Our Great Shepherd-King

Our Great Shepherd-King

Ezekiel 34:1-31; 22:6-31

Main Idea: Christ is our Shepherd-King, and as His under-shepherds we should lead for His glory and the good of His people.

When you think of the phrase godly leader, who comes to mind? Whom you remember or know now? What made them a godly leader, or what stands out to you about them?

As a young man from a divorced home and one who lacked a Christian father, I was blessed in high school to have a godly football coach. Coach Smith served as a deacon in my home church but brought his ministry to the school and field. Though my father was a constant problem for him, Coach Smith’s graciousness toward me never wavered. When my father made an ugly scene at our church, my coach came and found me and offered comfort. When my father had a heart attack while I was at football practice, my coach offered prayers and wisdom. To have one godly leader certainly is a grace, but I have been blessed many times by godly leaders who were my youth minister, college ministers, and seminary professors.

As a young minister, I was two weeks into my first pastorate when a member of our congregation died suddenly. He served as a manager for a local Walgreens and had been a godly leader in every way. At his funeral I listened as employee after employee gave testimony to how this man pointed them to Christ, how he would pray with them, how he sacrificed for them, and how he served them. They had been blessed in a secular environment to have a sanctified leader.

The fact I lacked a godly example in my home growing up does not exempt me as a young husband and father, from being one now. One of my passions is equipping the men in our church to lead their families well for Christ. This passion was born out of my own need to know and do what godly leaders do. Unfortunately, I have often failed to image God in my leadership. Instead of learning that God is slow to anger, my children are likely fearful He has a quick temper. Instead of washing my wife with His Word, I have often showered her with just my own thoughts, and they have definitely not been a blessing. What does it profit a pastor to gain his entire congregation but lose his family? With each week, progressing as a godly leader in my home is one of my most earnest prayers.

In Ezekiel 34 we see leadership at its best and at its worst. God will no longer allow His people to be led by those who are self-absorbed. The shepherds of Israel had failed to provide for and protect God’s sheep, so He was going to do it Himself. He would also provide a shepherd who would lead His people like no other. As we see God chastise and discipline the awful leaders and as we see Him reveal how He will lead His people, we can glean much from these chapters about leading our families and faith families.

When Ungodly Leaders Lead God’s People, Everyone Suffers

Ezekiel 34:1-10,17-22; 22:6-31

God Cares Not Only About Who Leads His People but How They Lead Them

There will never be a time that we inform God of something He does not already know. We may act like there is, but there is not. When we look at the world and the leaders in it, we may have seasons we think God cannot be aware of all they are doing, but He is. He knows what our president and congressional leaders are doing. The actions of our governor and state legislators do not catch Him off guard. He is not unaware of what our mayors, bosses, and principals are doing either. But perhaps we should be most reminded that He is keenly aware of what the leaders in our homes are doing. He knows all. He sees all. As Ezekiel 34 reveals, He cares both who is leading His people and how they are leading them, and He is fully aware of both.

God’s People Lacked Godly Leaders (34:2-6; 22:6-31)

When ungodly leaders lead God’s people, everyone suffers. One of Israel’s greatest mistakes was rejecting God as their only King (1 Sam 8:1-22). Despite Samuel’s warnings of how great the cost would be for them to have earthly kings, Israel refused to listen. Of Israel’s 43 kings, only David, Hezekiah, and Josiah were consistently loyal to God. One wonders how many of our presidents have been godly as well.

In Ezekiel 14 a lack of godly elders was revealed, and in Ezekiel 34 we are shown a lack of godly shepherds, but in Ezekiel 22 we see that godliness was missing in every phase of leadership. Jerusalem’s princes had used their strength to shed blood (22:6). Her prophets devoured people, seized wealth and valuables, and multiplied the widows within Jerusalem (v. 25). The priests in Jerusalem did violence to the Lord’s instruction and profaned His holy things. They were not teaching the people basic truths about holiness (v. 26). With leaders like these, is it any wonder the people practiced extortion and committed robbery, oppressed the poor, and exploited the foreign residents among them (v. 29)? People learn by example.

Jerusalem had an absence of godly leadership in every way. As a result, God lamented, “I searched for a man among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land so that I might not destroy it, but I found none” (v. 30). The people needed a leader like a certain youth minister I had who, when he wanted to challenge us to holiness on church trips, would hit repeat on Al Denson’s “Be the One.” For Jerusalem there was no leader on the political front, the religious front, or the home front to stand in the gap because they had all forgotten God (v. 12).

Instead of having leaders who were consumed with the glory of God and leading well for the good of the people, Israel’s shepherds were only concerned with feeding themselves (34:2). They saw leadership as an opportunity for their advancement rather than the growth of those they led. They were selfish and lazy (v. 3). The shepherds wanted the benefits of leadership but not the burdens. Full of violence and cruelty, Israel’s leaders had not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost (v. 4). Unlike the shepherd in Christ’s parable who leaves the 99 sheep in the open field and goes after the lost one until he finds it (Luke 15:3-7), Israel’s leaders have lacked compassion and failed to exercise even basic care over the Lord’s people.

