Question 1

What does it mean that God will search for His sheep and seek them out?

Accepted Answer

When God says He will search for His sheep and seek them out, He is saying He will personally go after His scattered people. They had been driven away by war, sin, and bad leaders, and many probably felt forgotten. God uses the picture of a shepherd walking among lost sheep on a dark, stormy day. He knows where each one is and refuses to leave them there. This shows that God does not wait for people to fix themselves or find their way back. He takes the first step, finds them, and brings them home.

Question 2

What is the cloudy and dark day when the sheep were scattered?

Accepted Answer

The cloudy and dark day points to times of trouble and judgment. For Israel, this included invasion, exile, and the deep sadness and confusion that came with it. It can also picture the spiritual darkness of sin and distance from God. In those seasons, everything feels unclear and unsafe, like walking in a storm. God’s promise is that even in that kind of day, when people feel far gone and hidden in many places, He still knows where they are and will bring them out and restore them.

Question 3

Why does God judge between the fat cattle and the lean cattle?

Accepted Answer

The fat and lean cattle picture two groups among God’s people. The fat cattle are the strong and self-serving who use their power to push others aside. They eat the best pasture and then trample what is left, drink clear water and then muddy it. The lean cattle are the weak and needy who suffer from this. God says He will step in, judge between them, and stop the harm. This shows God does not ignore injustice inside His own people. He defends the weak and will hold the proud to account.

Question 4

What does it mean that God will bind up the broken and strengthen the sick?

Accepted Answer

God speaks like a careful shepherd who patches up injured sheep and watches over the sick until they are strong again. Binding up the broken means He cares for those whose hearts, bodies, or lives have been crushed. Strengthening the sick points to His steady help for those who are worn out, afraid, or failing. He does not only bring His people back; He heals them. This promise gives comfort to anyone who feels weak or damaged, showing that God’s care is gentle as well as strong.

Question 5

Who is the one shepherd called my servant David in this passage?

Accepted Answer

When God says He will set up one shepherd, His servant David, He is pointing beyond the original king David, who had already died. The promise looks ahead to a new ruler from David’s line who would truly care for God’s flock. This points to the Messiah, who would feed, protect, and lead God’s people in God’s name. He is called both shepherd and prince, showing close care and real authority. God says He Himself will be their God while this shepherd rules them rightly.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about God’s character?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows God as both tender and just. He is like a shepherd who searches, gathers, feeds, makes His sheep lie down, finds the lost, brings back the driven away, heals the broken, and strengthens the sick. At the same time, He is a judge who confronts those who are proud and harsh, who push the weak and spoil what others need. God is not distant or careless. He is deeply involved with His people, feels their pain, corrects their oppressors, and promises a faithful shepherd over them.

Question 7

Why is God angry with the strong who eat the good pasture and foul the rest?

Accepted Answer

God is angry because those pictured as strong animals are not just enjoying blessings, they are ruining things for others. They eat the best grass, then stomp on what is left so others cannot use it. They drink deep, clear water, then muddy what remains. This shows people who take good things from God, like His word and fair treatment, but twist or hoard them and leave little for the poor and weak. God calls this out as wrong and promises to act so that His flock is no longer treated that way.

Question 8

How does this passage apply to spiritual leaders today?

Accepted Answer

This passage is a warning and example for anyone who leads God’s people. Bad leaders act like the fat cattle and selfish shepherds, taking advantage of the flock, ignoring the weak, and using their position for themselves. God says He is against that kind of leadership and will hold it to account. Good leaders should reflect God’s heart here: seek the scattered, care for the wounded, feed the flock with truth, protect the vulnerable, and not trample on others. God Himself is the model shepherd they must follow.

Question 9

How can someone today take comfort from God’s promise to be a shepherd?

Accepted Answer

Someone who feels lost, hurt, or overlooked can take real comfort from this picture of God. He does not forget His sheep, no matter how far they have wandered or how dark their situation feels. He knows each one, searches for them, and brings them to a place of safety and rest. He does not just gather them; He feeds and heals them. Remembering that God is this kind of shepherd can help a person trust Him in hard times and believe that He is still able to restore and protect.

Question 10

What was happening with God’s people when these words were spoken?

Accepted Answer

God’s people were living with the results of many years of unfaithfulness. Their leaders had acted like uncaring shepherds, feeding themselves instead of the flock. The people had been scattered among other nations through war and exile. Many were weak, afraid, and unsure of their future. Into that situation, God promised to step in personally, restore His people to their land, deal with those who abused their power, and give them one faithful shepherd from David’s line who would care for them as God intended.

Ezekiel 34:11

¶ For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

The Good Shepherd

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Ezekiel 34:11

¶ For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

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The Good Shepherd

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