Shepherd and flock images are all over the spiritual vocabulary. God’s a shepherd, church leaders are shepherds, supervisors of all kinds are shepherds, and believers are all sheep. The good and beautiful picture of the shepherd in touch with his sheep can only lead to better things. Whether we think of shepherd as pastoral leadership or the salvation that is in the Son of God. If we are his we have much to “rah” about.
Redeems us – restores the soul
Assists us
Hosts us
Happiness is when in all conditions the human heart harvests its highest hopes.
Happy are the hopers
Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
Psalms 146:5
When Yahweh is my shepherdblessings abound and they flow without my personal affliction or petition.
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
The list of threats to life and peace seems to grow exponentially. Every time we hear “record-breaking” and “never seen before” we think we are hip and some even think “now we know” so all is good. Last weekend my pastor reminded us that when we see the host of predicted events happening we should not be troubled.
The importance of health seems to on the frontburner when disease and death appear and we have a range of coping strategies. We live recklessly, follow medical advice, but the vast majority of us want instant relief and perfect bodies. We all subconsciously rely on the doctor with healing in his wings.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and all of you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Malachi 4:2
If the wound or condition is not virulent and persistent the human body is capable of fighting off most assaults. We do not need interventions for most injuries.
I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are your works; and that my soul knows right well.
Psalms 139:14
Holy health
Israelite health could be measured by the individual’s compliance with the law. If a disease free condition depended on compliance with the law then there must be an appropriate level of fitness attached to a person who violates 90% of the commands.
Maybe we will find the one command among the hundreds that will remove leprosy? No! Not happening. Surely there has to be a command that sends the common cold flying! We know why our Lord did not prescribe commandments from the law for sick persons to get healed. We have to realize too that every Christian has died so that there is no physical healing in the atonement. Why would people with perfectly healed bodies and immortal souls die?
Dying daily
It would be foolish to think that health for an Israelite was not attached to the law. Diseases do not recognize international borders. Diabetes in Egypt and Canaan is the identical. We are literally dying every moment and every time we resist the temptation to follow the Holy Spirit we die.
Sickness no more
Our hopes are secure in the promises of God and our present condition has a certain date with destiny. The day is coming when all oppression ends.
Wherefore it shall come to pass, if all of you hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD your God shall keep unto you the covenant and the mercy which he swore unto your fathers:
Deuteronomy 7:12
And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you know, upon you; but will lay them upon all them that hate you.
Deuteronomy 7:15
And said, If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that heals you.
Exodus 15:26
I wonder what answer the law has for fear and pestilence.
The priesthood that served under Aaron diverges dramatically from God’s plan with its death sentences, annual cycle, and Gentile bans. It is a tribute to Satanic strategy that the levitical priesthood takes the lead as some Christians line up to express their vital operations. Mediation between God and man is in a nosedive as long as discrimination is part of the process.
The main distinctions between priest and people.
No personal share in the land. 1) The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance. 2) Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them. Deuteronomy 18:1-2
They ate a lot of baked goods and roasted animal flesh as part of the treatment of sin and general worship
They had homes, food, clothing and gifts provided by the people through the system of tithing and firstfruit
They were expected to be literate and familiar with Moses’ writings so they can guide the people
None of these things apply to Christian priesthood. The altar at which the Aaronic priest served cannot admit a Gentile. Christian priesthood has an altar that does not give access to anyone serving under Aaron, and that means that any attempt to turn Christianity into a souped up version of Judaism is like malware, break and enter, and hostage taking,
Sneaky operations
We know what the disciples of Moses want and to pretend that they and the followers of the Way want the same thing is deadly hoax. Our freedom stands in stark contrast to any branch or manifestation of the Mosaic economy.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 Peter 2:1
And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Amber waves of grain are hard to find in the land where Jews are thought to want to replace their rescuers and gracious host. That justice is dead in America we are quick to say because we saw the chief justice of the Supreme Court sit in the chair in the impeachment trial of the most corrupt president in history and said nothing as the Republican senators perjured themselves.
