By Rev. Dr. Rick Chesher
Most of us live in a world far removed from places where they raise sheep, or for that matter, any kind of livestock. For that reason, sometimes it is difficult to understand some of the things taught in the Bible. The Bible often times uses teachings and illustrations based in the setting of a shepherd, or how a shepherd would understand things.
The truth is some of those who were listening to Yahshua, even though they lived in the time of shepherds really didn’t understand what He was saying. The good thing for us today though is Yahshua translated those for us so we will be able to understand what He was getting at.
One of those passages we find in John 10:1-6. Yahshua in this passage begins to develop the idea of Him being a shepherd, and not only a shepherd, but a good shepherd. He starts off by referring to some sheep in a pen, or a place where they are gathered and fenced in, so they will be safe and not wonder off, as sheep do.
Yahshua gives us insight on how to identify the true shepherd of the flock. Yahshua says the true shepherd of the flock will not try and enter the pen by any means other than the door. They will not climb over the fence, or go through the spaces in the fence. The true shepherd will go through the door of the pen.
Anyone who goes another way into the pen is a thief and a robber. They will be seeking to steal the sheep and even do harm to the sheep. The true shepherd has no need to enter in by another way, because he owns the sheep, and people around know he owns the sheep as well, so he doesn’t need to sneak in.
Another insight into knowing the true shepherd is a way we don’t often think about. Yahshua says the sheep will know the true shepherd’s voice. The shepherd in that day spent long hours and days with the sheep, and he would talk to them while he was leading them from one place to another. And the shepherd would lead them. He didn’t herd them or drive them, he led them. The he would lead them was by talking and singing.
The sheep recognized his voice because they would hear him talking to them, or singing to them. The sheep would follow him because they knew their shepherds and they knew who took care of them. Yahshua adds, “They will never follow a stranger” they will only follow the true shepherd.
Two things we can learn from this passage. Yahshua speaks to us and we will be able to hear Him. The other is maybe we don’t hear Him because He is a stranger to us. This means we need to spend time with Him so we will be able to recognize His voice. We need to get in that quiet place often, and be still and listen to His voice so we will be able to hear Him as well. And we have another lesson found in Scripture that show the need to hear His voice.
Sometimes length of time walking with the Yahweh brings those moments in life when the light comes on and you have one of those moments of clarity. Recently I have had one of those moments. Martin Luther King Jr. in his famous speech said his dream was that one day his children would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.
Yahweh is most interested in the content of our character than anything else we think is important. Recent I have heard people of faith talk about things going on in their lives, and they have talked in such a way that it seemed their faith had been shaken by the events in their lives, and understand they were significant events that would have tested any of our faith. I am not trying to belittle the significance of the events they experienced in any way.
In the midst of these things, I listened to what was being said, and the common theme was they felt Yahweh didn’t do things the way they thought He ought to have done them. Because He didn’t do things the way they thought, their faith was shaken. This caused me to look at my own life and ask the question what would I have done? This caused me to turn to the Bible to seek answers.
I found Peter and the disciples experiencing this in more than one occasion. One of these was an experience in a boat when Jesus was not with them in Matthew 14:22:33. A storm came up on the water that was so big that these fishermen feared for their lives. And as if things were not bad enough they see, what they thought, is a ghost coming toward them. Turns out it was Jesus, who told them to not be afraid.
Now I don’t know about you, but I would have thought Yahshua would have calmed the storm and calmed the fears of all these men. But that is not what Yahshua did. When Yahshua told them not to be afraid that it was Him, Peter said, tell me to come to you, if it is you. Yahshua said come. This would have been a good time for Yahshua to calm the storm, just as Peter was getting out of the boat to come to Him. Again, Yahshua didn’t calm the storm.
The significant part of this story is that as long as Peter had His eyes on Yahshua, he was walking on top of the storm, and the storm didn’t seem to affect him. But when took his eyes off of Yahshua the storm overwhelmed him and he began to sink. Peter called out to Yahshua and Yahshua saved him, and then calmed the storm. See it doesn’t matter about the storm, storms come and storms go. It is about the One with you in the midst of the storm. With Him we will never be alone. This is why Paul could say, nothing can separate us from the love of Yahweh.