follow the leader

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way...."

Isaiah 53:6

"Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes." Deuteronomy 12:8

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."

Proverbs 12:15

"How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?  Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.  Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh....  Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: they would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.  Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices."

Proverbs 1:22-26; 28-31

"In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes."

Judges 17:6

<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>

"My people have been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains...."

Jeremiah 50:6a

"Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?"

Ezekiel 34:2b

<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>

"[I]f a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?  And if so be he find it...."

Matthew 18:12,13a

<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>

The parable of the lost sheep is almost always represented to be an illustration of the watchfulness and compassion of Christ, who is called 'the Good Shepherd'.  But in the context of all the above quotations from Scripture, there appears to be a very different story embedded within the parable of the lost sheep.  The focal point of that hidden story, as it were, centers upon the phrase, "if so be he find it".  Christ--the one, in fact, who told the parable, in saying "if so be", indicated that notwithstanding his own best efforts, yet, he might not be able to 'find' every wayward sheep.  Of course, that doesn't mean that Christ is not omniscient; only, so it seems, that not every 'wayward' sheep is willing, or capable, of being restored to Christ's flock.

Is that not a solemn warning to every sheep of Christ's fold?  The warning does not so much emphasize the danger of wandering away from the flock, as such: where 'flock' could be taken as a metaphor for 'local church', or congregation, so to speak.  But the sheep are warned against wandering away from the Good Shepherd, and following after their own way.

"For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered" (Jeremiah 10:21).  It is not only the case that sheep are prone to wander off on their own.  But the Bible severely rebukes pastors (shepherds) who fail to properly care for their sheep. Sheep are far more likely to wander off from the flock, in the case where the shepherd has not led the flock to sufficiently good pastures, or feeding grounds.

What are those 'pastures', or 'feeding grounds', spiritually speaking?  "I will give you pastors according to mine [God's] heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding" (Jeremiah 3:15).  It is thus evident that pastors who fail to sufficiently feed their flocks, with true knowledge and understanding, such pastors are in danger of 'scattering' their own, that is, Christ's flocks; and, it may be that some of those sheep may never be recovered and restored, again, to Christ.

Yet, so many pastors think so lightly of their spiritual responsibility, even though the Holy Ghost has solemnly warned pastors: "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).  What else is the shepherd's principal duty, except, to feed the flock and to watch against predators? Feed and protect.

Today, pastors feed their flocks on gravel: that is to say, they feed the church with the blasphemous untruths of any and every so-called Bible 'version', but not with the pure, nourishing Word of God (the King James Bible).  Those same pastors are so ignorant, in fact, that neither do they warn the rams and the ewes (parents) among their flocks about the exceedingly great dangers of subjecting the lambs (children) to antichrist systems of 'education'.  How can such pastors any longer be tolerated, by spiritually minded members of Christ?  Why should such pastors be entrusted with 'leading' local churches, and at such a time as this, when America is already in crisis?  Upon what grounds do such pastors deserve the respect and trust of the Christian Church?  Why should such pastors be submitted to, as if they are capable and worthy to lead the Church in what--according to the Holy Ghost--are the very darkest times of human history?

The Church not only needs pure Truth now more than ever before, but the Church needs bold, courageous leaders--true prophets, who care more about Jesus Christ, and the Kingdom of God, and human souls, than they care about their own reputation or career or financial advantage or social status.  The Church needs godly shepherds who, instead of fattening themselves with the milk and fleeces of goats as well as sheep, do not fleece the sheep nor do they hesitate to put the goats out of the midst of the congregation.  For, the Church of God cannot possibly speak with genuine authority and power to a godless culture, when that same culture that is in the world is characteristically in the church as well.

Shepherds and sheep, both without knowledge; sheep without a shepherd, for all practical purposes; the blind leading the blind: everyone doing that which is 'right in his own eyes'.  Christ said that they all shall fall into the ditch.