Shepherds are meant to feed their flock. Ezekiel 34 begins with a warning to the shepherds. They are feeding themselves instead of the flock.

What does that mean? Who are the shepherds?

Shepherds are leaders, the ones the others look to for guidance. It could be the teachers of the law for the Jews and it could be pastors and elders of the church today.

How does church leadership feed themselves? I think one way is in trying to build their church (their little kingdom) instead of the kingdom of God. They can focus on attracting goats, of whom there are many more, and starve the sheep in the process.

At my church, they can show The Chosen and call it Bible study. It’s not. It’s fictional. That’s starving the sheep.

God gives a list of things the shepherds aren’t doing. They are things we ALL could be doing as followers of Jesus and as people anointed to bring His good news into the world.

God says they didn’t strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the broken, bring back what was driven away, seek what was lost.

We may have a “seeking Savior,” but we’re all supposed to be seeking what was lost.

God says he will cause the shepherds to cease feeding the flock, which is interesting because they are accused of not feeding them. It’s not that there wasn’t ever anything happening. But, there’s a heart issue off behind it all. Their hearts are pointed inward instead of outward. The shepherds shouldn’t be using the sheep to get what they want; they should be laying down their lives for the sheep.

The chapter ends with God saying He will go and seek and save the sheep Himself. He will set them free from those who oppressed them and save them from the beasts trying to devour them.

God’s people die for lack of knowledge. Without shepherds caring for them, any number of attacks, deceptions, and lusts come to devour.

Pray for the shepherds. Know the Word for yourself. Rely on the Good Shepherd to defend and guide.