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| Q45: 52. The Divine Shepherd Show the Desire of Ages is inspired.. (1) I am the Good Shepherd "I am the Good Shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." "I am the Good Shepherd,and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father:and I lay down My life for the sheep." Again Jesus found access to the minds of His hearers by the pathway of their familiar associations. Hehad likened the Spirit's influence to the cool, refreshing water. He had represented Himself as the light,the source of life and gladness to nature and to man. Now in a beautiful pastoral picture He representsHis relation to those that believe on Him. No picture was more familiar to His hearers than this, andChrist's words linked it forever with Himself. Never could the disciples look on the shepherds tendingtheir flocks without recalling the Saviour's lesson. They would see Christ in each faithful shepherd.They would see themselves in each helpless and dependent flock. Page 477 I shall not want." Ps. 23:1. And the Holy Spirit through Ezekiel had declared: "I will set up oneShepherd over them, and He shall feed them." "I will seek that which was lost, and bring again thatwhich was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which wassick." "And I will make with them a covenant of peace." "And they shall no more be a prey to theheathen; . . . but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid." Ezek. 34:23, 16, 25, 28. How amazing the SOP to find good verses among this condemnation of Ezekiel against the terrible Pastors of today's churches. Tithe food and money was used to feed the Shepherds in the temple of the Lord. Some pious pastors have challenged the humble sheep, can we redirect the Lord's tithe from his treasure? The answer to this question is found here: Eze 34:9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; The Lord Adonay Jesus is speaking here when He was shake out the terrible Pastors from His churches, and stop the flock from feeding such Pastors. Than Jesus will find more sheep in other folds and bring them to Him. But notice the SOP continues with another poetry picture of Jesus:- Before doing this, however, He speaks of Himself under another figure. He said, "He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the sameis a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.""He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep." Christ is both the door and the shepherd.He enters in by Himself.Of all creatures the sheep is one of the most timid and helpless, and in the East the shepherd's care forhis flock is untiring and incessant. Page 479 Anciently as now there was little security outside of the walled towns. Marauders from the rovingborder tribes, or beasts of prey from their hiding places in the rocks, lay in wait to plunder the flocks.However large the flock, the shepherd knows everysheep. Every one has its name, and responds to the name at the shepherd's call. As an earthly shepherd knows his sheep, so does the divine Shepherd know His flock that are scatteredthroughout the world. "Ye My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith theLord God." Jesus says, "I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine." "I have graven thee upon thepalms of My hands." Ezek. 34:31; Isa. 43:1; 49:16 Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows us all byname. He knows the very house in which we live, the name of each occupant. He has at times givendirections to His servants to go to a certain street in a certain city, to such a house, to find one of Hissheep. Page 480 "He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. . . . And the sheep follow Him: for theyknow His voice." The Eastern shepherd does not drive his sheep. He depends not upon force or fear;but going before, he calls them. They know his voice, and obey the call. So does the Saviour-Shepherdwith His sheep. The Scripture says, "Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses andAaron." Through the prophet, Jesus declares, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore withloving-kindness have I drawn thee." He compels none to follow Him. "I drew them," He says, "withcords of a man, with bands of love." Ps. 77:20; Jer. 31:3; Hosea 11:4. The passage of Jerimiah 31 the SOP declares to be Jesus-YHWH, the one who maleness loves us with everlasting femaleness-love.This is a special saying for maleness-love on it's own is incomplete, but when received with fellowship love or femaleness-love, we have relationship.And relationship is what Jesus died to bring again to His sheep. Jesus is our shepherd. In Him we do not lack. We do not want. It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ tofollow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth,from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subduesthe soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him. Seeing Jesus allows us to be subued by Him. Job 42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Hearing Jesus, is the same as seeing Jesus. Ro 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) Ac 10:19 � While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Ac 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. We hear Jesus via the Holy Spirit. Thus we see Jesus, via