It is Happening Again

Ezekiel was just one of God's prophets that God sent out to Israel to warn of the coming judgments that were to befall the nation. God warned them and called out to them to repent. But God knew that many were "impudent and hard-hearted," "a rebellious house"(Ezekiel 3:7,26). They were spiritually blind and deaf because they did not want to listen.

God has always sent His prophets to warn the nations of judgment to cause them to repent and turn to Him. He did it then and is still doing it now. Many have been brought forth to warn the nation to do the same: Repent. But....they did not hear.

The judgment, then, is against the shepherds because they did not care for the sheep (God's people) and instead took advantage of them to feed themselves.

"...Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?...The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them" (Ezekiel 34:2,4).

As a result, the sheep were left to fend for themselves - "they were scattered" (Ezekiel 34:5). Even more, when the shepherds heard God's warning, they did not believe nor did they care. They only focused on the system of "feeding themselves" that they had created and thought they could remain as they were. But they were wrong:

"Thus says the Lord God, 'Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed them no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them'" (Ezekiel 34:10)

And just like that, the judgment is that the shepherds were no longer going to have any of the flock to feed themselves with. And so it has become now.

But the hope for the flock is that they would have God as their Shepherd:

"I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down," says the Lord God. "I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them in judgment." - (Ezekiel 34:15-16)

He will gather His people unto Himself once again. Just as it was back then for Israel, so it is now.

Persevere and endure to the end.