatry, injustice, and covenant unfaithfulness.
But at the heart of all, this was a failure of leadership.
You know—
These past two Sundays we’ve been focusing on what true and faithful Ministry looks like.
Paul defines and defend his own Ministry to the Thessalonian church.
And so we have been given a positive picture of what faithful Ministry looks like.
But I think it’s important for us to understand what’s at stake when it comes to godly and biblical leadership.
You see in Ezekiel, we find God indicting the shepherds of Israel.
And just so you know, whenever you see the word Shepherd in the Old Testament, particularly in the prophetic books, it can be referencing priests, but also it could be referencing kings and prophets but essentially they all fall under the broad umbrella of spiritual leaders.
Those trusted with leading the people of God.
And so in the text that we are in tonight Ezekiel 34, God through the prophet Ezekiel ,
rebukes the unfaithful shepherds for what ultimately is selfish and ungodly leadership.
So we’re going to look at this and see what the shepherds of Israel were doing so that we know what to avoid.
Read with me beginning verse one.
The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.
The first point tonight is
I. Unfaithful Shepherds Use the Sheep Instead of Serving the Sheep (vv. 1–6)
As we look in verses 1-2, what is the big problem?
The big problem is that the shepherds of Israel existed for themselves rather than for the flock.
They were selfish.
They were feeding themselves.
They were feeding themselves the best portions.
They were sitting back getting rich, fat and happy rather than taking care of the sheep.
The sheep were suffering as they did fine.
It really is the contrast of what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians.
Where Paul says he did the exact opposite.
He led with sacrificial and faithful love.
These people here in Ezekiel, love themselves.
They benefited greatly from having the sheep
But did not actually care for the sheep spiritually.
A shepherd can be around sheep constantly and still not truly love them.
And we know this by how he treats the ones that are struggling and hurting and sick.
Look at verse four again.
The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.
This is one of the clearest pictures of failed ministry in Scripture.
They failed to:
strengthen the weak
heal the sick
bind up the injured
bring back the straying
seek the lost
Instead:
“with force and harshness you have ruled them.”
Again, contrasting this with Paul’s picture of what true and faithful and biblical leadership is in first Thessalonians, everything he says he was they weren’t.
Their ministry was characterized by selfishness
Not gentleness.
Not patience.
Not compassion.
Harsh leadership.
And God says they’re unfaithful for it.
But here’s the thing a failure of leadership always hurts the flock.
A failure of leadership always hurts. The people being led.
The leader may be doing fine, but those he leads are neglected.
Look at Verses 5–6
So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.
He says here there was no Shepherd.
This doesn’t mean that the officers had gone away.
There were still people filling the offices and the positions.
But there were no shepherds.
There was no one willing to do the hard work of caring for and providing for the sheep.
And Because the shepherds failed to the point where God says there is none: because of that:
the sheep scattered
The sheep became vulnerable
The sheep wandered aimlessly
Bad shepherding always damages sheep.
Last night I was sitting on my couch about 9 o’clock, when I got a phone call from someone working with hospice.
They asked me if I would be willing to go to a house in Conway because there was a family there that had just lost a loved one and they were requesting a pastor.
So I got dressed and I picked up Chris Cannon on the way and we went over there.
On the way there, Chris and I speculated that this family must not go to church or either there a new family who hasn’t found a church yet to not have a pastor to call.
Most families if they are not believers, they’re not gonna call a pastor.
But believers generally speaking, have a pastor.
So anyway, went over there we ministered to this family and in the course of conversation I just asked them if they went to church anywhere. I was going to recommend some faithful churches in their area.
But they assured me that they did have a Church home and they said the name of the church.
And the church that they mentioned was a very large church.
And they said we go there, but the pastor doesn’t really know us and so we didn’t really feel comfortable calling him.
They’ve been going to this church for the last six years.
And they felt more comfortable, calling the hospice people and asking for them to send one of their chaplains or another pastor than the one that they go and listen to every Sunday.
Again, I’m not against large churches.
Have many friends at large churches, and I believe they do a great job shepherding their congregation.
I’m not in any way saying that in order to be faithful you have to be a certain size.
But I am saying at times pastors can get too big to where they feel unapproachable by the very people they’re supposed to be ministering to.
That’s a danger.
That point, we would be guilty of having neglected the flock of God among us.
But we have to remember, whose sheep are they?
Who ultimately cares for them most?
God does.
So if you look at verses seven through 10, what you find is how the Lord responds to unfaithful shepherds.
“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
He’s going to speak to them and to them in particular.
The shepherds themselves now stand accountable before God.
Listen to what he tells them in verse eight
As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep,
The sheep became prey because there was no faithful shepherd.
God is specific here.
He says to them you didn’t do your job.
And as a result, look what has happened.
No bear in mind here this isn’t for lack of information.
The issue was not merely weakness.
It isn’t that they need to be trained.
They have willfully neglected to do the job they were called to do.
And God Mrs, no words he says you are responsible.
And there are consequences
Look at verse 9 and 10
therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.
God says here are your consequences—
I’m against you.
I will require my sheep at your hand. In other words, God says you’re going to pay for neglecting every single one you neglected.
Those are terrifying words aren’t they?
For the Lord to say he’s against us.
