The Hirelings??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #113

I want to start this article that I had already planned to write with a story from life; but first one of my favorite scripture passages; and I’m sitting here writing and listening to an “old” Cathedrals song, “I Know My Savior IS There”!  How great is our God!!!  And I’m smiling.

“And he that searcheth the hearts

 knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,

because he maketh intercession for the saints

according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things

work together for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

 to be conformed

to the image of his Son,

 that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.” Romans 8:27-29

This verse came to me as I smiled in the midst of total chaos!  I was about to take a walk before the heat made that imprudent, but I heard the sound of water (not any usual sound) and realized that the drain hose on the running washing machine had popped out (again) but this time I was a bit slow getting it stopped and it not only ran over in the laundry room (which is tile) but it ran into the hall which is wood plank flooring!  So I got the hose back in and started grabbing towels and got the water out of the hall, then kind of kept scooping it back into the laundry room, picking up the soaked towels and getting dry ones!  Well, I got it mostly cleaned up and just kept smiling to myself and thinking about how good our God is!  He knew I didn’t need to take that walk at that particular moment, and because HE was watching over me, I was home to stop the flow and clean up the mess!  How often, I think, we are so busy looking for a great “miracle” that we miss the work of God in our every step!  Yes, I believe in great miracles, but I also have observed that some people are so busy running around looking for “miracles” that they miss the daily, everyday miracles of God’s sweet, timely and growth producing work in the lives of His own (and just FYI, God doesn’t need Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat to do HIS work–in fact I think we often miss HIS work with our obsession over social media of all kinds).  And that is what I want us to consider today–God’s own, and God’s own work in HIS own–as well as the ‘hirelings’ who appear to tend the flock but run at the first sign of danger.  Jesus talked about this!

“Then said Jesus unto them again,

Verily, verily, I say unto you,

I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me

are thieves and robbers:

but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door:

by me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come

that they might have life,

and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling,

and not the shepherd,

whose own the sheep are not,

seeth the wolf coming,

and leaveth the sheep,

and fleeth:

and the wolf catcheth them,

and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth,

because he is an hireling,

and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd,

and know my sheep,

and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me,

even so know I the Father:

and I lay down my life

for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have,

which are not of this fold:

them also I must bring,

and they shall hear my voice;

and there shall be one fold,

and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me,

 because I lay down my life,

that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me,

but I lay it down of myself.

I have power to lay it down,

and I have power to take it again.

This commandment have I received of my Father.”  John 10:7-18

Jesus wants us to understand that HE IS the “good shepherd” who cares for the sheep–doing always what is best for them; yet there is a ‘hireling’ who will only want to take advantage of the flock!  So much so, that when he sees the “wolf” coming he runs away, leaving the sheep defenseless, because he didn’t care for them!  Oh how much we see this today, hirelings who aren’t real ‘under-shepherds’ of The Lord Jesus Christ, just those who want to live on the sheep, not care for them.  Jesus was The One who would lay down HIS life for all who will come to HIM in repentance and faith in His Substitutionary, Atoning Sacrifice!  The ultimate love for HIS own sheep, those who will hear His voice and heed to HIS call, HIS care, and HIS glory!

The Old Testament prophets said a good bit about this same scenario of “the hireling”, so I’d like us to peruse a couple of these passages and take them to heart!  May we examine our own heart and soul and be sure that we are one of HIS sheep, and that we are walking close enough to Jesus so that we know HIS voice and learn to run from the “wolves”!  Jesus warned us of these:

“Beware of false prophets,

which come to you in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”  Matthew 7:15

Ezekiel received a message from The Lord which succinctly describes the “hirelings”!  I know this is a bit lengthy, but I think we need to hear it, and ponder what God says about these ‘hirelings’!

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2 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?

3 Ye eat the fat,

and ye clothe you with the wool,

ye kill them that are fed:

but ye feed not the flock.

4 The diseased

have ye not strengthened,

neither have ye healed

that which was sick,

neither have ye bound up

that which was broken,

neither have ye brought again

that which was driven away,

neither have ye sought

that which was lost;

but with force and with cruelty

have ye ruled them.

5 And they were scattered,

because there is no shepherd:

and they became meat

to all the beasts of the field,

when they were scattered.

6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains,

and upon every high hill:

yea, my flock was scattered

upon all the face of the earth,

and none did search or seek after them.

7 Therefore, ye shepherds,

hear the word of the LORD;

8 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;

9 Therefore, O ye shepherds,

hear the word of the LORD;

10 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.

11 For thus saith the Lord GOD;

Behold, I,

even I,

will both search my sheep,

and seek them out.” Ezekiel 34:1-11

And just a few words in this same regard from the ‘weeping Prophet’, Jeremiah; one who heeded the word and work of The Lord but was NOT heeded by his people!

“Heal me, O LORD,

and I shall be healed;

save me,

and I shall be saved:

for thou art my praise.

15 Behold, they say unto me,

Where is the word of the LORD?

let it come now.

16 As for me,

I have not hastened from being a pastor

 to follow thee:

neither have I desired the woeful day;

thou knowest:

that which came out of my lips

was right before thee.”  Jeremiah 17:14-16

And another warning from God through Jeremiah to the “pastors” who were ‘hirelings’, oh that we might heed this reminder that in this world “saying so, doesn’t make it so”!  But when God speaks, we better. Heed The Word, and go right back to what Jesus said in John 10–sound familiar!  The Word will interpret The Word if we will but read it, study it, and be willing to heed it in our own lives each day!

“Woe be unto the pastors

that destroy

and scatter the sheep

of my pasture! saith the LORD.

2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel

against the pastors that feed my people;

Ye have scattered my flock,

and driven them away,

and have not visited them:

behold, I will visit upon you

the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock

out of all countries

whither I have driven them,

and will bring them again to their folds;

and they shall be fruitful and increase.

4 And I will set up shepherds over them

which shall feed them:

and they shall fear no more,

nor be dismayed,

neither shall they be lacking,

saith the LORD.

5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD,

that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch,

and a King shall reign and prosper,

and shall execute judgment

and justice in the earth.

6 In his days Judah shall be saved,

and Israel shall dwell safely:

and this is his name whereby he shall be called,

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:1-6                         (See 2 Corinthians 5:21)

And Jesus’ message to the church.  May we consider our ways!  Our King is coming soon–will HE find me faithful?

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ,

which God gave unto him,

to shew unto his servants

things which must shortly come to pass;

and he sent and signified it

by his angel

unto his servant John:

2 Who bare record

of the word of God,

and of the testimony of Jesus Christ,

and of all things that he saw.

3 Blessed is he that readeth,

and they that hear the words

of this prophecy,

and keep those things which are written therein:

for the time is at hand.”  Revelation 1:1-3

Yet remember Jesus’ own words–we won’t always be popular when we speak truth.  If people are applauding you, watch out!

“If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not

him that sent me.”  John 15:19-21

Are you listening to Jesus, your shepherd, or the ‘hirelings’?  Open up the true standard–The Bible–and heed what it says to you; then speak the truth “in love”!

Amen and Amen!!!