As a consequence of lacking a shepherd, God’s people were scattered and became food for all the wild animals (34:5). Yahweh’s flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill. They were scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was searching or seeking for them (v. 6).

Where There Are Bad Shepherds There Will Most Likely Be Bad Sheep (34:17-22)

While in college, I knew of a fraternity that had a history of hazing. At the end of my first semester, all of the actives were kicked out of the fraternity for how they treated their pledges, especially during initiation week. Having endured such brutal exercises, one would think as the newest and only actives now in the fraternity that last pledge class would change the cycle of cruel leadership. They did not. They treated the ones who came behind them in the same ways they had been treated. Bad leadership rarely fails to leave a wretched legacy.

The selfish leadership of Israel’s shepherds was not without effect. What started with the leaders spread to the people. They were also greedy and destructive (vv. 17-19). Some of the stronger lay leaders abused the weaker ones (vv. 20-22). Their actions contributed to the Lord’s flock being scattered (v. 21).

What effect is our leadership having on those for whom we are accountable? As a boss, elder, parent, coach, troop leader, or mentor, what example are we providing? Are there any negative actions you can identify in the people you lead that can directly be traced back to what you have demonstrated to them? Ungodly leadership on any level is never without consequence.

God Will Not Let His People Suffer Under Ungodly Leaders Forever (34:2,10)

Through Ezekiel, God is communicating to the shepherds of Israel that the time for fancying themselves has come to an end. He will say to them, “Woe,” and, “I am against [you].” He would demand His flock from them and prevent them from shepherding ever again. The shepherds would no longer feed themselves because God was going to rescue His flock from their mouths so that they will not be food for them. The time for giving account as leaders to the Chief Shepherd arrived, and Israel’s leaders were found wanting. God was going to step in and exercise care for His flock.

There Is No Greater Leader for God’s People Than God Himself

Ezekiel 34:11-16,23-31

God Will Give His People Protection and Provision (34:11-16)

When I was a child, one of my favorite TV shows was The Dukes of Hazard. At least once every week Uncle Jesse would grab his CB radio and call to his two nephews, “Shepherd to lost sheep. Shepherd to lost sheep. Y’all got your ears on?” Though God is chastising Israel’s shepherds in Ezekiel 34, He will also comfort His people. He has a message for His lost sheep.

God may have given Israel different leaders, but He never gave Israel up. They were always His sheep, and He was always their ultimate Shepherd. Unlike their earthly leaders, God always led for their good. Through His prophet God informed His people that He would search for them (vv. 11-12,16), rescue them (vv. 10,12,22), gather them (v. 13), bandage them (v. 16), feed them (v. 14), strengthen them (v. 16), provide for them (vv. 14-15,29), and protect them (vv. 16-17,20,22,25,28). Can anyone remind me again why Israel wanted a different king than God?

What about us? God has authority over everyone and everything everywhere (Ps 95:3-5), but He uses His authority for our best (Ps 96:6-7). Instead of ruling like a harsh tyrant, God has chosen to relate to His people like a shepherd who leads his sheep. Because He always leads for our good, immediate obedience to Him is always in our best interest, and disobedience is always at our own peril.

What is staggering is that we do not deserve this type of leadership. In case we are viewing ourselves as defenseless, fluffy, innocent sheep who are worthy of a sacrificial leader, we should remember that, like Israel, we have often rejected God’s leadership. Perhaps we have even hated it. In fact, every sin we commit is a profession we are really in charge. Each sin is an assertion of our reign and a demotion of His. And we are all guilty of it: “We all went astray like sheep; we all turned to our own way” (Isa 53:6).

Despite all of our rebellion and rejection, God has never wavered. He has rescued us and reconciled us to Himself. No other leader has loved us and led for our good like our God. Also, no other leader has sacrificed as much as God has in giving us His Son.

God Will Give His People a Prince (34:23-24)

On top of all the other blessings, God promised to give His people a true shepherd. He would appoint over them a single shepherd, His servant David, and he would shepherd them. The One Yahweh designated would tend God’s people himself and would be their shepherd. Yahweh would be their God, and His servant David would be a prince among them. About this promise, Duguid asserts,

The change to be wrought in Israel’s situation is not so much a change in the nature of the office as in the nature of the occupant. God’s solution to a history of bad shepherds is not to replace shepherding with a better system, but to replace the bad shepherds with a good shepherd. (Duguid, Ezekiel, 396)

What do we know about the shepherd God is describing? First, we know He will be appointed. There will not be an election by the people. God knows best, and He will give His people the best. Second, because He will be the single shepherd, He must be a sufficient one. Yahweh will not give His people many leaders but just one. Third, we know the shepherd will not be David because David is dead at the time Ezekiel is prophesying. That would be a bummer, would it not? Imagine God saying, “Hey, I’ve got this really great leader I’m going to give you. Only catch is, he’s dead.” So if David is not going to be resurrected to rule, then why is he referenced? I believe God is talking about David’s lineage and also his legacy. David was Israel’s greatest king. One will come from his line but will be even greater than David. Lastly, the One Yahweh appoints will not be aloof but will be among His people. He will not just exercise His reign above them but will establish His residence with them.

