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My Soul and the Shepherd
(Jn10:14-16)
God is the good shepherd (Is40:11).
He leads to the good path the souls whom He bought with His own blood, and
He is a good shepherd who oversees and leads to the path of righteousness (Ps23:3).
Faith is knowing that I am a soul and returning to the shepherd of my soul (1Pe2:25), and
Faith life is, in order for me soul to live, remaining in the flock and
Listening to the voice of my shepherd (Jn10:16) as
Sheep are herbivores and are physically vulnerable
But their hearing is excellent at discerning the voice of their own shepherd for
The sheep and the shepherd share an inseparable bond—that is, a bond of survival.
Despite the fact the living being Adam had to live by hearing the voice of God (Ge2:17),
He listened to the devil instead and
A flaming sword was placed around the Garden of Eden from which they were drive out,
So they could not return (Ge3:24).
All mankind, his descendants, fell to the wretched fate of wandering aimlessly and
Follow the devil to hell (Mt25:41).
When the Israelites groaned in their slavery of 430 years and cried out (Ex2:23-24),
Jehovah, the Self-existent, heard and sent Moses who
Risked danger and carried out Israel's exodus (Ex3:8-14).
Moses performed various miracles with a single staff, bringing Pharaoh to his knees, and
The Israelites crossed the sea on dry ground (Ex4:15-28).
Even though the Israelites bursted with resentment when they reached the dry, waterless land,
God led them through the wilderness for 40 years, sustaining them
With manna sent down from heaven and water from the rock.
He did this so, if they observed the commands of the LORD, walked in obedience to Him, and
Revered Him, in the end it might go well with them, that is,
He would give them the inheritance of the land of Canaan (Dt8:2-16).
Nevertheless, when the spies returned and gave an unfavorable report of the land,
The entire people rebelled demanding to return to Egypt and
Consequently, all but Joshua and Caleb perished in the wilderness (Nu13:32-33).
The history of Israel: the conquest of Canaan—the period of the judges—the united kingdom—the divided kingdom—the exile period—return from exile—the intertestamental period;
The confession of Israel: the LORD is my shepherd and I shall not want (Ps23).
The wretched destiny and extraordinary history of Israel who, possessing no land of their own Followed the LORD as their only inheritance,
Led them to have a deep longing for the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
Yeshua said, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days,” because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body (Jn2:19-21), He would:
nd the era when Jehovah—the shepherd of Israel—led them into the land of Canaan;
Begin the era when Yeshua—the shepherd of souls—lead them to the Father’s house.
He said to beware of false prophets in sheep’s clothing who lead to destruction and
Enter through the narrow gate that leads to life (Mt7:13-16).
According to the prophecy,
“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered” (Zec13:7; Mt26:31),
Yeshua died alone and the temple veil tore (Lk23:45).
He said, “It is finished” (Jn19:30), declaring that He:
1) Died according to the command and commended His soul to the Father the good Shepherd (Ps23; Lk23:46);
2) Condemned the devil who deceived Adam and led all mankind to destruction (Ge3:4-6; Mt25:41); and
3) His death—redeemed—set mankind free—legitimately—opened the gate for the sheep (Jn10:1-2; He10:20),
His blood—to call out the souls that possess His blood—to hear the voice of the shepherd and
follow (Jn10:3-4; He10:19).
He resurrected and ascended to heaven and
He is the great Shepherd of the sheep who is seated on the throne (He13:20).
The Holy Spirit comes to the church which God bought with His own blood (Ac20:28) and
Lets the overseers whom He appointed protect the flock and shepherd by the word of grace
So they are not dragged out by savage wolves (Ac20:29-31).
Christians are those who were
Lost in the past but now have returned to the Shepherd and the Overseer of their souls (1Pe2:25):
1) They remain in one flock listening to one shepherd (Jn10:16), fulfilling the functions of the church—worship, fellowship, service, education and evangelism;
2) Believers are together and having everything in common, sharing with one another, every day continuing to meet together in the temple courts (Ac2:44-45);
3) They become little shepherds, going out to seek souls that are outside the sheep pen to lead them back (Mt18:12-14; Jn10:16).
O Lord,
My soul bought with the precious blood of Christ!
In the church bought with God’s own blood,
I can hear the voice of the shepherd whom the Holy Spirit has appointed! Thank You, Lord!
Let us keep following to the very end! Amen.