Articles
Sheep and the Shepherd
Throughout the Scriptures, God’s word likens mankind [and, sometimes, God’s own people] to sheep. While we might be tempted to think that comparison points to the innocent and woolly creature that can often be adorable and playful, the reality is quite different, and a meaning that may not be so desirable. We are likened to sheep because, well…we are dumb.
If you have ever observed the habits of sheep, and especially if you have worked around them or with them, you know sheep are not the brightest creatures on earth. They tend to mimic what they see, follow other sheep blindly, or just wander off without realizing what they are doing. I saw a hilarious example of this one time when overseas. I had to stop on a country road while a flock was being moved from one field to another, and while stopped I saw the Border Collie herding them nip at the feet of one, who then jumped straight up to avoid the dog. Afterwards, every sheep that came to that exact spot also jumped up in the air, though the dog was no longer there. Yep…not too bright.
In Isaiah’s prophetic words about the coming Christ, he wrote of the reason why He had to come at all, saying, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way” (Isa. 53:6). The psalmist would personally acknowledge this, writing, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep” (Psa. 119:176); Jesus even recognized the people in the first century who followed after Him “were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36). Though they had religious leaders who should have been shepherding them and keeping them safe in the ways of God, those leaders failed them and, instead of leading them closer to God, led them astray. They were not alone in that failure.
Many years prior to the coming of the Christ, the leaders of Israel had led the nation away from God and left them scattered amongst the wolves, so to speak. Hear God’s condemnation, delivered through Ezekiel: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them” (Ezek. 34:1-6).
The leadership of Israel had failed the people time and time again, and they were poor shepherds, at best. As a contrast to their poor shepherding, God told them, “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down” (Ezek. 34:11-14).
This spoke prophetically of the time when God would bring back His people from captivity, but also of the time when they would be brought into the church that would be established by the coming Messiah. It would be by the Christ that the Israelites would be truly brought back under the shepherding of God and, then, of the Christ. Toward that end, it was Jesus who once said, “the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost” (Matt. 18:11), and who then told of the shepherd who had 100 sheep and one strayed. It was that shepherd who left “the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying” and rejoiced when the lost sheep was found (Matt. 18:12-14). Jesus was that Good Shepherd, and it was He who came to this earth in search of the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 15:24), but also in search of all who were lost — Jew and Gentile — for all were lost (Rom. 3:23).
And Jesus was not like those shepherds of Israel who had failed in their duty to lead, feed, and protect the sheep; no, Jesus was “The good shepherd [who] gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). He could say in all truthfulness, “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:14-16) because He came for the very purpose of giving His life that the “sheep” might be saved. But He came not just for those of Israel; He came, also, for those “other sheep” who would be of the Gentile nations and who would hear and heed His voice as He called them to forgiveness and salvation.
On a lesser scale, Jesus established shepherds to be in each particular congregation of His disciples [i.e., in every church; See Acts 14:23.]. These men [called elders, bishops, pastors, or overseers], were given the specific charge to “watch out for [disciples’] souls, as those who must give account” (Heb. 13:17), and Paul gave specific instruction to them to “take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Peter likewise instructed the elders of the first century [and all others who would follow], “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:2, 3), reminding them, “when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Pet. 5:4). An important task, indeed!
But, like those leaders of Israel, the shepherds of God’s people today must take this task seriously and make this the highest priority of all their God-given tasks; the souls of others are at stake! Failure to watch for the souls of all the sheep may result in just one being lost, but one is too many. Failure to feed the sheep will leave them weak and vulnerable when troubles come. Failure to lead them in the right way will cause all who follow them to be lost. This is not a light duty or an insignificant responsibility!
And for the sheep who are a part of a flock led by these shepherds, it is essential that each one heeds the guidance of the shepherds [verifying they are truly leading them in the right path], and does not stray. Each shepherd should be doing his utmost and best to guide the flock properly, but a sheep who stubbornly refuses to heed the leadership will be in danger of straying or attack by those who would devour them (1 Pet. 5:8).
Let’s keep our eyes ever on the Shepherd, and heed His voice. — Steven Harper
