Woe to the Shepherds...

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice. Ezekiel 34.

The context of these verses is the failure of the priests and prophets to take care of the nation of Israel. Because they did not teach, encourage and admonish properly God punished the nation of Israel. He lays the blame squarely upon the priests/prophets.

Israel’s shepherds failed to nourish/instruct them properly. Elders in a congregation are responsible for spiritual nourishment… not the preacher, not the deacons and not the Bible class teachers. Certainly they serve under the umbrella of the elder-hood but Elders must make sure the right things are being taught by the teachers with the most ability.

Israel’s shepherds failed to look after those who were straying. Elders as well are responsible to search for those who stray. It’s not too hard in a congregation to see who are straying. Attendance may not be the best criteria but it is an important one. Members who don’t attend or who don’t attend well (and have the ability to) l need to be taught and strengthened. They are not participating in the classes. They certainly have not prepared themselves to be teachers. They generally are lacking in hospitality in the congregation and they are not participating in the three hallmarks of one another responsibilities… encouragement, edification and admonishment.

Israel’s shepherds failed to treat the injured and strengthen the weak. Elders have the same responsibility. Sometimes members are weak because their faith is weak and they don’t know God’s word. Too often Elders take a one size shoe fits all… well it doesn’t. The weak are on the “milk of the word” and are “babes in Christ”. Plugging them into the auditorium class that is studying Revelation is tantamount to child abuse. The weak and injured need to be individually assessed and helped accordingly.