Sheep, Shepherds, and He-goats

Greetings to all, Wayne, a servant of God, by the Grace of God, baptized and placed into the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This webcast is concerning the scattered sheep of God among the scattered churches of God. From the scriptures, we will see the mind of God and see His will for His flock.

Please have a pen or pencil handy along with some paper to jot down the scripture references in order to return and meditate on them later. I will be the words in green. Purple highlights in the scriptures are key words of truth.

We will begin in the Old Testament with Moses.

Moses Flees to Midian

Exo 2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

Exo 2:17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

From these we learn that there are some good Shepherds and some not so good shepherds. It all comes down to whether or not mercy and kindness is found in the heart. These shepherds had a cruel and selfish heart. Moses, on the other hand, showed some of the attributes God looks for from the heart – a genuine concern for others, a thirst for righteousness, and a serving heart -free of charge. Have a look at Mat 7:16.

Aaron's Staff Buds

Now, jumping ahead to a time where God is shepherding His flock, the congregation of Israel (see Psa 79:13), in the wilderness with Moses as the leader or he-goat of the flock, we arrive at a time immediately after the rebellion of Korah which I strongly suggest you read in Numbers chapter 16.

With a firm hand, God swiftly put down rebellion, and He was about to make it abundantly clear that He would use one man, Aaron, from one tribe, Levi, as the leader or he-goat of the priesthood just as He used one man, Moses, to govern the people of God. Let’s read beginning in numbers 17:1

Num 17:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

Num 17:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write you every man's name upon his rod.

Num 17:3 And you shall write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. ---right to verse 8---

Num 17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

Now there would be no doubt, at least in that generation, who would be the leader of God’s priesthood. At this point we will turn to Heb 9:1

The Earthly Holy Place

Heb 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

Heb 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Now, we understand that this is the veil torn asunder at the death of Christ, allowing each and every begotten (called, baptised) child of God to come before Him with prayers and supplications. The point is to show, by example, that only one leader, or he-goat, was to come before the Holiest of all to represent the people of God. Continuing in verse 4:

Heb 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, [by the will of God, declaring Aaron the religious leader to stand before Him for all the congregation] and the tables of the covenant; ---to verse 7---

Heb 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

This ordinance of course being replaced with our Lord’s one time sacrifice for our sins, and not ours only but for the whole world, in due time - first fruits, millennium, second resurrection, and then finally the third resurrection. Now going back to numbers 17---

Num 17:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and you shall quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

The leaders, or he-goats, in all the divided churches need our prayers for them and not our murmurings against them (see Eze 20:36-38 concerning those who have murmured).

For it is by them, the leaders, or princes, being of one mind, casting lots and yielding to one leader, or he-goat, that we will all be able to return as one fold and thus be prepared as the bride of Christ for the place of safety, as well as the marriage to Him upon His return. Pray fervently! Now we will go to numbers 18:5---

Num 18:5 And you shall keep the charge of the sanctuary [a sacred place or thing; which is now the divided churches of God, the people of God] and the charge of the altar [that same alter on which the incense was burned before God and is now replaced with the prayers of the saints (see Lev 4:7 and Rev 8:4)]: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.

And that same wrath would be against any who murmur in the churches today.

Num 18:8 And the LORD spoke unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given you the charge of my heave offerings of all the hallowed [Holy] things of the children of Israel; unto you have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, by an ordinance for ever.

We see here that offerings to God have been made an ordinance forever despite the breaking of the Old covenant which God himself describes through His prophets (see Jer 11:10 and Zec 11:10).

The nature of these offerings in the New Testament will be covered in a future webcast (Supporting the Gospel of the Kingdom of God). And now, turning to Num 27:16---

Num 27:16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation [one man!],

Now here I ask: is there yet a man of God among the people of God who can be "that man", bringing us into one congregation? Continuing in verse 17:

Num 27:17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

We understand that Jesus is now that Shepherd of the flock of God, however, there still remains the question of who is the "he-goat leader" of that flock, one who leads both goats and sheep as one flock (see Jer 50:8 and Pro 30:31 and Mat 25: 31-34).

Here is a leader's prayer to our Shepherd:

Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psa 23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters.

Psa 23:3 He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you art with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Psa 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

And praises from the saints, sweet incense to God:

Psa 89:5 And the heavens shall praise your wonders, O LORD: your faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints [one congregation!].

Psa 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Psa 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of your countenance.

Psa 89:18 For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.

Now we come to some warnings for all the saints:

Pro 30:32 If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand upon your mouth.

Ecc 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

Isa 1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet [Joh 13:34], they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isa 1:19 If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land:

Isa 1:20 But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.

Israel's Irresponsible Leaders:

Isa 56:9 All you beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all you beasts in the forest.

Isa 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

Isa 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

Isa 56:12 Come you, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Jer 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.

Jer 50:6 My people have been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill [or in this age, church to church], they have forgotten their resting-place [where they belong! – one fold!]. Verse 8---

Jer 50:8 Remove out of the midst of Babylon [confusion!], and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans [out from among the world!], and be as the he goats before the flocks[ONE he-goat!, ONE flock!].

Jer 50:9 For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon [the confusion] an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from there she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.

Jer 50:22 A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.

Prophecy Against the Shepherds of Israel:

Eze 34:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Eze 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

Notice now how God now refers to His people as one flock in the following verse:

Eze 34:8 As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock [with truth!];

Eze 34:9 Therefore, O you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;

Eze 34:10 Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and 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.

Eze 34:11 For thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

Eze 34:12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; 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.

That day is coming!

Eze 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

Eze 34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.

Eze 34:16 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: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

There is still time to repent and return to one flock, one body, one leader, otherwise few will be chosen for protection and the rest left to the sword (see Mat 22:14 and Rev 12:15-17). Continuing in verse 23:

Eze 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd [one leader] over them, and he shall feed them [with truth], even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

Eze 34:24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

Now to any minsters (servants) who have left their sheep due to murmurings, which is exactly what Satan would want, heed this warning!

Zec 11:17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaves the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

Brethren we all need to pray fervently for these men. We have to understand the severity of God, the fear of God. The shepherds will be accountable for how they handled the flock of God.

See Luk 12:47- 48.

Now let us hear from our Good Shepherd, the Shepherd and High priest of the flock of God:

Mat 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep.

Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

And what might He want to say to all the divided Churches (see 1Co 1:13)

1Co 4:21 What will you? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

We should all be saying love, and in the spirit of meekness, as one obedient flock, otherwise it WILL be the rod of correction and judgement.

Let us strive to be as the Apostle Peter would have had us to be:

1Pe 2:25 For you were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

And if we can do this ?

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.

We will also read in Revelation:

Rev 2:26 And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.