Contrast this with Romans 8:31-32
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
When God is for you, you have nothing to fear.
If God is against you, you had better fear
God promises:
to remove them
to rescue the sheep from them
to stop the exploitation of his sheep.
And here’s where the passage shifts, to what God, as the Lord of the sheep is going to do.
As we read through here, I want you to do something
Take notice at the personal pronouns here.
III. The Lord Himself Becomes the Shepherd of His Sheep (vv. 11–24)
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.
What the earthly shepherds refused to do,
God Himself promises to do.
Obviously, I hope you all know where we’re headed tonight.
Jesus has the good Shepherd of the church is the one who comes and seeks out his sheep.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
It was Jesus who told the parable of the lost sheep where the Shepherd leaves the 99 to go after one.
It was Jesus who and John Wood say. I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
By the way, good Shepherd contrasted with unfaithful Shepherd not good Shepherd back in Ezekiel chapter 34.
But back to this text
He says in verse 11 and 12, that the good Shepherd
seeks
rescues
gathers
And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God.
Verses 13–15
God promises:
provision
rest
pasture
safety
False shepherds exhausted the sheep.
God gives His sheep rest.
And again, This points ultimately to Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, who came to seek and save His people and gather them from every nation into one flock.
The green pastures and mountains of Israel picture the redemption and the peace, and safety found in Christ as He shepherds His church through His Word.
Even now He feeds, leads, and preserves His people, and one day that promise will be perfectly fulfilled when His sheep dwell forever in His presence.
I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
Notice God’s shepherding heart:
seek the lost
bring back strays
bind the injured
strengthen the weak
This reverses verse 4 almost exactly.
And again, I don’t mean to be a dead horse here, but think about the ministry of Jesus.
Who was he drawn to?
The majority of the gospels accounts of Jesus are his interactions with those that would fall into the category of lost, sick, hurting,
Also, there in verse 16 it said he would destroy the fat and the strong.
Who did Jesus most often have problems with
The religious leaders of the day who had followed the pattern of the shepherds and Ezekiel.
The Pharisees, the priests, the scribes.
Jesus exposed their Ministry.
This is what he promised to do.
Now he further outlines what his ministry would look like in the future.
Look in Verses 17–22
“As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
“Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep.
Here in the section, he is addressing the injustice, even among the sheep.
That there were some who pushed their weight around as it were.
There were some sheep who felt themselves as more important than others.
It wasn’t enough for them to drink the clean water they had to stand in it and muddy the water for the rest of the sheep.
The picture here is using the metaphor of sheep to explain how the people were acting.
There were people in Israel who just didn’t care about others.
They had lost sight of the first table of the law and how they had broken the law of God as they served other idols, but it’s also clear that they had lost sight of the second table of the law and how they were supposed to treat their neighbors.
And so the prophecy here is that
God also judges among the sheep.
Some sheep abused weaker sheep.
A good Shepherd deals with that.
And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.
“I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David.”
Here’s how we know that this passage points beyond Ezekiel to the coming Messiah.
Jesus is the ultimate faithful Shepherd.
When it says my servant, David, obviously David is Long dead by this point.
He’s not literally talking about David.
He’s talking about the most significant ancestor of David, Jesus.
When he says David is coming back to the throne essentially what he’s saying is one like David, but who will be better than David is coming to the throne
An inverse is 25 through 31 and the rest of this chapter we see, whenever he is set up
The Faithful Shepherd Brings Peace, Security, and Covenant Blessing (vv. 25–31)
“I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them.
God promises covenant peace.
safety
provision
fruitfulness
In other words, this is the result of faithful Shepparton
The flock flourishes.
The flock is protected.
They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will provide for them a renowned place for planting so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations.
The sheep will no longer live in fear or shame.
Why?
Because the Shepherd protects them.
But here is the ultimate goal.
Remember today, we talked about how faithful Shepherd’s lead the people to know God.
They lead the people towards holiness and godliness.
Verse 30 caps off this Ministry of the good Shepherd.
And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God.
The greatest blessing is God’s presence.
Don’t miss it here. He says he will be with them.
Remember the context.
His glory had left them at this point.
He is saying when this good Shepherd comes
When he himself comes, he’s coming to stay with his people
This is covenant language.
This carries with the idea of
Ownership.
Care.
Relationship.
And so as we think about this passage
Ezekiel 34 ultimately gives two pictures:
shepherds who used and abused the flock
And the Shepherd who saves the flock
Human shepherds fail.
Some are harsh.
Some neglectful.
Some self-serving.
But the glory of the gospel is this:
God did not abandon His sheep.
In Jesus Christ, the Shepherd comes
The unfaithful shepherds caused the glory to depart.
The good shepherd brings it back to never leave his people again
These last two weeks and even this passage have been hard with regard to preparation and even delivering them because it is so convicting for me as a pastor.
The word pastor literally means Shepherd.
There are plenty of portions in scripture that I can take you to that speak of the judgment that I will face with regard to how I have led you.
Now, by all means it matters how you follow as well, but I’m going to be held accountable for how I’ve led you, how I’ve fed you, how I’ve cared for you.
So again, I asked for your prayers this morning I would humbly ask for them again.
Please pray that me and Will would be faithful.
