Sunday School Lesson

The Good Shepherd

Lesson Text: Ezekiel 34:1-16

Related Scriptures: Matthew 9:18-38; 12:9-21; 25:31-46; Luke 15:1-32; John 10:11-16

TIME: about 565 B.C

PLACE: Babylon

Golden Text – “For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out” (Ezekiel 34:11)

Introduction

          The events of the book of Ezekiel occurred after the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians, concurrent wit the destruction of the Southern Kingdom of Judah by Bablyon.  God encouraged Ezekiel to deliver his warnings and not be afraid of the obstinate and rebellious people to whom he ministered. He was to speak the truth boldly regardless of the stubbornness or power the people exhibited.

          Ezekiel tells us that God held the shepherds accountable for allowing His people to stray from His will and for the cruel methods they employed. Although the people suffered consequences for their sin, God still held the leaders accountable for the people who had wandered away. God expected His leader to guide followers toward a deeper faith in Him, and He held the leaders to a high standard. The leaders failed to obey God and to care for the people under their leadership. As a result, God had Ezekiel tell the leaders that He would remove them. God Himself would be the Good Shepherd for His mistreated and suffering people.

LESSON OUTLINE

1.   God’s Charges Against The Shepherds – Ezek. 34:1-6

2.   God’s Judgment Against the Shepherds – Ezek. 34:7-10

3.   God Will Be the Good Shepherd – Ezek. 34:11-19

QUESTIONS

1.   To what are Israel’s leaders compared (Ezek. 3)?

2.   What was the Lord’s charge against the leaders (vs. 2)?

3.   What problem arose when the leaders neglected the people?

4.   How did the leaders treat the people (vs. 4)?

5.   How did that affect the people’s relationship with God (vs. 6)?

6.   What was God’s claim over the shepherds and the flock (vs. 8)?

7.   What would God do in response to the Shepherds’ neglect of the sheep (vs. 10)?

8.   Why was this a fitting action for God to take (vs. 10)?

9.   What action would God take on behalf of His flock (vs.12)?

10. How would God treat His people once they returned to the Promised Land (vs. 16)?

ANSWERS

1.   Ezekiel delivered his oracle (prophetic message) against the shepherds as a metaphor against the leaders of Israel by comparing the leaders to shepherds and the people to flocks.

2.   He gave a strong word of warning and attention (“woe”) to the shepherds, and he accused them of feeding themselves off the produce of the flock without nurturing the flock in return.

3.   The problem arose when leaders ignored the needs of those under their charge. Self-interested, they greedily accepted the support and comfort provided for them while failing to offer basic care and concern for the people.

4.   The leaders were not gentle and gracious; rather, they ruled with harshness and force (vs. 4).

5.   Left to wander with no shepherd to guide them toward God, the people of Judah pursued other gods and practiced atrocious acts of page worship.

6.   God not only owned the flock, but His ownership extended to the shepherds as well (Ezek. 34:8). As owner, God could do with the shepherds whatever He willed, and He was now taking away the responsibility for the care of the flock from the shepherds.

7.   God would remove His shepherds from their place of leadership over the sheep. They would no longer be able to devour them (vs. 10).

8.   Not only were the leaders guilty of passively allowing the people to stray, but they were also guilty of active involvement in the people’s destruction.

9.   As opposed to how Israel’s leaders permitted the people to wander aimlessly, the sovereign Lord would search for His flock and find them.

10. According to Ezekiel 34:16, God’s future nurturing would provide strength for the weak, and He would bandage the wounds of the broken. In Gods plan and in His timing, the needs of His people would be bountifully supplied.