For the exiles in Babylon, this had to be wonderful news. They and their ancestors had suffered under ungodly leaders for generations. God would give them hope. God’s words were not empty rhetoric on a campaign trail. He would provide a prince for His people who would reign with His heart.

What was good news for the exiles is even greater news for us. Unlike Ezekiel we know who the Shepherd-King is that God gave to His people. Luther wrote, “Dost ask who that might be? Christ Jesus it is He!” (“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”). Jesus Himself has told us, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11). As our good shepherd, He is everything God told those in exile He would be. First, He is personal (John 10:1-6). He knows His sheep and helps them. Second, He provides for his flock (John 10:7-20). To His sheep He gives access (John 10:7-9) and abundance (John 10:10). For His sheep He makes atonement (John 10:15-18) for the purpose of their adoption. Finally, He protects His sheep (John 10:25-30). As the good shepherd He will never let His sheep perish, and He will never let them go. He will always be our shepherd (Rev 7:17).

Jesus is also our true Senior Pastor. After

raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens, . . . [God] put everything under His feet and appointed [Christ] as head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way. (Eph 1:20,22)

God has given His people the greatest leader the world has ever known. The One who has all authority is the One who has been appointed to be our Shepherd. This truth brings us to some important questions: Is it evident Jesus is the senior pastor of your faith family? Can people tell that He is your shepherd or does it look more like you are leading Him? Based on the description we have seen in Ezekiel 34 and John 10, why would we think anyone would be a better leader for us than Jesus?

God Will Give His People Peace (34:25-31)

God not only promised His people a prince but also peace. Yahweh would protect them (v. 25) and provide for them (vv. 26-27). They would be secure and feel safe because they would no longer have to fear (v. 28). Though at one time Israel had much reason to be anxious (12:17-20), God would make a covenant with them so they could live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest (34:25).

How would God give His people peace? By giving them His prince. Through Micah, God told Bethlehem,

One will come from you to be ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity. . . . He will stand and shepherd [God’s people] in the strength of Yahweh, in the majestic name of Yahweh His God. They will live securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth. He will be their peace. (Mic 5:2,4-5)

Do you see it? He will not just bring them peace. He will be their peace because He is the Prince of peace (Isa 9:6).

One of the first verses I memorized as a child in Bible drill was Psalm 56:3. David says, “When I am afraid, I will trust in You,” which is a bold claim considering he had been seized by the Philistines in Gath. I fear that too many of God’s people live in fear today instead of peace. One reason they lack peace is because they lack prayer. They do not take advantage of the Lord’s nearness and bring their requests to Him but would rather cling to their anxiety (Phil 4:5-6). I believe a second reason they lack peace is they have not grasped the full implications of the gospel. Maybe they believe there is some sin that is too wretched for the blood of Christ to cleanse. Perhaps they believe Jesus did a great work on the cross, but on top of that they just need to add their giving, and Bible study, and serving, and on and on. Christ, however, said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). For God’s people every sin has been atoned, and the only work necessary has been achieved. May each of us rest in this gospel truth: “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). Our Prince is our peace.

God Will Give His People a Place (34:27,29)

In addition to protection, provision, a prince, and peace, God promises to give His people a place. God said, “My flock will be secure in their land,” and “I will establish for them a place renowned for its agriculture.” In the land all the promises would accomplish their appointed purpose so God’s people “will know that I, Yahweh their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people” (v. 30). Goldsworthy asserted that the main point of the Bible is the kingdom of God, and by this He means God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule (Gospel and Kingdom, 54). Vaughn Roberts has amended Goldsworthy’s definition to include God’s blessing, for those under God’s rule will certainly be blessed (v. 26) (God’s Big Picture, 21).

Through Ezekiel, God will give His people in exile hope that Babylon will not be their final dwelling place. God will bring His people back to their land and will make them and the area around His hill a blessing (v. 26). The greatest blessing, however, will not be the place but His presence. John saw the ultimate fulfillment of this passage in the vision he received while on the isle of Patmos:

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and the sea no longer existed. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. (Rev 21:1-3)

What John sees is exactly what God described to Ezekiel. What a place!

