False Shepherds; The True Shepherd

In Ezekiel 34.15,16, this morning, a beautiful passage. If the shepherds that God had appointed over Israel would not be proper shepherds (c. f. Ezekiel 34.4), then God would be a true shepherd to his people. God will tend the sheep; he will have them lie down; he will go after and find the strays; and bind up the injured; and strengthen the weak. Oh, and he will also destroy those who should have been shepherds but were not (the sleek and strong). And then, in the ESV, I will feed them in justice. The NIV translates this same fragment as, I will shepherd the flock with justice. While both are legitimate translations, the NIV makes more sense to me. God is drawing a sharp contrast between himself as a shepherd and those who should have been shepherds, but were not (Ezekiel 34.4).

Two points of application. First, if you are shepherding anyone—as a father, or pastor, or leader of a small group—you'd better give due attention to shepherding as God would shepherd because that is your responsibility and God will hold you accountable. Second, God is our shepherd!! What do we possibly have of which to be afraid?