Ezekiel 34:1-6: a reflection

1The LORD’s word came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and tell them, even the shepherds, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep? 3You eat the fat. You clothe yourself with the wool. You kill the fatlings, but you don’t feed the sheep. 4You haven’t strengthened the diseased. You haven’t healed that which was sick. You haven’t bound up that which was broken. You haven’t brought back that which was driven away. You haven’t sought that which was lost, but you have ruled over them with force and with rigor. 5They were scattered, because there was no shepherd. They became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered. 6My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth. There was no one who searched or sought.”

Through Ezekiel, God pronounces a sharp woe against the shepherds of Israel, its leaders, who had failed the flock: Woe to the shepherds who have been feeding themselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? Instead of caring for the flock, they had used their position for themselves, eating the fat, clothing themselves with the wool, while neglecting the weak, the sick, the injured, the lost. They ruled with harshness, and the sheep were scattered, uncared for. The shepherds served themselves, not the flock.

Notice the charge against these shepherds: they fed themselves rather than the sheep. They had a position of care, they were shepherds, meant to feed and tend the flock; but they used it for their own benefit, taking what they could for themselves while neglecting those they were meant to care for. They exploited their position rather than serving through it, and the vulnerable sheep, the weak, the sick, the lost, suffered for it.

That is a searching word for anyone in a position of care or leadership, over others in any sphere. The temptation of such a position is to use it for ourselves, to take its benefits while neglecting the real work of caring for those entrusted to us, especially the weak and needy among them. God calls those in positions of care to feed the sheep, not themselves, to tend the weak, seek the lost, care for those in their charge. And this passage points forward to God's promise, in the same chapter, to shepherd his people himself, fulfilled in Christ, the Good Shepherd, who does not feed himself but lays down his life for the sheep. If you have any charge over others, feed the sheep, not yourself; and follow the Good Shepherd, who cared for the flock at the cost of his own life.

Lord, through Ezekiel you pronounced woe on the shepherds who fed themselves rather than the sheep, using their position for their own benefit while neglecting the weak, the sick, the lost. Search me wherever I have a position of care or leadership over others. Guard me from the temptation to use it for myself, taking its benefits while neglecting the real work of caring for those entrusted to me, especially the weak and needy. Help me feed the sheep, not myself, to tend the weak, seek the lost, care for those in my charge. And thank you that you promised to shepherd your people yourself, fulfilled in Christ, the Good Shepherd, who did not feed himself but laid down his life for the sheep. Help me follow him, caring for others as he cared for the flock, at cost to myself. Make me a shepherd who feeds the sheep.