Zec 11:16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall
not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that
that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of
the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.
Eze 34:1 And the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying,
Eze 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Eze 34:3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
Eze 34:4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
Eze 34:5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Eze 34:6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
Eze 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Eze 34:3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
Eze 34:4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
Eze 34:5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Eze 34:6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
Eze 34:7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Eze 34:9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
I have a few thoughts about this. First is that as a shepherd or pastor of a flock, the Lord's flock that pastors have been given responsibility to care for their flock. The unworthy shepherd is described; He " shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still...
James, described pure religion as this:
Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
The LORD also requires that they be healed and fed. Nothing heals like the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ with prayers. The pastor is to minister to the young as well, "to seek the young ones".
Sheep need a shepherd and yes the Lord is our shepherd, but he also appointed shepherds, pastors to care for their flocks that belong to the Lord. I think that we all should be under a shepherd in a local church. A TV minister may feed you, but they do not know you or care for you personally. I also like the smaller groups; home Bible studies or outside meeting places from the church. We have the Eaglewings ministry with AOL chat rooms to feed the flock and to have fellowship which is very good, but we also need a local body of believers with a shepherd. Troubling times will come and it is the local body of believers with a pastor that looks out for the flock.
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
John 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
John 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
As a shepherd in Eaglewings ministries I ask that each take on the responsibilities of caring servant shepherds, seeking to return the stray sheep to the fold. We are our brother's keeper in our responsibility to serve and to seek and to save the lost.
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