In Ezekiel 34, the Bible also says this concerning spiritual shepherds who do not tend to their sheep: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophecy and say to them, even to the [spiritual] shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you kill the fatlings, but you do not feed the sheep. The diseased and weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the hurt and crippled you have not bandaged, those gone astray you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought to find, but with force and hardhearted harshness you have ruled them. And they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered, they became food for all the wild beasts of the field… Therefore, O you [spiritual shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My sheep at their hand and cause them to cease feeding the sheep, neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them. For thus says the Lord God: Behold I, I myself, will search for My sheep and will seek them out (verses 2-5,9-10). The heart of our God is filled with compassion for His sheep.
Spiritual shepherds are supposed to be God’s messengers, and God’s representatives. So, when they misrepresent Him, they bring confusion to those believers under their care and scatter them astray. Many of them wonder from church to church, seeking the truth; that is, those who are awake enough to feel the spiritual hunger. In Matthews 18:12-14, YAHSHUA told a parable concerning one lost sheep and how valued it was, to the point of the shepherd leaving the ninety-nine sheep behind in search of it. What do you think? (He asks) If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray and gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost? And if it should be that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost. Just so it is not the will of My Father Who is in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost and perish. One can go to church all his life and still be lost in that familiar environment, because the message preached is not in agreement with God’s words. The heart of a spiritual shepherd should be that of the Lord’s, Who is the great SHEPHERD over all and the cornerstone of His church. The message they bring to their sheep should be the light that reflects that of YAHSHUA’S. The love that they show should be that of compassion, tender care in an unselfish way, exhorting, correcting, convicting, so that the church of MESSIAH would be found pure and well prepared to share the Word in season and out of season, firm in the faith, without wavering. Spiritual shepherds should partner with the Holy Spirit in preparing the bride of Christ for YAHSHUA’S coming. This is the most honorable earthly position one can have as a spiritual shepherd. In that final day, when our Lord YAHSHUA will be glorified in His bride, He will give her a banquet in the presence of her enemies; He will crown her with victory and take her to her eternal dwelling place, called heaven. A place He has been preparing for her for a time when the old order of time will be no more. To the faithful spiritual shepherd, YAHSHUA will say, Well done, faithful servant!
PRAISE AND HONOR BE GIVEN TO OUR LORD, YAHSHUA FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN!
Light from the Word 