What is the meaning of Ezekiel 34:7? Therefore “Therefore” looks back at verses 1-6, where God exposes how Israel’s leaders have fed themselves while neglecting the flock. Because those wrongs are real and recorded, a decisive response is required. • The word signals a verdict: action will follow wrongdoing (Ezekiel 34:2-6; Romans 2:2). • It shows God’s justice is never abstract; He always moves from diagnosis to remedy (Psalm 89:14). • Similar transitions—moving from charge to consequence—appear in Jeremiah 23:2 and Matthew 23:33. The hinge word reminds every reader that divine accountability is not hypothetical; it is certain. you shepherds God addresses the leaders directly, removing any illusion that the message is for someone else. • “Shepherds” in Scripture often refers to kings, priests, prophets, and anyone guiding God’s people (Numbers 27:17; 1 Samuel 17:34-35 as a metaphor, then Jeremiah 3:15). • Responsibility is weighty: leaders are measured not by personal gain but by the welfare of the flock (John 10:11-13; 1 Peter 5:2-3). • By naming them, God personalizes both the rebuke and the coming correction; leadership privileges never cancel accountability (Luke 12:48). Every modern leader—pastor, parent, teacher—must read this title as a mirror. hear the word of the LORD: The command is more than auditory; it demands submission. • “Hear” in Scripture consistently carries the sense of “receive and obey” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; James 1:22-24). • “The word of the LORD” affirms ultimate authority; no human opinion outweighs divine revelation (Isaiah 40:8; 2 Timothy 3:16). • Refusal to listen is the root sin condemned throughout the prophets (Zechariah 7:11-12; Hebrews 3:7-8). Thus verse 7 stands as God’s summons: pay attention now, repent, and align with His standards before the announced judgment in verses 8-10 unfolds. summary Ezekiel 34:7 is the turning point where God moves from exposing corrupt leadership to pronouncing judgment. “Therefore” anchors the coming verdict in undeniable guilt; “you shepherds” targets those responsible; “hear the word of the LORD” demands humble obedience to God’s authoritative revelation. The verse calls every leader—and every believer under Christ, the Good Shepherd—to listen, repent, and care for God’s people with integrity and sacrificial love. |
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