Gathering Jacob's Flock / February 2008

Gathering Jacob's Flock

Contents

• Gathering Jacob's Flock

Most of you are familiar with the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God used these three fathers to establish a relationship with all of mankind following the great flood of Noah. Jacob fathered many sons through two wives and two handmaids. All of this came about as a result of working twenty years for his uncle Laban, the brother of Rebekah.

Jacob acquired his wives after seven years (he worked for Rachel seven years). But Laban tricked him into marrying Leah then working another seven years for Rachel. During the second set of seven years Leah and the two handmaids bore Jacob ten sons. Finally, Rachel had a son naming him Joseph, meaning “add to me.” Jacob wanted to leave at that point, but instead he worked an additional six years to gather and build a flock for himself to sustain the mothers and children. The Scripture offers this intriguing story of how his sheep and goats were selected from Laban’s original flock.

Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you.” But Laban said to him, “If now it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined that the LORD has blessed me on your account.” And he continued, “Name me your wages, and I will give it.” But he said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you and how your cattle have fared with me. “For you had little before I came, and it has increased to a multitude; and the LORD has blessed you wherever I turned. But now, when shall I provide for my own household also?” So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will again pasture and keep your flock: let me pass through your entire flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted sheep, and every black one among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages. “So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come concerning my wages. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, will be considered stolen.” And Laban said, “Good, let it be according to your word.” So he removed on that day the striped and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats, every one with white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the care of his sons. And he put a distance of three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Genesis 30:25-36

Generally, when a person provides a service to another with property or assets a calculation is made against the property or assets to determine the wage. The trick to this calculation is to determine what percentage is assessed against the whole. For example, if you sell your house and used the services of a real estate agent, you can count on spending about 7% of the sale price. If you go to a restaurant and have nice dinner, you can plan on paying at least 15% for the tip to the waiter/waitress. Good service goes for 20% or more.

So, let’s examine what Jacob was asking for his wages, having worked for years greatly increasing Laban’s flock. When you view a flock of sheep or goats from a distance, they for most part appear to be the same color – white. But then you will notice an occasional black sheep or multicolored one. As a rule of thumb (and shepherds in fact count their sheep this way) there will be three black sheep in every 100 of them. The black sheep are about 3% of the flock. This is what Jacob negotiated for his wages–all the black, spotted, and speckled sheep and goats. By the way, Laban’s name means “white.” Jacob wanted to be separate from Laban and this may have been the motivation for choosing the black, spotted, and speckled sheep.

No wonder Laban agreed to these terms. Instead of paying 7% or more, he got off easy with a 3% payment (or so he thought!).

Jacob went through Laban’s flock and gathered about 3%. Then he separated his flock from Laban’s by a three day journey. This served a couple of things. First, he wanted to keep his flock from increasing Laban’s flock. He wanted there to be no question about the white sheep born among the black, spotted, and speckled of his flock. If the two flocks were near each other Laban would argue that his “white” lamb wandered into Jacob’s flock. Or, worse yet, that Jacob was attempting to steal his flock. Secondly, Jacob knew something about the mating habits of sheep and goats. He helped Laban’s flock to give birth to more black, spotted and speckled offspring. The Scripture elaborates a bit more about this.

Then Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white which was in the rods. And he set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the gutters, even in the watering troughs, where the flocks came to drink; and they mated when they came to drink. So the flocks mated by the rods, and the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put his own herds apart, and did not put them with Laban's flock. Moreover, it came about whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, that Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the gutters, so that they might mate by the rods; but when the flock was feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban's and the stronger Jacob's. So the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks and female and male servants and camels and donkeys.

Genesis 30:37-43

Very few commentaries address this procedure used by Jacob. Most people do not understand what is happening here. Apparently, Jacob would take Laban’s flock for watering and prepare the area so that everywhere the mating sheep would see contrasting colors. He would then select the strongest rams to mate with the strongest ewes. Somehow, the contrasting colors supported the sheep producing more black, spotted, and speckled sheep and goats. How that happened I am not sure, but the Scripture records the activity. The results were spectacular. Laban’s flock produced more for Jacob’s flock while Jacob’s separate flock continued to prosper normally. At the conclusion of the six years, Jacob was exceedingly prosperous.