Vanity Fair headline
The good ole boys
The good old boys network has been in full swing since Mueller found a vast criminal enterprise engulfing the White House. More than enough crime has stained the fingers of potus45 and a growing number of his “generals”, all those good men and patriot pathetics who have either pleaded guilty or or were convicted of crimes. Were it not for the justice department rule that the president not be indicted for regular crimes the president would be serving several long sentences and paying fines for his tax evasion and violation of women’s rights.
Justice begins the day the gloating bigot leaves office.
Where on the planet might the chief offender choose to hide from American justice?
People trained in being saved, whether one is in peril at sea, on the busy highways, or just walking in one’s neighbourhood, are rare indeed, especially when the sun is recently risen to light up the dark places of the human heart.
Christ everywhere is light in a dark place
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
Matthew 4:16
When Christ was born sages came from outside of Judea to worship him and God warned them to avoid the local king who wanted to kill the newborn king. They must have wondered how Judeans could have been so disinterested in a person of Christ’s stature. I do.
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Matthew 2:12
Ancient spellbinding selftalk
The practices they had followed were obviously focused on human things that did not make a person acceptable to God. Both Jew and Gentile has to jump through hoops to get any where close to the suburbs of fellowship with God. It was all human because if God was in it would it would mean salvation, not the types and symbols of salvation. What one said to oneself in ancient Israel did not change common things into sacred or make the physical things into spiritual ones.
It is common to see law and life connected in what seems to be a causative relationship. The Psalms and the Proverbs seem to make that connection.
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
Proverbs 6:23
We know that no such arrangement ever existed. No one ever got saved because they kept the law. The matter is out in the open. It hardly needs interpretation.
The prison is no longer a threat
Let no one bully you about the law. It was written to deal with sin. It is not a tool for righteousness. It does not serve or belong to the faith journey. The righteous need no law.
This is not a lamp
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Galatians 3:21
We know no law that ever gave life or righteousness.
It is hard to see how faith and law are related, and we can see how faith had nothing to do with Lazarus waking from his sleep, or law with person dead in trespasses coming to life.
If you like prison and juvenile discipline (tutors and nannies) you will be a law lover. Pity!
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Beware that there be not a thought in your wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to the LORD against you, and it be sin to you.
The honour due to the Son of God appears in relevant scenarios. People who believe and people who do not believe are unquestionably in the drama. It is encouraging to know that secular power is like a dog on a leash, and the keys and seals are in the hands of an unrivalled priest-king, the Lamb of God. As the victim and the vindicator he is in charge of the unfolding actions.
A Lamb Stood – as Just Sacrifice
His sevens show him
all-powerful (horns),
all-knowing (eyes)
on duty everywhere (dispatched globally)
Rev 5:6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ESV2011
His worthiness – seven times blessed0
The Lamb was slain and is destined to receive the seven-fold complement, blessing, or eulogy (as benediction) (Rev. 5:12).
saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive
power
wealth
wisdom
might
honor
glory
blessing
OPENS THE WILL of GOD – a scroll of history
prodiving ASSURANCE, he flips the switch for the must-happen things,
Rev 6:1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” ESV2011
SHEPHERDS his flock and wipes their tears away
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” ESV2011
STOOD – is in place with his people
Rev 14:1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. ESV2011
IS VICTORIOUS
Rev 17:14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” ESV2011
IS THE PALACE
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. ESV2011
LIGHTS UP NEW JERUSALEM
Rev 21:23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. ESV2011
With a little comparison to the news of our day, it is clear that the world is mesmerized by the glitter of merchandize and abuse of power, while the spark of a bright lamp burns within each breast. At the centre of our being is a place where light, home, security, no tears, and complements are the priorities. Who needs darkness, refugees, wars, isolation, tears, ignorance, accusations, or injustice?
Life is Fun, But Not a Joke 