But he
who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper
opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and
leads them out. John 10:2-3
In Bible times sheep were kept in a four walled enclosure at night for safety. The enclosures didn’t have a gate as we know it. The shepherd was the gate. He slept at the mouth of the enclosure that ensured any predators, human or animal, had to go through him. The only ones allowed into the pen were by his permission and always under his supervision. All others were the same as a thief and a robber. A good shepherd would lay down his life to protect his flock (John 10:11).
Shepherds
will allow their flocks to mingle during the nighttime for safety and oversite.
In the morning separating his flock is easy. He will simply call his sheep and only
his sheep will recognize his voice and follow him. And as the Good Shepherd
speaks, we, as the sheep of His hand hear. We recognize and trust the voice of
our Good Shepherd and follow Him with assurance.
Jesus was
giving a beautiful picture of what it means to be in the care of the Good Shepherd.
Unlike an evil and malicious enemy who wants to slaughter us for lambchops, our
Good Shepherd will never meet us at the gate with a butcher knife. His love for
us has been eternal in the past, right now in our present, and in all our
future.
He is the
gate, and nothing gets by Him. When He speaks, we recognize His voice and willingly
follow Him to still waters and green pastures. David the shepherd wrote that
the Lord restores the soul and causes our cups to overflow with joy and trust.
As the sheep
of His hand, we know His voice. His goodness and mercy will surely follow us
all the days of our lives with the promise that we will dwell in His House
forever. How good is our Good Shepherd, our Gate and our Great God!
Ken