Let’s stop and examine a couple things before we go further. First, Jacob’s flock are all of the black, spotted, and speckled sheep of Laban. In fact, they are Laban’s rejects. They are the ones Laban really doesn’t want; he wants the “white” ones, like his namesake. You know the metaphor about “black sheep:” black sheep are the “bad” ones, the trouble-makers, the rejects. They are not really “good” enough to be in Laban’s flock. Casting off black sheep and getting rid of them is really the “best” thing to do. Let’s go a bit further. Have you ever met someone who described themselves as the black sheep of their family or organization? I have met them before and have found them to be people of substance. They are successful despite the opposition. In a way, they are actually better (having more substance) than the others.

Now here is the amazing part about Jacob’s flock (and it’s not about being black, spotted or speckled). Jacob’s flock is the LORD’s flock. Let me prove that to you from the Scriptures.

Jacob was in the land with his sons, who were tending the flock. Jacob wanted to know that his sons and the flock were well so he dispatched Joseph to see about them.

Then his brothers went to pasture their father's flock in Shechem.

Genesis 37:12

This is a very special part of Scripture. In our English Bibles we don’t see it, but in the Hebrew text something stands out for the reader. First, the Hebrew text doesn’t say “their father's flock.” It says, “ET flock.” The word “ET” is spelled with the first and last letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. It is actually “Aleph - Tav.” As you already know, Yeshua said He was the first and last (but not in the Greek alphabet). Still further, this is one of the places where the “jots and tittles” in Scripture are found. There are two dots placed above the Aleph Tav in the Hebrew text by the scribes. The owner of the flock is not Jacob; it is the aleph tav, that would be Yeshua the Messiah. Doesn’t the Messiah refer to Himself as a Shepherd and those who listen to Him as His sheep?

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;

John 10:27

The LORD’s flock doesn’t meet the standards of the world. That is to say, the LORD’s flock tends to be the lowly people of the world. We are not known for how smart we are or how beautiful we are. Paul stated the same point this way.

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God.

I Corinthians 1:26-29

Therefore, we have the characteristics of Jacob’s flock being “black, spotted, and speckled.” Still further, Jacob’s flock was chosen by Jacob; he chose to have the black, spotted, and speckled flock. In like manner, God has chosen us (rejected by the world, but chosen by God). One of the most humbling and yet powerful elements of maturing in the faith is to realize who we really are and recognize God chose us to be in His family (flock). Jacob chose his flock; the LORD chooses His flock as well. We are part of God’s flock by God’s gracious choice.

One of the reasons that there is so much conflict in the Messianic movement is because we get caught up in the outward appearance of the flock. Too many of our brethren think we should be “white”–or just like them, or they actually advocate that we all should be all black or spotted in a certain way or not speckled in this way or that way. If you examine the offspring of Jacob, you will find a group of misfits with multiple character flaws. Reuben lacked courage to do the right thing even though he was the oldest. Simeon and Levi were ready to fight and shed blood at the slightest provocation. Judah was mercenary, selling Joseph. The other brothers were known for their misbehavior. Even Joseph was a little impertinent and haughty. However, these are the very men with whom God established the tribes and the nation dedicated to Him. It is obvious that we are offspring of those people simply based on our behavior, we behave the same way. The Messianic movement reflects these same characteristics. We are Jacob’s flock. However, we have nothing to be personally proud of. Instead, we should be humble and recognize that we are here because of God’s gracious choice. When we fail to see that, we behave like the sons of Jacob.

This brings me to the point of this article–the gathering of Jacob’s flock. We are Jacob’s flock, which are being gathered in this generation called the Messianic movement. Despite our struggles and insecurities God is doing a wonderful thing in our days. The prophets of Israel have long spoken of a time at the end of the ages when the Messiah Himself will gather the scattered exiles of Israel and return them to His land. Jacob’s flock was first gathered outside the land and brought to the promised land. The pattern of gathering his flock is the same one for us today.

