The Howling Shepherds

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 11, 1916

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 43, No. 27.

The Howling Shepherds

PREDICTIONS of war, desolation, and destruction are presented in the twenty-fifth chapter of the book of Jeremiah. Some of the prophecies in this chapter refer, without question, to the ancient Israelites before the advent of Christ; and it is equally clear that the prophecy also looks forward to the great time when the Lord predicts that “all the nations” will “take the wine cup of this fury at My hand.” Furthermore, “they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.”

And again: “I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts. . . . For the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, He will plead with all flesh; He will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.” Jer. 25: 29-33.

There can be no question as to the time when the foregoing scripture will have its application. The slain of the Lord will be from one end of the earth to the other, and there will be no one left to gather or bury them. And the war furies are represented as a great whirlwind that goes from nation to nation to gather them all into the strife. Jeremiah is looking at the scenes of war, the beginning of which we have already had in this European conflict; and the other wars that are to follow in these last days will involve all the nations of earth. In fact, it looks now as though the portions of the world that are not fighting on European soil would soon be involved in a general turmoil.

Immediately following the foregoing prophecies of Jeremiah in regard to the furies of war, the prophet addresses himself to the “shepherds” in the following words: “Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture. And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord.” Jer. 25: 34-37.

What a striking warning these words are to the false shepherds who are crying, “Peace, peace; when there is no peace,” and whose chief thought has been for the gain that they might receive! The prophecy informs all such that their pasture will be spoiled, and that they will “howl” because of their slaughter and dispersion.

The men of this generation who are posing as teachers of the Bible and yet are saying that large portions of the sacred Scriptures are of no value, ought to heed this warning. God has written these thrilling words for the people living in this very time. The faithful shepherd who trusts in the infallible Word will be protected. But he who follows his own imaginations, and joins in the infidel teaching of this time, under the guise of the gospel ministry, has a time of “howling” just ahead of him.

This is no idle statement. It is the clear, strong warning of the divine Book itself. We may theorize and speculate; but sooner or later every individual must deal directly with the great Jehovah Himself, and then those shepherds who have set aside the divine teaching in favor of their speculative theories will find that it is no light thing to trifle with the Majesty of heaven and His inspired word. The blood of lost souls will be found upon their garments.