What responsibilities do spiritual leaders have according to Ezekiel 34:7? Setting the Scene Ezekiel 34 confronts Israel’s “shepherds” — the kings, priests, and prophets charged with caring for God’s people. Verse 7 steps in after exposing their failures and delivers a concise, urgent command that still echoes for every spiritual leader today. Key Verse “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD.” – Ezekiel 34:7 Primary Responsibilities Highlighted in Verse 7 • Hear: give deliberate, undivided attention to God’s voice. • Submit: receive His word as absolute authority, not optional advice. • Act: translate what is heard into faithful obedience that blesses the flock. Why “Hearing” Is the Non-Negotiable First Duty • It anchors leaders in revelation, not opinion (Isaiah 55:3; John 10:27). • It preserves doctrinal purity (2 Timothy 1:13–14). • It safeguards the flock by keeping leaders responsive to real-time guidance (Psalm 32:8). Accountability to the Chief Shepherd Verse 7’s command is a summons to judgment. God is about to evaluate His shepherds (vv. 8-10). To “hear” is to recognize: • You will answer directly to the LORD for how you treat His people (Hebrews 13:17). • Divine assessment, not human applause, is the final metric (1 Peter 5:4). Wider Context: What Obedient Hearing Looks Like Looking back to vv. 2-6 shows the positive actions hearing should produce: - Feed the flock, not yourself (v. 2). - Strengthen the weak (v. 4). - Heal the sick and bind up the injured (v. 4). - Bring back the strays and seek the lost (v. 4). These tasks flow naturally when the leader’s ear stays tuned to the Shepherd’s voice. Living It Out Today • Prioritize Scripture intake before strategic planning (Joshua 1:8; James 1:22). • Test every ministry idea against God’s explicit commands. • Build accountability structures that keep leaders listening—personal prayer, plurality of elders, and regular, humble exposure to the Word. Spiritual leadership starts, continues, and ends with one ongoing responsibility: “Hear the word of the LORD,” and let every decision, teaching, and act of care spring from that obedient hearing. |
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