Just as Jacob did, we Messianics gather away from the other brethren. We keep Sabbath; they keep another day. We eat from a different pasture by keeping kosher. We come out of the other flocks and avoid the accusation of being stolen from others. We highlight and emphasize the contrasts of our faith whether it be Judaism (the difference between Moses and the Rabbis) or Christianity (the difference between Yeshua and the church fathers). The result is a flock of brethren who are spiritually energized and excited about the LORD (spiritually prosperous).

But let’s examine more closely what the prophets have said about the gathering of Jacob’s flock, particularly in the last days. Let’s begin with Moses.

Then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back.

Deuteronomy 30:3-4

Moses is speaking at the conclusion of the Torah of Israel’s future at the end of the ages. Moses knew that his brethren would misbehave and be scattered to the nations. But there was a day coming when God would declare the exile to be over and collect all of Israel back to Himself and to the land.

The psalmist assumes the position of one of the exiles and cries out for God, reflecting what Moses was speaking about:

Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to Thy holy name, and glory in Thy praise.

Psalms 106:47

Micah, the prophet to the House of Israel, is the first to equate Jacob’s flock to the gathering of Israel from the nations.

I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together like sheep in the fold; Like a flock in the midst of its pasture They will be noisy with men.

Micah 2:12

Remembering the nature of Jacob’s flock as the rejects of others, Micah explains further.

“In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will assemble the lame, and gather the outcasts, even those whom I have afflicted.”

Micah 4:6

Zephaniah the prophet speaks in the same manner as Micah but emphasizes how God restores us and does good to us.

“Behold, I am going to deal at that time with all your oppressors, I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will turn their shame into praise and renown In all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, even at the time when I gather you together; indeed, I will give you renown and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the LORD.

Zepheniah 3:19-20

The prophet Isaiah was a contemporary of Micah but he ministered to the House of Judah. He spoke the same prophecy this way.

And He will lift up a standard for the nations, and will assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Isaiah 11:12

Isaiah also draws from Micah’s reference to the gathering being a flock.

Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs, and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

Isaiah 40:11

The final chapters of Isaiah speak of God’s compassion and redemption. Many of the quotes in the New Testament come from these chapters. The Messiah’s compassion toward us is the motivation for God to “gather” us.

For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you.

Isaiah 54:7

Before we go any further, let me make one point very clear. The gathering of Israel at the end of the ages is not an exclusive scenario; it is not just for Israel and not the Gentile believers. Isaiah makes this statement very clear.

The LORD God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, “Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.”

Isaiah 56:8

I don’t want to belabor the point of God’s gathering of His flock but the prophet Jeremiah says more about it than any other prophet. Here is one example that stands above all others:

“Then I Myself shall gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and shall bring them back to their pasture; and they will be fruitful and multiply. I shall also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD. “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’ Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, "When they will no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will live on their own soil.”

Jeremiah 23:3-8

Jeremiah’s prophecy puts the Messiah in the role of being the Shepherd who gathers the flock. He also makes a strong comparison to Israel coming out of Egypt at the exodus. But he says that the word “exodus” will no longer refer to Egypt and the children of Israel because it will be overshadowed by a “greater” exodus.

Jeremiah also tells us the theme of gathering the flock while adding the Biblical theme of “restoration.”

“And I will be found by you,” declares the LORD. “And I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,” declares the LORD, “And I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.”

Jeremiah 29:14

Behold, I am bringing them from the north country, And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; a great company, they shall return here.

Jeremiah 31:8

In recent years I have heard this last verse quoted extensively as part of a fund-raising campaign to bring Russian Jews back to the land, but it is more than Russia that the prophet was referring to.

“Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare in the coastlands afar off, and say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.”

Jeremiah 31:10

The Biblical word “coastlands” is used to represent any large city of people. In ancient times large cities were located on the coasts or near large rivers.

The prophet Ezekiel served while exiled to Babylon. He desired to return to the land himself, but he also saw the reason why God permitted such things to occur to Israel. Just as in Egypt, God wanted all mankind to “know” Him. Thus Ezekiel echos God’s purpose in our being gathered from the nations and returning to the land.

And I shall bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; … As a soothing aroma I shall accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered; and I shall prove Myself holy among you in the sight of the nations.

Ezekiel 20:34,41

Thus says the LORD God, “When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and shall manifest My holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob.”

