Question: Please comment on Ezekiel 34:2-6 (Who are these shepherds?); also taking into consideration verse 12 “The cloudy and dark day.”
Answer: The shepherds spoken of in these verses would be those whom God had appointed to guide, care for, and feed His flock, the children of Israel. This would refer to their priests and prophets. Also in this case, since Israel’s government was a combination of church and state, it might include their kings and rulers as well. These were all set over the children of Israel to seek their welfare and best interest and to guide them in both sacred and secular things. We get a good view of the Good Shepherd in the 23rd Psalm. We see the Good Shepherd here providing all the wants of His sheep, leading them to the still waters and providing for them security and sufficiency so that they lie down in peace in green pastures. He never forsakes His flock but is with them in trouble and adversity the same as in prosperity which is evidenced by His walking with them through the valley of the shadow of death. He always provides abundance for them even to the overflowing stage and sets them a table right in the presence of their enemies.
In John 10:11, Jesus declares Himself to be the Good Shepherd and declares that the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. Then in verse 12 He speaks of the hireling, whose own the sheep are not, and when he sees the wolf coming he leaves the sheep and fleeth; the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. Jesus further explained in verse 13 that the reason the hireling flees when danger and trouble threatens is because he is just a hireling and is primarily interested in his hire and temporal gain and does not care for the sheep.
Again in Luke 15:3-7, Jesus presents another graphic picture of a Good Shepherd looking after his sheep. He has a hundred sheep and one wanders away and gets lost. He leaves the ninety-nine in the fold and goes in search of the lost one until he finds it; then he puts it on his shoulder and carries it home. He cares for all his sheep and when one is in trouble, that is the one he seeks to help.
These shepherds spoken of in Ezekiel 34:2-6, were supposed to be like this and like the Good Shepherd of John 10:11, and the Shepherd featured in the twenty-third Psalm. But, oh, how different they were! They were like the hireling Jesus mentioned in John 10:12-13, and were looking after their own comforts and gain. They were entirely insensitive to the needs of the flock. They did not strengthen the diseased, heal the sick, bind up the broken, bring back those who were driven away, nor seek that which was lost. They ruled with force and cruelty. They were totally unfaithful and entirely insensitive to their responsibility as shepherds of a flock. As a result, the sheep were scattered and wandered through all the mountains and high hills of the whole earth and became meat to be devoured by the beasts of the field. This all actually happened to the children of Israel again and again because of their wickedness and idolatry which was instigated by their priests, prophets, and rulers. It is also a type of what has happened to the people of God (spiritual Israel) during this gospel dispensation and has a second fulfillment there.
In Isaiah 9:16, we read, “For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.” Again we read in Isaiah 3:12, “…O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.” In Jeremiah 23, beginning with verse 9 is a strong indictment against the prophets and priests of Israel. Verse 11 says, “For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.” We also read in verse 13, “And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.” Clear on down through verse 32 God is strongly proclaiming against the prophets who prophesy in His name declaring that “the Lord hath said,” but they prophesy lies and falsehoods.
The awful consequences of all this false prophesying and the profanity among priests and prophets are found in Jeremiah 14:13-16, which I will insert here. “Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword;…” It becomes apparent here that the people who listen to the prophets who prophesy falsehoods and offer security in those falsehoods and doctrines that are not according to God’s Word, shall become victims of those prophets (be devoured by the beasts of the field the false prophets) and share the same fate with them.
In Hosea 5:10 it says, “The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.” A few other texts regarding landmarks and bounds will add a little emphasis to this text where it says “The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound.” When the Israelites entered into Canaan land, everyone received an inheritance consisting of a piece of land secured by bounds and landmarks. This was to remain in that family throughout their generation. This inheritance was considered such a valuable and sacred thing that the daughters of one tribe were forbidden to marry into another tribe because it would affect their inheritance which was not transferable to any other tribe. In Deuteronomy 27:17 a curse was pronounced upon anyone who tampered with the landmark and altered the bounds of his neighbor’s field. Also read Proverbs 22:28 and Deuteronomy 19:14. We see this was a very strong charge against the princes of Judah who were like them that removed the bound. The princes of Judah would be their prophets, priests, and rulers. They had tampered with God’s Word and law, and prophesied falsely to the people and led them into error and idolatry, and God’s wrath was against them.
This whole discussion describes the class and condition of the shepherds in Ezekiel 34, and the awful consequences of their lordship over the people. It will be necessary to wait until another time to consider the other part of the question, “the cloudy and dark day.”
