HABITATION OF SHEPHERDS
"Thus says the Lord of hosts; again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds, causing their flocks to lie down" (Jeremiah 33:12) KJV.
Many people and nations face a lot of troubles: war, terrorism, poverty, pestilence, and diseases, which in turn affect the church. The people are full of sorrows, and some of them are exceedingly bitter. Wars have devastated countries; plagues have thinned our populations; all kinds of evil have swept athwart the most potent territories, and many of them have been compelled, at last, to yield to the destroying angel, and they slumber with the mighty dead. Many Christians asked, "Why is this evil happening to our land?" How can we serve God faithfully in this land? Why was I created in this part of the world?
"Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know. ’ (Jeremiah 33:3).
When God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), he saw that it was good. He made man in his own image to have dominion over everything that he created on earth. Despite Adam and Eve’s disobedience, God still love mankind. He promised to bless them with all kinds of blessings. "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth." And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 28:1-2); ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, I will lay your cities waste and bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the fragrance of your sweet aromas(Leviticus 26:27), " I will bring the land to desolation, and your enemies who dwell in it shall be astonished at it" (Leviticus 26:32).
Man’s disobedience to the God's commandments causes desolation, war, and pestilence in our lands. God is the author of the darkness as well as of the light, he creates the providential evil as well as the good, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things" (Isaiah 45:7), while He sends the shower from on high, he also is the father of the devastating storm.
But if you refuse to hear these words, I swear by myself, "says the Lord," that this house will be desolate (Jeremiah 22:5).
IDOLATRY BRINGS DESOLATION
False worship can bring desolation to our land. Shepherds won’t be able to take care of the flocks, but rather they will be lost in the ills that has come upon the land. The shepherds will lead the people away from the truth, turning them to worshipping other gods. "My people have been lost sheep, their shepherds have misled them; they have turned them away in the mountains. They've climbed from mountain to mountain. They have forgotten their resting place "(Jeremiah 50:6).
God warns that, "you shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3); "for the Lord your God is a jealous God among you, lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth" (Deuteronomy 6:15).
"Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places (Ezekiel 6:3); In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished"(Ezekiel 6:6).
Where are the gods mentioned in the Bible, such as the Egyptian god (Exodus 12:12), Dagon (1 Samuel 5:2), and Baal (1 Kings 18:20-40)? Where are they? We hear their names; they are only records of the past. Nobody pays homage to them, nor bow in the grove of Ashtaroth. Who worships the hosts of heaven and the chariots of the sun? They have gone! Jehovah still stands, "the same yesterday, today, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)". One generation of idols has passed away, and another comes, and the desolations stand—memorials of the might of God.
WAR AND TERRORISM
Our iniquity and that of our fathers have taken peace from our land and brought war, terrorism, and the like. War can be devastating but its noise and tumult shall produce good; the blood of our brothers and sisters shall be avenged, not by the sword, but by the gospel. " And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (Revelation 6:10).
Let us not fear, let us not tremble; the end of all things come at last," Also, you son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel; An end, the end has come upon the four corners of the land. Now the end has come upon you, and I will send my anger upon you, and I will judge you according to your ways, and I will recompense you for all your abominations. And my eye shall not spare you; neither will I have pity; but I will recompense your ways upon you, and your abominations shall be in the midst of you; and you shall know that I am the Lord "(Ezekiel 7:2-4).
That end shall certainly be the desired one, and all the wrath of man shall not frustrate the designs of God. Past troubles assure us of the present and console us for the future.
"Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning "(Psalm 30:5).
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A GOOD SHEPHERD
It is promised that the long-depopulated country will be replenished and stocked once more. It is now desolate, without man or beast, but, after their return, the pastures will again be clothed with flocks (Psalm 65:13). In all the cities of Judah and Benjamin, there shall be a habitation for shepherds.
"But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking," says the Lord" (Jeremiah 23:3-4).
We shall be fed with divine knowledge again. The shepherd, who were weakened by the effects of war and terrorism, will now be strong to guard his flock from the prowling wolf or the roaring lion. In fulfilment of God’s promise, he will raise new shepherds: "And I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding" (Jeremiah 3:15).
1. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters" (Psalm 23:1-2). The great shepherd will not allow the church to lack, Our God is a God of abundance," And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). The earthly shepherd will receive the manna from heaven and feed the church. Our land shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: (Isaiah 35:2)
2. The Flock (believers, church members and new converts) will rejoice on every side (Psalm 65:12) while the shepherds (Pastors, Evangelists, Priests, Teachers, Bishop, Prophets) will rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 4:4). What a great co habitation! There cannot be a flock without a shepherd; neither is there a shepherd truly without a flock. The two must go together. They are the fullness of each other while the church is the fullness of him that fill all in all – Jesus Christ. "And has put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that fill all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23).
3. "You shall no more be termed forsaken; neither shall your land any more be termed desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married" (Isaiah 62:4). Our church and ministries will no longer be a haven for beggars, but rather a haven for shepherds who have resolved to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).
4. We will serve God in a peaceful atmosphere and with pure heart, "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation" (Psalm 24:3-5).
5. We shall hear no more alarms of war, nor shall there be any to make even the shepherds and Pastors afraid, "that our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: that our oxen may be strong to labor; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets" (Psalm 144:13-14).
6. The believers business will be productive, while they keep account of their income, and obey God’s commandment, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house," (Malachi 3:10) , and also receive the blessings, "and prove me now herewith, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he will not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither will your vine bear fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts. And all nations will call you blessed, because you will be a delightful land, says the Lord of hosts.(Malachi 3:10-12).
7. The church and ministries' finances will grow exponentially, and they will be able to propagate the gospel round the world and render their ministerial tithe to God. "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord." (Leviticus 27:30)
CONCLUSION
Our blessed shepherd esteems his sheep because they cost him his blood. "Ye are not your own, for you were purchased with a price." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young" (Isaiah 40:11). He has a diverse flock; some are strong in the Lord, while others are weak in faith; but He is impartial in His care for all His sheep, and the weakest lamb is as dear to him as the most advanced of the flock.
Pastors, please take care of the flocks that God put in your care. He would not like to lose them, nor suffer any foe to take them out of his hand. Keep an eye on them, feed them with the truth till we shall all be brought up before the Lord faultless before the great white throne, "and in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God" (Revelation 14:5); and he will confess us before God and his angels (Matthew 10:32) and make us a pillar in the temple of God (Revelation 3:12).
Seek out those who have perished because of devastation, war, and terrorism. What will Jesus do? He will arise and go forth to seek and to save that which was lost. The love of Jesus Christ is not only in word but in deed and in truth. The love of Jesus is prudent. He does not wait until the sheep is willing to return, or until it makes some attempt to come back. He will leave the remaining 99 sheep in their pasture and look for the lost one. When the sheep is found, Jesus will come singing, "Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost" (Luke 15:6), and there will be great joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents (Luke 15:10).
Speak the truth clearly to your church members and new converts, warn them of God’s judgment and encourage them to embrace God's promises," But if the watchman sees the sword come, and blows the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes, and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will be required at the watchman's hand" (Ezekiel 33:6).
Intercede for your brothers and sisters in prayer and fasting; "and he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him, and his righteousness sustains him" (Isaiah 59:16). However small the flock may be, even if it is restricted to our own family, or to the little Sunday school class, we are all our brother’s keeper in some measure. Let us learn the love of Christ, so that we may be wise in shepherding. Let us not talk about our friends and say we love them but let us show it by our earnest, personal, speedy endeavors to do them good. Let us not wait until we see some goodness in them–until they seek guidance.
Our Savior knows us, our Shepherd knows us.
Our desolate land shall be tilled, instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 36:34-36)
Syria shall be the habitation of shepherds!
North Korea will be a shepherd's haven!
China shall be an habitation of shepherds!
"He will set up a banner for the nations, and he will assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth" (Isaiah 11:12).
In those days, Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness" (Jeremiah 33:16).
Heavenly Father, please make our towns, cities, and countries into habitations of shepherds. Then we shall confidently march forward, with our mouths filled with laughter, and sing that "the Lord has brought back the captivity of our Zion." The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad in Jesus name, Amen.
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His, And he change the times and the seasons. He remove kings and set up kings.(Daniel 2:20-21)
James Dina (james@mountzionblog.org)
February 11th, 2022
https://mountzionblog.org/habitation-of-shepherds/
REFERENCES
Charles Haddon Spurgeon: "The Lord's desolations, the consolation of His saints".
Matthew Henry : "Commentary on Jeremiah 33".
Charles Haddon Spurgeon: "The sheep and their shepherd".
Charles Haddon Spurgeon : "Our great shepherd finds the sheep".
Charles Haddon Spurgeon : "Our good shepherd".
