The shepherds of Israel were the kings and princes who ruled over the nation and had authority over them. The prophet Jeremiah also received a similar message against these evil shepherds who had spoiled the flock. "Woe be unto the pastors (shepherds) that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord" (Jere. xxiii: 1-2). Shepherds are called to feed the flock; but these shepherds of Israel fed themselves. They were responsible for the deplorable condition of the flock. They ruled them with force and cruelty. There was no strengthening for those diseased, no healing for the sick, no recovery of them who were lost and driven away. Utterly selfish, they cared not for the sheep of His pasture; they neither feared God nor loved His people. They looked upon the people not as the flock of God, but only as their own to spoil, misuse and domineer over. Therefore, "They were scattered, because there is no shepherd; and they became meat for all the beasts of the field, where they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill; yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them" (verses 5-6). Such was the sad condition of the people Israel. And when the Lord Jesus appeared in their midst to seek the lost sheep of the house of Israel, He found them as sheep without a shepherd and He had compassion upon them (Mark vi:34). But they rejected Him and the Shepherd was smitten. Zechariah's prophecy was fulfilled. "Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the Shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones" (Zech. xiii:7). The false shepherds, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, were a curse to the people and the leaders were against the Shepherd. They delivered Him into the hands of the Gentiles. And now for nearly 2,000 years the sheep have been scattered and peeled, wandering among the nations of the earth (Luke xxi:24). What is their hope and coming blessing we learn from this great prophecy.[28] [28] What is said in this chapter of the false shepherds who ill-treated the flock of God, His ancient people, may also be applied to the false shepherds, the hirelings in the professing church. See Acts xx:28-35 and 1 Peter v:2-3. II. The False Shepherds Convicted and Set Aside.