the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Prophecy says the same thing:- Through all our trials we have a never-failing Helper. He does not leave us alone to struggle withtemptation, to battle with evil, and be finally crushed with burdens and sorrow. Though now He ishidden from mortal sight, the ear of faith can hear His voice saying, Fear not; I am with you. "I am Hethat liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore." Rev. 1:18. Who speaks to us via the Holy Spirit in our conscience ? Jesus does via our ear of faith. (2) I am the Everlasting Father However much a shepherd may love his sheep, he loves his sons and daughters more. Jesus is not onlyour shepherd; He is our "everlasting Father." And He says, "I know Mine own, and Mine own knowMe, even as the Father knoweth Me, and I know the Father." John 10:14, 15, R. V. What a statement isthis!--the only-begotten Son, He who is in the bosom of the Father, He whom God has declared to be"the Man that is My fellow" (Zech. 13:7),--the communion between Him and the eternal God is takento represent the communion between Christ and His children on the earth! This has to be as one of function, "the strong one in the family home of heaven" not as Person "The Father". "the Man that is My fellow" (Zech. 13:7),..Notice how the SOP makes Jesus a warrior that is a companion to His Father. How else is Jesus our Father? Biologically Jesus created Adam, thus Jesus is the Father of Adam. To redeem Adam and his family kind of redeemed, Jesus added mankind's DNA to Himself, thus Jesus is the Father of the redeemed.Jesus is the strong one for us, in the heavenly family home. Praise our everlasting strong one in heaven for this! (3) O reader, you are loved... Because we are the gift of His Father, and the reward of His work, Jesus loves us. He loves us as Hischildren. Reader, He loves you. Heaven itself can bestow nothing greater, nothing better. Thereforetrust. What a precious promise. Shalom (4) Defining Eternal death "I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. Ihave power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." While as a member of the human familyHe was mortal, as God He was the fountain of life for the world. He could have withstood the advancesof death, and refused to come under its dominion; but voluntarily He laid down His life, that He mightbring life and immortality to light. He bore the sin of the world, endured its curse, yielded up His life asa sacrifice, that men might not eternally die. Muslims have asked how can Jesus be GOD, when GOD cannot die? We have to ask what is death? If we define "Death" as a "broken relationship", the "first death" is where "Relationship no longer continues with you for a time" and the "Second death" is where relationship is permanently removed from you, and thus everything, including atoms you were composed of cease to exist. When Jesus, the Son of GOD and the Son of MAN, died, did not the Father and the Holy Spirit, leave Him (Psalm 22:1) ? thus we have a broken relationship for three days and three nights? Sin by definition is also a "broken relationship", and for "wicked persons" is defined as "the transgression of law". But for those who seek salvation, "sin" is a "missing relationship" where the "sinner" wishes to "Walk in relationship for eternity with GOD", who by definition is "relationship Elohiym". We are made from dust which is composed of matter and the power of GOD, thus relationship causes matter to exist. Thus at this level of existence, matter is observed by the physical relationship of Elohiym. Character becomes fully alive when GOD breathed into special arrangements of dust the force of GOD, thus a living character(nephesh) exists also by relationship. Thus at this level of existence, "nephesh" is observed by the spirtual relationship of Elohiym, in other words the Holy Spi rit in a personal form lives in humans to record the character relationship development we choose to enjoy with GOD. Some verses to prove these things so far: Ge 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, ..a physical formation... and breathed into his nostrils the breath (nashamah) of life; ..a physical relationship (the life force for breathing in and out)... and man became a living soul (nephesh). So far the "living energy" is "Alive" by the physical life force of Elohiym. Ge 7:22 All in whose nostrils was the breath (n@shamah ruwach) of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. ..a spiritual relationship (the personal presence of the Holy Spirit for breathing in and out)... Notice both Hebrew words "(nashamah ruwach)" are in this phrase "breath", so all living things have a "physical and spiritual" relationship with Elohiym. Ec 3:21 Who knoweth the spirit "ruwach" of man that goeth upward, and the spirit "ruwach" of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? This verse tells us as a suggestion, that the Holy Spirit only records the character (spirit) in man, other living things do not have characters recorded because they cannot choose GOD as a personal Being. The Holy Spirit is an Agency for the administration of these two gifts to mankind, our physical gift of life, and our spiritual gift of ongoing living (salvation). Job 33:4 The Spirit (ruwach) of God hath made me, and the breath (nashamah) of the Almighty (Shadday) hath given me life (chayah) "ongoing living of salvation". Notice the Holy Spirit (ruwach) is an adminstrator of the "physical relationship" , the gift of life, where the "life force" exists in "living things". The Shadday (the Personal form of the Holy Spirit) is an adminstrator of the "character development" or the "spiritual relationship", where "Salvation" or "ongoing living" can be gifted to those who seek relationship restored in Jesus. Now lets look what happens if we reverse these gifts and see how "death" works. Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself "Greek emautou". I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. The Greek word "emautou" means "like", not "myself" and was the Hebrew word "k@mow" as in Lev 19:18. So this translation might read like this: Joh 10:18 Nothing taketh "my nephesh" from me, but I lay "nephesh" down "like" "before". I have power to lay "nephesh" down, and I have power to take "nephesh" up again. This commandment have I received of my Father. Where does Jesus "nephesh" come from ? A relationship to His Father, the same way all other humans have with their "nephesh". To lay down "nephesh" and take it up again, has to do with the "Relationship presence of GOD". The SOP quotes While as a member of the human familyHe was mortal, so far we have discussed this simple sentence of the SOP. The SOP continues He could have withstood the advances of death, and refused to come under its dominion; but voluntarily He laid down His life,...so Jesus lay down his "spiritual relationship with elohiym" and thus "died".Death is defined as the separation of Elohiym. Ps 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? "El" "El" refers to the two Strong Authorities, who left their Son alone. Ps 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul (nehpesh) in hell (shaowl); neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. But Jesus did not experience corruption, so the "physical relationship continued". When humans die, we experience a "spiritual separation" and our character developments stops immediately that very day. Ps 146:4 His breath (ruwach) goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.(KJV) Many are confused by an "immortal spirit" that lives inside of us, and it's true, there is an "immortal Being" : the "ruwach" refers to the Holy Spirit, nothing to do with you at all, and the Divine Relationship all humans once had is broken completely away, the Holy Spirit's power returns back to Elohiym. Ec 8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit (ruwach) "the character administrated by the Holy Spirit" to retain the spirit (ruwach) "the Holy Spirit"; neither hath he power in the day of death (maveth) "first death, a sleep": But our physical relationship remains for months, our fingernails continue to grow, our hair grows for a while, while most of our body rapidly decays upon the "spiritual separation of GOD"... Yes, but our "death" here is the "first death" and called in the writings "a sleep". The "Second death" is different and we experience both a "spiritual separation" and a "physical separation" of GOD. So during the final stages of true dying, we will cease to exist. Zec 14:12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. This experience comes to all who come to fight Zion, during the third coming of Jesus to earth (Zechariah 14:4) where Jesus' feet touches the earth, to open up a plain for the heavenly Zion to descend. The wicked are treated with a plague, not "Death" for "Death" is not an object, but the result of relationship, and so when the final relationship of GOD with the wicked breaks away, even the flesh and eye sockets fall to the ground into a state of nonexistence. When Jesus lay down his human "nephesh", He allowed the "spiritual separation" of GOD for three days and three nights. The Father and the Holy Spirit left Him. Ps 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Both "el" Strong Authorities, left Jesus, and thus He experienced the second death. But you say why didn't His body fall into corruption? For ordinary humans this should have occured in the second death, but Jesus was not just human, He was also elohiym. This is why His body did not decay. This shows Jesus was also God. The SOP says this so quickly: as God He was the fountain of life for the world. It is important Jesus contains within His Humanity, also His divinity, because a "Sacrifice" of "nephesh for nephesh" implies one must exchange "eternal separation" for "eternal relationship". If Jesus was mere human only, His "nephesh" could be given for sinners for sin, but where would "ongoing living" come from? If as some claim, the life of the soul comes from the Father-YHWH than why would a sinless human have to die, when salvation is just the grace of our Father, who can forgive us...so why have a "sinless human Son" die? Such a question cannot be answered if we only consider Jesus as a sinless human, and nothing more. But the question is answered if Jesus is both human and divine. For more on why Jesus died, see the SOP and comments by the Author on a very special verse in the Holy Writings about life for life (Ex 21:23 ). The next chapter of Desire of Ages..we look at "The Last Journey From Galilee" |
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