Ezekiel 28:25

“And say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God, Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land;’” When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of the many nations.

Ezekiel 37:21, 39:27

In our own day, many people have made individual decisions to emigrate to the land of Israel. For the most part they are laying claim to their Jewish heritage and returning under the Law of Return. The modern state of Israel has become home for many of the dispersed of Judah. However, not all of Judah has returned and the House of Israel (Ephraim) has not returned as prophesied by Ezekiel. There is still a day to come when all of Israel will return and be one in the hand of the LORD.

As you may know, there is controversy concerning the definition of Israel whether it has one house or two houses. In the past, other groups have laid claim to being the House of Ephraim. British-Israelism is one such group and the Mormons are another. Many Messianic Jewish leaders have taken great issue with the teaching of two houses of Israel. The prophecies of the Messiah gathering all of Israel from the nations falls into the area of eschatology (the study of last things). It is clearly a future thing; it happens at the end of the ages when the exile of Israel is completed.

However, many Messianic Jewish leaders are confused and do not understand eschatology. They would like to believe that all of the tribes that wanted to return have already done so from the Babylonian return. Not only does this not line up with Scripture, the Messiah spoke of His other flock still yet to return while ministering with His disciples.

And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd.

John 10:16

The Messiah wants all of Israel to be one flock and He recognized that in this day it was still divided into two: the House of Judah and the House of Israel.

When justifying his effort to take the Gospel to the nations the Apostle Paul quoted from the prophets who promised that God would one day bring the House of Israel (separate from Judah) back as “the sons of the Living God.”

Yet the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and it will come about that, in the place where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” It will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.” And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint for themselves one leader, And they will go up from the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.

Hosea 1:10-11

It is clear that the day of Jezreel is associated with the end of the age. Armageddon is “Har Meggido,” which is located in the valley of Jezreel. But even more so, confirming that the two houses of Israel have not been unified as one yet, consider Jeremiah’s most famous prophecy of the New Covenant.

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Jeremiah 31:31-33

The New Covenant was given to the two houses of Israel. The Messiah brought it to the Jews first; Paul knew that others would take it to the nations (the Gentiles). Why the Gentiles? Because that was where the scattered House of Israel was. As God gathers Israel, He also gathers all those who wish to follow the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thus, all families are blessed in Abraham’s seed and we are called Jacob’s flock which was gathered outside the land.

Despite the logic of the Scripture on this matter, many are opposed to the gathering of the two houses (the gathering of Israel). Not all shepherds are really helping the Messiah gather His flock. Some shepherds are scattering more than others can gather.

The antimessiah himself is also compared to a shepherd – a foolish shepherd who hurts the flock being gathered by the Messiah. First is the description of God gathering both the House of Judah and the House of Israel (Joseph and his son Ephraim).

And I shall strengthen the house of Judah, and I shall save the house of Joseph, and I shall bring them back, because I have had compassion on them; and they will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them. And Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their heart will be glad as if from wine; indeed, their children will see it and be glad, Their heart will rejoice in the LORD. I will whistle for them to gather them together, for I have redeemed them; and they will be as numerous as they were before. When I scatter them among the peoples, they will remember Me in far countries, and they with their children will live and come back.

Zechariah 10:6-9

While the Messiah gathers His flock – the restoration of the two houses and the return the land, the antimessiah assumes the role of a shepherd that harms the people. Zechariah speaks in the first person describing what the antimessiah will do.

So I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, hence the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Favor, and the other I called Union; so I pastured the flock. Then I annihilated the three shepherds in one month, for my soul was impatient with them, and their soul also was weary of me. Then I said, "I will not pasture you. What is to die, let it die, and what is to be annihilated, let it be annihilated; and let those who are left eat one another's flesh." And I took my staff, Favor, and cut it in pieces, to break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples. So it was broken on that day, and thus the afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the LORD. Then I cut my second staff, Union, in pieces, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Zechariah 11:7-11,14

Shepherds usually lead sheep with a staff. They lead the sheep to green pastures and clean water. The antimessiah will have two staffs and break them both. In the case of the first, he will not feed the flock; instead, he will starve it and force them to eat themselves. In the of case the second staff, he will attempt to stop what the Messiah is doing – bringing the two houses of Israel together as brothers.
Quite honestly, anyone opposed to the teaching of the two houses of Israel (the restoration of the kingdom) has joined forces with the antimessiah in his future campaign against the two houses of Israel. In the case of my Messianic Jewish brethren, they are also behaving in a manner consistent with the Messiah’s warning given in Revelation 2 and 3. There, seven messages are given to the believing churches at the end of the ages. In particular, a reference is given twice concerning the sons of Israel and antagonistic Jewish believers.

