UNROLL
Early morning high on the mountains of Israel: a wide upland pasture with mist in the ravines, an empty stone sheepfold with its gate hanging open, a few sheep far off and scattered, a pale empty sky.

A new heart

Ezekiel 34

Judah’s kings fed themselves and lost the flock. Who has truly cared for you, and who has only used you?

31 verses≈ 7 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

  1. 1–3Visions of gloryBy the Kebar, about 593 BC: the throne, the scroll, the watchman
  2. 4–7Signs of the siegeA brick, a ration, a razor: the end has come
  3. 8–11The glory departsAbout 592 BC: the temple’s abominations, the mark, the glory goes east
  4. 12–15False hopesExile acted out, false prophets, a useless vine
  5. 16–19Parables and lamentsAn unfaithful bride, two eagles, the one who sins
  6. 20–24The sword drawnRebellion retold; the siege begins, about 588 BC
  7. 25–32The nations judgedAmmon to Egypt: the LORD is Judge of all the earth
  8. 33–36A new heartThe city falls; the Good Shepherd; cleansed and made newChapter 34
  9. 37–39Dry bones liveOne people raised up, and Gog of Magog defeated
  10. 40–48The LORD is thereAbout 573 BC: the new temple, the river, the land

A Prophecy against Israel’s Shepherds

God

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock?

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

God
Evening at the open flap of a large goat-hair tent: roast mutton on a platter, a pile of new-shorn fleeces and a fine cloak inside; outside a plain staff leans forgotten against the tent pole, and thin sheep wander on the bare hill beyond.

You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock.

God

You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty.

God
Evening on bare hills: sheep scattered across the slopes in small groups with no shepherd anywhere, an empty stone sheepfold below with its gate open, long shadows.

They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts. My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill. They were scattered over the face of all the earth, with no one to search for them or seek them out.’

God

Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because My flock lacks a shepherd and has become prey and food for every wild beast, and because My shepherds did not search for My flock but fed themselves instead, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD!’

God

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand from them My flock and remove them from tending the flock, so that they can no longer feed themselves. For I will deliver My flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.’

Question

Quick question

Look again at what Israel’s leaders did with the flock in their care.

What did Israel’s shepherds do instead of feeding the flock?

The Good Shepherd

God

For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out.

Ezekiel 34:11

God
A storm-dark ravine in the hills as the clouds break: sheep that had been scattered among the rocks come down together onto one path toward a band of clear light at the ravine’s mouth.

As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.

God
Spring on the high mountains of Israel: lush green pasture among wildflowers and limestone outcrops, sheep and goats grazing and lying down, a stream in the ravine below.

I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the settlements of the land. I will feed them in good pasture, and the lofty mountains of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in a good grazing land; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

God
God

I will tend My flock and make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’

God
A watering place on a stream at midday: the near edge trampled to mud by hooves, thin sheep drinking brown water while fat rams and goats stand on the bank, clear water upstream.

This is what the Lord GOD says to you, My flock: ‘I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink the clear waters? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Why must My flock feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied?’

God

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says to them: ‘Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Since you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak ones with your horns until you have scattered them abroad, I will save My flock, and they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.

God

I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.

God

I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken.

Pray

Pray

Good Shepherd, You came looking for me when I was lost. Bind up what is broken in me, strengthen what is weak, and keep me in Your flock. Amen.

My flock

Shepherds34:2–6: fed themselvesI Myself34:11–16: search andrescueSheep and sheep34:17–22: judgedOne shepherd34:23–24: My servantDavidCovenant ofpeace34:25–30: secureMy flock34:31: I am your God

Whiteboard

The LORD takes His flock back, and gives it one Shepherd.

The Covenant of Peace

God
Spring rain showers sweeping over green terraced hills and an oak wood, sunlight breaking between them, sheep resting safe under a great oak at the wood’s edge.

I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest. I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season—showers of blessing.

God
God

The trees of the field will give their fruit, and the land will yield its produce; My flock will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and delivered them from the hands that enslaved them.

God

They will no longer be prey for the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not consume them. They will dwell securely, and no one will frighten them.

God

And I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,’ declares the Lord GOD.

God
Golden evening on a high slope: sheep and goats resting in deep green pasture, a stone fold with its gate open behind them, a calm golden empty sky above.

‘You are My flock, the sheep of My pasture, My people, and I am your God,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

0:07

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

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Ezekiel 34

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A verse to carry with you

For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out.

Ezekiel 34:11

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