Who is emphatically
the good shepherd?
"I [Jesus Christ] am
the good Shepherd." John 10:11.
To what extent did
Christ sacrifice for the sheep?
"The good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep."
John 10:11.
Will false
shepherds do this?
"The hireling fleeth because he is a hireling, and careth not for
the sheep." John 10:13. "They are shepherds that cannot
understand: they all look to their own way, everyone for his gain, from
his quarter." Isa. 56:11.
Will the true
shepherd see that the sheep are provided with food?
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over
the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of
God, which He hath purchased with His own blood." Acts 20:28. See
also 1 Peter 5:2.
With what kind of
food will he feed the flock?
"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; Preach
the word." 2 Tim. 4:1, 2. (See also Rev. 10:9, 10 and Eze. 2:8,
Eze. 3:1-3.)
Will the true
shepherd set a good example to the flock?
"In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works."
Titus 2:7.
Will he warn the
sheep of coming danger?
"O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of
Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from
Me." Eze. 33:7.
What does the Lord
say to the watchman or shepherd who does not warn the wicked?
"If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that
wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at
thine hand." Eze. 33:8.
What does our
Saviour call false shepherds?
"Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind." Matt.
15:14.
Do such warn the
flock of coming danger?
"His watchmen are blind, that are all ignorant, they are all
dumb dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to
slumber." Isa. 56:10. "They have healed also the hurt of the
daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is
no peace." Jer. 6:14.
Has the Lord given
us another means by which to distinguish between true and false shepherds?
"To the law and to the testimony; if
they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in
them." Isa. 8:20. "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge,
and they should seek the law at his mouth... But ye are departed
out of the way: ye have caused many to stumble at the law." Mal.
2:7, 8.
Will the shepherds
who are unfaithful give to the flock the sense of those prophecies
relating to "the time of the end" (Dan. 12:14)?
"And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book
that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying
Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed."
Isa. 29:11. Read also verses 13-16.
Was there to come a
time when people would not listen to Bible truth?
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having
itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim. 4:3, 4.
Will such like to
have plain words spoken to them?
"Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth
things, prophesy unto us deceits." Isa. 30:10.
What does the Lord
say further concerning false shepherds?
"My people hath 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; they have forgotten their resting place." Jer.
50:6. "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds:
Woe 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." Eze.
34:2, 3. "As I live, saith 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, therefore,
a ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith 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. For thus saith the Lord God:
Behold, I, even I, will both searth My sheep, and seek them out. As a
shepherd seeketh 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 had been scattered in the cloudy and dark day."
Eze. 34:8-12.
What is to be the
future of those who "add unto" or "take away from "
the words of prophecy?
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the
prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall
add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man
shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall
take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and
from the things which are written in this book." Rev. 22:18, 19.
"Howl, ye shepherds, and cry: and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye
principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your
dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel,
and the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the
flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a howling of the
principal of the flock, shall be heard; for the Lord hath spoiled their
pasture, and the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce
anger of the Lord." Jer. 25:34-37.
What promise has
Peter left on record for faithful shepherds?
"And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a
crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Peter 5:4.