Lambs and sheep for the majority of the Old Testament were to be sacrificed, or to be the spoils of war. A commodity, something bought and sold. Sacrificed to the Lord or food for the family.
It isn’t until Isaiah that we find the concept of the Good Shepherd.
Isaiah 40:11
King James Version (KJV)
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
This is the picture we have of Jesus the Good Shepherd. It is a good and true picture. He does hold and comfort us, feed and lead us beside the still waters. He restores our souls.
Young David is another example of a good shepherd:
1 Samuel 17:20
King James Version (KJV)
And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.
When David left his sheep, he left them in the care of a keeper. Jesus has left His church to the care of His Pastors and Ministers the called, chosen and faithful. When David learned of Goliath, he was full of faith and power.
1 Samuel 17:33-37
King James Version (KJV)
And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.
The Lord prepares His Shepherds to protect His flock against the roaring lion (the devil) and the bear (powers of this world) the Shepherd needs to be a prayer warrior to have the wisdom, understanding, knowledge and skill to defeat the enimies of the Lord, whosoever they be.
2 Samuel 24:17
King James Version (KJV)
And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.
Here we find the first reference of Gods people being sheep. David had sinned, against the command of the Lord he had taken a census of the people. The Lord gave him 3 choices of punishment, He chose the hand of the Lord and His mercy, rather then the hand of man. 70 thousand died before this prayer.
In the book we see several instances of the Lord releasing their enimies upon His people because they rebelled.
Isaiah 53:6
King James Version (KJV)
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jeremiah 23:1
King James Version (KJV)
Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 50:17
King James Version (KJV)
Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bone.
Then we have this wonderful prayer:
Psalm 119:176
King James Version (KJV)
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
This is a prayer that the Lord honors, if we wander astray like the parable of the lost sheep He will find and rescue us.
Ezekiel 34:11
King James Version (KJV)
For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
In Luke 15 we find the parable of the lost sheep, the Shepherd finds and brings him back.
The lost coin….they seek till they find. Then we have the rich man with two sons. please read carefully:
And he said, A certain man had two sons:
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father.
But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
We have the son, he has it all even his inheritance. He takes it and leaves the presence of the Father. He isn’t wondering away, he is deliberate, decisive, determined. He is broke, in bad company, feeding swine.
He comes to his sences, heads to home, Father sees him runs to meet him, restores him to a place of honor.
The difference is the Lord went to find the wondering sheep, He waited for the rebellious son to return. Both were welcomed back but one needed saving while the other needed to repent.
No one can pluck us from the Fathers hand….but He dosn’t hold us there against our will.
Lord may our hearts stay turned to you.
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