Warning to Pastors (Ezek 34)

Pastors, please take heed, listen to, and beware of these words spoken to you by the prophet Ezekiel from God Himself:

The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you 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 put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them (vv. 2-10 ESV).

Notice, I counted six times in ten verses God making it very clear that we're not to marginalize these words because they are His, they come from Him.

God is indicting His shepherds for using His people, rather than serving them. Among other things, He is condemning the kind of professional attitude that has arisen in American Christianity where pastors use their congregations for their own personal gain and aggrandizement.

These are sobering, James 3:1 type words that I need to keep very close to my heart to let them dictate my life, relationships and ministry.