30 April 2002

In May of 1995, during an extended time of fasting, the Lord visited me. Among many other things, He said: "I am coming as Shepherd, I am coming as LORD. I will bring my Rod and my Staff to comfort my people. I will stand, to bring justice and mercy back into the fold".

The Hebrew people called God `Jehovah'. To this first name they appended various second names to denote His attributes. For example: Jehovah-jireh meant the LORD will provide; Jehovah-rapha meant the LORD who heals and Jehovah-shammah meant the LORD present here. Jehovah-rohi was the name God used with me- the LORD our shepherd.

The role of a shepherd

There are five basis aspects to the role of a natural and spiritual shepherd:

1. To provide

David said the shepherd will take the sheep to "green pastures" (Psa. 23:1,2a). Ezekiel said God "will tend His sheep and have them lie down" (Ezek. 34:15) He provides a safe resting place. John saw the Shepherd who led the sheep "to springs of living water" (Rev. 7:17).

2. To protect

Jacob called God the good shepherd "who redeemed me from harm" (Gen. 48:15). David thanked God for protecting him in the valley of the shadow of death (Psa. 23:4a). Jesus said the shepherd protects the flock by night (John 10:2,3).

3. To heal

David sang about the shepherd who "restores my soul" (Psa. 23:3a). Ezekiel said God will "search for the lost and bring back the strays... bind up the injured and strengthen the weak" (Ezek. 34:16a).

4. To gather

When we stray, God finds us and leads us back to right paths (Psa 23:3b). Jeremiah shared spoke of God `keeping the flock' and restoring the scattered (Jer. 31:10). Jesus spoke of going after one and leaving behind ninety nine (Mat.18:12,13).

5. To discipline

David said "thy rod and staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4)

The rod and staff were instruments of judgement, but in being judged the sheep receive comfort. Those who are disciplined are truly children of God (Heb. 12:6).

The rod and staff

When praying toward a trip to the United States in May of 2002, I was reminded of the visitation in 1995, and felt lead to study out Ezekiel 34:15-22

Passing under the shepherd's rod was a way of counting the sheep (Lev. 27:32). But the rod was also an instrument of punishment. Paul said to his flock in Corith, "what would have me do, come to you with a rod or with love in a spirit of gentleness?" (1 Cor. 4:21).

Jesus has a rod in his mouth: "With righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked" (Isa. 11:4).

The staff, in the other hand, was used to discipline a sheep which constantly got itself into trouble. "Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock that belongs to you, which lives alone in a forest" (Micah 7:14).

Living in isolation from the flock and the shepherd required the correction of the staff. The shepherd would sometimes have to break a sheep's leg in order to stop it straying.

The passage in Ezekiel speaks of God divinely judging his flock, "As for you, my flock... I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats" (Ezek 34:17). That judgement will be between the fat and the lean (vs 20). The outcome will be in favour of the lean... "The sleek and the strong I will destroy". This is because the fat sheep have:

destroyed the pasture (vs 18) - Muddied the waters (vs 18) - Made others eat the lesser, taken the best (vs 19) - Grown fat while the rest starve (vs 20) - Scattered the weak (vs 21)

Five sins against the lean sheep

We devour green pasture and trample it under our feet. We gather wealth to ourselves, and forget the needs of the poor. We preach on health, wealth and prosperity, of transferring the wealth of the nations unto ourselves but we leave the sick and weak to die.

We drink the finest water, then muddy it for others. We will be judged for having a dozen Bibles each, but never reading them. We pump distorted doctrines throughout the world like a fountain head of filth, allowing every form of carnality to abound in the church from pedophilia to pornography, from divorce to racism.

We have made others eat the least and taken the fattened parts for ourselves. We are like the sons of Eli who took more than their portion. Like Solomon who built the Lord's house, then assembled double for himself. According to the George Barna, only 8% of born again Christians tithe income to their church and 16% gave nothing at all to the church.

We have grown fat while others starved. The Catholic church is the wealthiest organisation on earth. According to Barna, we spend seven fold more time and money on entertainment than we do in spreading the gospel. The sale of Christian `art and cultural items' outstrip Bible sales by more than double in music and book outlets!

We have scattered the weak. More children have been killed in-utero than men killed in all the wars of the 20th century. Children who could not defend themselves. The weak must surely also include refugee and alien. Australia in particular is not handling this issue well.

What are we to do?

"It is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Pet. 4:17). God will judge us first, and then he will judge the world. I believe we are not even half way through this judgement -- the exposing of rank sin in the camp, the unveiling of carnality and the rebuilding of righteousness and justice in our midst.

Joel advises us, "Return to God with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity... Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, 'Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations" (Joel 2:12-17).

Paul Cain gave this advice at a conference in Kansas City two years ago, whilst many were calling for yet another season of joy and laughter, he was calling for repentance and tears... He was boldly agreeing with James, who advises us, "Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up" (Jas. 4:9-10).

References

Barna Research Studies, 2001 report. Released Jan 7, 2001. Ventura, CA.

Cain, P. "Catch the Fire" 2000. Kansas City Metro.