Why does God say, “I myself will search for my sheep” in Ezekiel 34:11?

Answer

In Ezekiel 34:1–31, Israel’s leaders are compared to incompetent shepherds who failed to care for their flock. The people of Israel were the sheep of God’s flock, and they should have been cared for (Psalm 95:7; Psalm 100:3).

Ezekiel reveals that, through self-centered leadership, God’s sheep were abused, oppressed, and left to scatter. As such, they were vulnerable to attacks from “wild animals” «As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; », (Ezekiel 34:8), who represent predatory foreign nations like Babylon. God announced that He will do away with the self-absorbed shepherds (verses 10) and rescue His people: “I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered” (Ezekiel 34:11-12; ESV).

The sheep/shepherd theme runs throughout the Scriptures. Shepherding was a common vocation in Israel’s culture. Many of Israel’s patriarchs engaged in the occupation «and the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. », (Genesis 46:32). Men, women, and children all worked as shepherds in the Bible (Genesis 29:6).

In (Genesis 29:6;1 Samuel 16:11;1 Samuel 17:15), the role of shepherding included guiding sheep to pasture for nourishment and fresh water, offering shelter and security, and tending to the wounded and sick among the flock.

In Ezekiel, the human leaders of Israel neglect, exploit, and deceive the flock. Instead of caring for the sheep, they prioritize their own interests. Because of this, God declares, “I myself will search for my sheep.” This imagery of God tending to His sheep is also found in Isaiah 40:11: “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young” (see also Micah 7:14). A notable illustration of God guiding us as a shepherd is seen in Psalm 23.

One of the earliest titles of God in the Bible is “Shepherd” «But his bow abode in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) », (Genesis 49:24). The psalmist Asaph recounts how God led Israel out of Egypt “like a flock; he led them like sheep through the wilderness. He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; but the sea engulfed their enemies” (Psalm 78:52-53).

The Gospels portray Jesus Christ as the ultimate compassionate shepherd. He tends to “sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36;see also Mark 6:34). He is the “good shepherd” «I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. », (John 10:11,14) «I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. », (John10:11,14), the “great Shepherd of the sheep” «Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, », (Hebrews 13:20), and the “Chief Shepherd” «And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that does not fade away. », (1 Peter 5:4).

God is in the business of seeking and saving lost sheep «And I have other sheep that are not of this fold: I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock, one shepherd. », (John 10:16). Perhaps His words, “I myself will search for my sheep,” resonate most strongly in Christ’s parable of the lost sheep:

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.” In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! (Luke 15:4-7;NLT).