What is the meaning of Ezekiel 34:5? They were scattered “They were scattered…” (Ezekiel 34:5) paints a vivid picture of sheep drifting in every direction. The people of Israel had been dispersed—physically through exile and spiritually through wayward hearts. • Similar moments appear in Zechariah 13:7, where the flock is scattered when the shepherd is struck, and in Matthew 9:36, where Jesus sees crowds “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” • Scattering speaks of isolation, loss of identity, and the breakdown of covenant community life. Each individual is left to fend for himself, far from the safety of the fold God intended. for lack of a shepherd The root problem is leadership failure. God declares earlier in the chapter that Israel’s “shepherds” were feeding themselves instead of the flock (Ezekiel 34:2-4). • Numbers 27:17 voices Moses’ concern that Israel not be “like sheep without a shepherd.” • 1 Kings 22:17 and Jeremiah 23:1-2 echo judgment on uncaring leaders, while John 10:11-13 contrasts hirelings with the Good Shepherd who lays down His life. Without godly guidance, people drift from truth, protection, and provision. This verse exposes not merely unfortunate circumstances, but leadership that abdicated its God-given responsibility. and when they were scattered The repetition highlights consequence. Once scattering begins, it tends to deepen: distance fuels confusion, and confusion fuels further wandering. • Deuteronomy 28:64 warned that persistent disobedience would result in worldwide dispersion. • Ezekiel 34:6 shows the flock roaming “over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them.” • Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:4 underscores the Shepherd’s heart to pursue every stray—something Israel’s human leaders had failed to do. they became food for all the wild beasts Vulnerable sheep attract predators. “Wild beasts” symbolize every oppressive power—foreign nations, idols, false teachers—that prey on God’s people. • Psalm 79:2 speaks of enemies feeding “the flesh of Your servants to the birds of the air.” • Acts 20:29 warns that “savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.” • 1 Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a “roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” When shepherds neglect their post, evil crouches at the door, and the scattered become easy prey. summary Ezekiel 34:5 reveals a tragic chain reaction: absent shepherds lead to scattered sheep; scattered sheep invite predators. God’s people suffered because their leaders failed to guard, guide, and gather. Yet the passage also sets the stage for hope: later in the chapter the Lord Himself promises, “I will search for My sheep and seek them out” (34:11). The Good Shepherd still steps in where human shepherds fall short, restoring the scattered and protecting them from every wild beast. |
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