Many excellent books give advice on leadership. But, perhaps surprisingly, tucked in the heart of the major prophets of the Old Testament, we find a treatise written by God himself, both critiquing bad leadership practices and describing his own leadership style in detail.

Ezekiel was among the early exiles taken to Babylon in the final years of Judah’s existence. There, God spoke through him in vivid and sometimes startling imagery, delivering strong words of judgment against Israel and the surrounding nations, often communicated through symbolic and unusual actions.

In Ezekiel 34, God directs His message toward the leaders of Israel. He uses the image of shepherds to represent these leaders, and sheep to represent the people entrusted to their care. The indictment is clear: the shepherds have failed in their responsibility.

I Myself

Then, beginning in verse 11, God’s message transitions from indictment to proclamation:

For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.

God declares that He Himself will step in as the true shepherd. He will lead in a way opposite to the approach of Israel’s leaders, who used the sheep for their own purposes. Instead, God will lay down his life to meet their needs. He will seek them when they stray, bring them out of danger, and feed them in places of safety.

Prince Among Them

Later, in verse 24, God speaks of a future time, adding: “I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.”

David, whose reign ended hundreds of years before Ezekiel’s time, would somehow reign again. Psalm 78:72 tells that David shepherded Israel “with upright heart” and “guided them with his skillful hand.” As followers of Jesus, we live as sheep of the good shepherd, who came to reign perfectly, in the line of David. And those of us entrusted with leadership serve as under-shepherds of Jesus, both shepherded by him and called to shepherd others for him and in his way.

Verse of the Week:

With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. Psalm 78:72 (ESV)

Let’s ask God today to lead us and guide us to lead with upright hearts and skillful hands in the enterprises he has entrusted to us. Consider taking the time to read and reflect on the whole chapter of Ezekiel 34.