“Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.” – Ezekiel 34:2-3
God gave the prophet Ezekiel a devastating word for the leaders of Israel. The shepherds who were supposed to care for God’s people had become predators instead. They ruled with force and cruelty. They fed themselves while the flock suffered. They strengthened themselves while the weak grew weaker. They used their positions to accumulate wealth and power while abandoning the very people they were called to serve.
The result was that the sheep scattered, with no one to search for them. They became food for wild beasts. They wandered in darkness while their shepherds lived in luxury, indifferent to their suffering.
God’s response was swift: “I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep.”
As I read Ezekiel 34 today, I see the same pattern playing out before our eyes. Leaders who claim to follow Christ are displaying the exact opposite of what Scripture calls us to do. Instead of shepherds who feed their flocks, we have wolves who devour them.
When Shepherds Become Wolves
Ezekiel’s accusations were specific. Israel’s leaders had failed in six distinct ways. They refused to strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the injured, bring back the strayed, seek the lost, or lead with gentleness. Instead, they ruled through intimidation and force.
But God wasn’t only angry with the shepherds. He also went after the fat sheep who pushed around the lean ones, who trampled the pasture and muddied the water so others couldn’t drink. These were the people who supported the corrupt leaders and, in their own way, hurt the vulnerable.
Today, this is happening again, because we can’t seem to learn from history.
Leaders feed themselves while undermining the people they’re supposed to serve. Their followers enable the abuse, while the vulnerable suffer the consequences.
In Galatians 5, Paul tells us how to see the difference between leaders who follow God and those who don’t. The flesh produces hatred, fighting, anger, rivalries, and divisions. The Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
It’s not hard to tell them apart. One infects, the other heals. One drives away, the other brings closer. One tears down, the other builds up. One is temporary, the other eternal.
Shepherds Who Rule by Force
I see leaders who claim to follow Christ, but their actions tell a different story. They rule through intimidation. They mock vulnerable people. They create division. They lie about everything. They treat people with contempt. They abandon the weak. They prey on fear, turning neighbor against neighbor.
When someone calls them out, they attack back. When they get caught lying, they lie louder. When their harmful plans are exposed, they blame others. When they’re wrong, they never repent. When they hurt people, they feel no shame.
They worship power instead of Jesus. They serve themselves instead of others. The Gospel has become their way to wealth and influence. Their words and actions are hateful. They choose cruelty over compassion. They abandon Christ’s teachings while claiming His name. Their policies consistently harm the weak while enriching themselves and their powerful friends.
Their conduct is not from the Spirit. It is fruit from the flesh. And it’s not Christianity. It’s the opposite.
The Enabling Flock
Ezekiel didn’t stop with corrupt leaders. He went after the people who supported them. These were the ones who pushed others around, who trampled the good pasture and made the water muddy for everyone else.
Today, some people claim to defend biblical values. They wave Christian flags. They quote Scripture. But their lives show something completely different. They support leaders who represent everything the Bible condemns. They choose pride over humility. They pick hate over love. They sow division instead of peace.
They act just like their leaders. They spread lies. They attack anyone who questions them. They go to rallies full of rage. They turn churches into clubs. They make conspiracy theories their gospel. They treat politics like their religion.
Look at their social media. Notice the animosity directed at neighbors who embrace diverse lifestyles. Watch them mock people who look different. Observe how they treat people who go to other churches. They’ve replaced the Spirit’s fruit with something else entirely.
They carry guns and threaten violence while claiming to follow the Prince of Peace. They scream about the other side while ignoring their own sins. They forget that God holds His children to a higher standard.
They scatter the flock while claiming to protect it. They drive people from faith while claiming to defend it. God sees what they’re doing. They, too, will answer for it.
The Scattered Sheep
Meanwhile, the vulnerable suffer. People are traumatized by cruel policies. The poor go without healthcare. Children go to school in fear. Workers are exploited. The homeless are criminalized. Communities are torn apart by hatred. Families are divided over political allegiances. Young people walk away from faith because churches choose sides instead of Christ.
The world watches how Christians refuse to fight the good fight. Hypocrisy endures. Hope dies.
The True Shepherd’s Promise
But God’s plan is set. He promises to rescue His sheep from corrupt shepherds. He promises a Good Shepherd who lays down His life for them. Where man fails, God succeeds.
Jesus strengthens the weak. He heals the sick. He seeks the lost. He leads with gentleness. He serves instead of being served. He loves instead of hates. He unites instead of divides.
This is the standard. This is what following Jesus looks like. Faithful followers of Christ display His character. It’s the evidence of a life saved by grace.
But God’s word through Ezekiel remains clear: “I am against the shepherds.” The same God who judged Israel’s corrupt leaders is watching today. His justice hasn’t changed. Leaders who profess Christ in words only, and those who enable their deception, shall one day stand before a righteous Judge.
The Choice Before Us
The truth is, we will all face that righteous Judge. People often prefer temporary things over eternal ones. They choose political power over spiritual truth. They choose earthly comfort over heavenly reward. They choose popular opinion over God’s opinion. The distractions are everywhere. These things feel important now, but they won’t matter in eternity.
The decision you have to make is about your soul. It’s about where you will spend eternity. And this choice must be made here, on this earth, in this life.
Time is running out. God’s offer of salvation won’t last forever.
Choose today. Choose the Good Shepherd. Choose life. Choose eternity with God. Everything else is temporary. A life with Yahweh is forever. Amen.