Godly Leaders Are Still Needed Today in Both Our Families and Our Faith Families, and God Is Still Providing Them

God Continues to Provide Leaders for His People

Though Christ is our ultimate leader, He has continued to provide undershepherds for both our families and our faith families. To our congregations,

He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. (Eph 4:11-13)

To our homes He has given husbands who are to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word” (Eph 5:25-26). To our homes He has also given fathers who are not to “stir up anger” in their children, “but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:4).

As They Hear Us and See Us, Our Families and Faith Families Should Know What Jesus Is like as a Leader

Whether we shepherd an entire faith family or just our own family, those we lead should be able to see what Jesus is like as a leader. Just as Christ shepherds, so should we. Thomas contended,

Christian ministers are to fashion their ministry on the standards set by the Chief Shepherd. They, too, are to give their lives in service, recalling that God’s flock has been purchased by Christ’s blood (Acts 20:28). They, too, are to lead their flock by the example of their own godliness and devotion (1 Peter 5:2-3). They, too, as Jesus exhorted Peter, are to feed their flock with the finest of the wheat (John 21:17). They, too, are to rule over their flock; the sheep are to “submit to their authority” (Heb 13:17). They, too, are to protect their flock from danger, refuting those who oppose sound doctrine (Titus 1:9). And they, too, are to seek the lost . . . God’s “under-shepherds” are to be evangelists (2 Tim 4:5). (Thomas, God Strengthens, 226–27)

In order to lead for the glory of God and the good of our people, every elder at our church, with the help of the Holy Spirit, commits to the following:4

• We commit to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to make disciples for the glory of God (Matt 22:37-40; 28:18-20).
• We commit to lovingly care for the members of Trace Crossing and seek their growth in Christ (Heb 13:17; 1 Thess 5:12).
• We commit to provide teaching, preaching, and counsel from the Scriptures that spans the whole counsel of God’s Word (Acts 20:27-28; Gal 6:6; 1 Tim 5:17-18).
• We commit to helping the faith family of Trace Crossing at all times but especially in times of need (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35; Jas 2:14-17).
• We commit to consistently strive to meet the criteria assigned to us in the Word (1 Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet 5:1-4).
• We commit to pray for the members of Trace Crossing regularly, particularly when they are sick (Jas 5:14).
• We commit to be on guard against false teachers (Acts 20:28-31; Titus 1:9).
• We commit to exercise church discipline when necessary (Matt 18:15-20; 1 Cor 5; Gal 6:1).
• We commit to help our faith family become equipped to serve Christ (Eph 4:11-13).
• We commit to seek God’s will for Trace Crossing, along with our fellow elders, to the best of our ability as we study the Scriptures and follow the Spirit (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:1-5).
• We commit to set an example and join our faith family in fulfilling the duties of church membership (1 Cor 11:1; Phil 3:17; 1 Tim 4:12).

As a pastor I rarely have a day where I do not consider Hebrews 13:17. In this verse the author of Hebrews exhorts his audience, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.” As the Lord’s undershepherd, I never forget I am to keep watch over those entrusted to me and I will be held accountable to the task I have been charged. I take the charge so seriously that I encouraged the church where I currently serve to clarify our membership list when I first arrived because I wanted to know for whom I would be held accountable.

Every leadership opportunity is a stewardship, particularly ministry. God entrusts His message and His means to pastors for the maturity of His people. The flock belongs to God (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:2). He purchased it with the blood of His Son (Acts 20:28). So I remind myself as often as possible, it’s His church, His plans, His funds, and His glory. Nothing is more dangerous than a pastor who forgets these truths. As pastors we must be careful to build His kingdom and not our own.

My initial question to you was, “Who comes to mind when you hear the phrase godly leader?” Now I want to ask you, “Will anyone remember us as godly leaders?” What is the legacy we will leave behind? I heard someone say recently, “My father was the same man in the pulpit as he was at home, and I was drawn into the ministry.” May we leave such a legacy of influence on those we lead!

Reflect and Discuss

1. Who are some of the godly leaders God has given to you? What do you remember most about them?
2. What are some of the consequences you’ve seen, either in your life or the lives of others, when godly leadership is lacking?
3. Have you ever served under a leader who you believe only looked out for himself or herself? What effect did that have on you and others?
4. How can we avoid leading just for our own good and our own renown? What accountability do you have in place to help you keep leading in a godly manner?
5. What is your response to how God says He will shepherd His people?
6. What characteristics of Christ’s leadership can be seen in you, and which ones are more difficult to see?
7. In what ways would you like to demonstrate greater shepherding in your home?
8. In what ways would you like to grow as a godly leader in your work?
9. What are you thankful for with regard to those who lead in your faith family? What do you wish was different about their leadership? How can you help?
10. What is your intentional plan for leaving a legacy of godly leadership?