THE GOOD SHEPHERD by Augusta W. Heald

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 4, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 43.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

By Augusta W. Heald

THE relation which God sustains to his people is often represented by the well-known figure of the shepherd and the sheep. Said the sweet psalmist of Israel, "We are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand." Ps. 95:7. He beautifies this thought by sweet assurance: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Ps. 23:1-3. The Lord himself recognized this tender relationship; for he says, "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." Eze. 34:6. Behold the defenseless sheep scattered upon the bleak mountains, pursued by hungry wolves, driven by the merciless storm, seeking shelter and finding none; hear their piteous cry.

But is God's flock in such deadly peril? The under shepherds have proved false; through selfishness and greed they have betrayed their trust. As said our Saviour, "The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep." John 10:13. The false shepherds, or pastors of Israel, had feasted on the fat sacrifices laid upon God's altar, but they had not fed the people with spiritual food, for they were not connected with God, or consecrated to the duties of their sacred office. They were leading lives of carnal self-indulgence. The prophet Isaiah called them "blind watchmen;" "dumb dogs, they can not bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber," "greedy dogs which can never have enough;" "shepherds that can not understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter." Isa. 56:10. God reproves thus these false shepherds: "Wo be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds

feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed; but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them." Eze. 34:2-4.

Was unfaithfulness in those set over the flock of God peculiar to ancient Israel, or does it abound in these later times? Men without the aid of revelation might not be able to answer this question with authority, but the sure word of prophecy expressly affirms that "there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them" (2 Peter 2:1), and that "in the latter times some shall depart from the faith" (2 Tim. 4:1). The Saviour said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Matt. 7:15. To all these false pastors and prophets of both ancient and modern times, the great Shepherd says that because of their unfaithfulness he is against them, he will require his flock at their hand, and will cause them to cease from feeding the flock. "Neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them."

Then how tenderly God speaks to his wandering ones: "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock, . . . so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them, . . . and will bring them to their own land." "I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick." "I will feed them in good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be." Eze. 34:12, 13, 16, 14.

The remainder of this beautiful chapter contains a prophecy of Christ as the true Shepherd: "And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd." Eze. 34:23. It is not uncommon for the prophets to designate Christ as David, since the Saviour was to come in David's royal line, thus, "My servant David shall be their Prince forever." Eze. 37:25.

As the complement to the chapter we have just contemplated, we turn to the tenth chapter of John. How many believers have found sweet comfort and consolation here! Yet it is only by comparing the prophecy with the Gospel that the true depth of meaning can be discovered. Here the Lord Jesus reveals himself as fulfilling the promise of the Father. He says: "I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." "I and my Father are one." John 10:14, 28, 30.

How tenderly did the good Shepherd seek out the lost sheep of the house of Israel! How faithfully did he feed them with the bread of life! But an infinite sacrifice was required, that the gift of eternal life might be transmitted to man. It was no less than the life of the tender Shepherd, and this he freely gave. "The

good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." John 10:11. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." 1 Peter 3:18.

Poor sinner or trembling believer, have you stumbled on the dark mountains of unbelief and sin? The tender Shepherd gave his life to save you. Has he sought you out and brought you home to the shelter of the fold? Have you received a crumb of the heavenly manna? Is he leading you beside the still waters of his love? Then the good Shepherd says to you, as to the repentant Peter, "Feed my sheep," "Feed my lambs." John 21:16, 17. "And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

You say that you are not learned; you are, it may be, a suffering invalid, a child, one of Christ's "little ones," yet you may seek for wanderers from the fold of God; you may find and bring home a lost sheep to the loving Shepherd's care. You may gather with him, and, O, the joy of rescuing a perishing soul! It is the joy which Christ and angels know. "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Peter 5:4. And every soul you have won will be as a star in your crown of rejoicing.

Our Lord said, "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring." Mortal man can not fathom the mysterious realms of God's universe, whence he will call his scattered ones, but we are assured that in the fulness of time he will "gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in the heavens [margin], and which are on earth; even in him," and "there shall be one fold and one Shepherd."

"Tenderly the Shepherd, o'er the mountains cold, Goes to bring His lost one back to the fold, Seeking to save, seeking to save, Lost one, 'tis Jesus seeking to save."