But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality.

Revelation 2:14

The teaching of Balaam was the effort to move the flock away from the teaching of Moses only, to mix other customs and traditions, to diminish the teaching of the Law. Today, the same Messianic Jews who are opposed to the two house teaching also are against the Torah being taught to all people. They claim it is their exclusive property. I could understand Judaism taking such a position, but it is beyond logic to me for a Messianic Jew to say such a thing. The story of Balaam is profound in our faith. Further, the Messiah is prophesied to one day teach the Torah to all peoples. All Jews know this and what it means:

And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways, and that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2

My Messianic Jewish brethren are actually putting stumbling blocks before the House of Israel when they prevent them the teaching of Torah or the hope of being restored to the land of Israel. What’s even more bizarre is their accusation of the two house teaching as being a kind of replacement theology. I agree that replacing Jews with the church is replacement theology. Therefore, replacing Ephraim with the church is just as much replacement theology. It is the latter point that is being done today by some leaders in the Messianic movement.

But maybe the most compelling of the Messiah’s warnings is found in these two references:

I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Revelation 2:9

Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie— behold, I will make them to come and bow down at your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

Revelation 3:9

The reference to the “synagogue of Satan” has to do with the activities of Satan before the throne of God – making accusations against the flock. Any Messianic Jew making accusations against other brethren as Satan does potentially incurs the same response as the LORD gives Satan. The Messiah’s statement is support of the brethren by making the accusers come and bow down before them comes from the prophet Isaiah, a reference to gathering the two houses.

Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and its Holy One, to the despised One, to the One abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers, “Kings shall see and arise, princes shall also bow down; because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You." And kings will be your guardians, and their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; and you will know that I am the LORD; Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame.

Isaiah 49:7,23

While these references are about the Messiah, they are also about those who are opposed to those who are part of the Messiah’s flock.

The reference to those “who say they are Jews, and are not” is noteworthy as well. Jewish identity is a major area of interest among Messianic Jewish leaders. They give favor to a natural born Jew and ignore the non-Jew in their assemblies. Oh sure, they will take their offerings and gifts but they make themselves racists and bigots. Here is the real telling part. If you examine their own natural background, they don’t even qualify as Jews by the normative Jewish community. Most Messianic Jewish Rabbis got their credentials from a weekend Messianic conference and self-proclaimed themselves. To ratify their high position, they treat non-Jews with disdain.

What does this have to do with the Messiah gathering His flock in these last days? Quite a bit actually. The prophet Ezekiel describes the shepherds that scatter the flock.

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, “Thus says the LORD God, ‘Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them.’”

Ezekiel 34:2-4

If you are in a Messianic congregation, or desiring to be a part of one, you are part of the gathering of Jacob’s flock. This is a work of the Messiah. But if you are in a congregation that teaches against the two house teaching, the restoration of all Israel, and there is opposition to teaching the Torah and the Prophets to all peoples, then you need to find other brethren to fellowship with. You are not in Jacob’s flock; you are in Laban’s old flock. Jacob’s flock goes to the kingdom; Laban’s flock gets eaten by Laban.

But here is the good news! The Messiah promises to deliver us from their mouths.

Thus says the LORD God, “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I shall demand My sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. So the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I shall deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.”

Ezekiel 34:10

As members of Jacob’s flock, you should not be concerned with how the world holds you in esteem. You have been chosen by the LORD to be part of His flock. Despite our present circumstances He has promised to gather us who are scattered in the nations. He hears our cry to be with Him. And for those who find themselves at odds with other brethren, the Master will sort out the sheep and goats, the gathering shepherd versus the scattering shepherd. It won’t be long; be encouraged.

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