Sleepy Shepherds and the Endangering of God’s Flock - Isaiah 56:9-12

One of the most serious crimes a soldier can commit during a time of war is falling asleep while on watch.  It’s not hard to understand why.  A soldier on watch through the night in a battle zone is responsible for protecting the lives of all those in his unit as they sleep.  It is one of the more miserable tasks a soldier performs, but an absolutely necessary one.  It is so serious that the Uniform Code of Military Justice states:

“Any sentinel or look-out who is found drunk or sleeping upon his post, or leaves it before he is regularly relieved, shall be punished, if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct, but if the offense is committed at any other time, by such punishment other than death as a court-martial may direct.” 1.  

If a look-out falls asleep or is drunk during his watch in a time of war, he may be put to death.  That’s how serious it is.  In the book, Voices From the Korean War, a man by the name of Bruce Lippert tells of an occasion when he was on watch and how he took his responsibility to protect his fellow soldiers quite seriously.  He says:

“One thing never changed--we were always dead tired.  If we weren’t on guard duty, we were repairing bunkers or doing some other . . . detail.  There were times when I think I would have given six months’ pay for one night in a soft, warm bed.  Once, when I was totally exhausted and afraid I would fall asleep on guard duty, I actually pulled the pin on a grenade and held it in my hand.  I don’t really recommend it, but I didn’t fall asleep.”  2

Staying awake while on guard duty is a matter of life and death.  And it isn’t just your life, but also the lives of those being guarded that are at stake.  In the spiritual realm, God has given guards to protect and defend His people from their enemies.  In the Bible they aren’t usually spoken of in military terms as guards for soldiers, but rather as shepherds for sheep.  Shepherds are given by God to the church with the responsibility for the protection of His people from their enemies perpetually.  The Church is always at war.

Turn with me again to Isaiah 56 and let’s read verses 9 through 12 together. 

[9] All you beasts of the field, come to devour—all you beasts in the forest.

  [10] His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs;

they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

  [11] The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough.

But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.

  [12] “Come,” they say, “let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink;

and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure.”  (Isaiah 56:9-12 ESV)

This passage speaks to the spiritual condition of the leaders of Judah during Isaiah’s day.  The people are likened to sheep and their leaders are described as lazy, sleeping, guard dogs that never stop eating.  They are likened to drunken shepherds who are concerned only for themselves.  Consequently, this passage begins with a statement to the Babylonians: All you beasts of the field, come to devour.  The watchdogs are sleeping, the shepherds are drunk, the sheep are tasty.  Come and feast.

This is a graphic illustration of what will soon happen to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  Those who are supposed to watch out for the spiritual welfare of the people are asleep at their posts.  They are the drunken shepherds of God’s flock, while their enemies, like ravenous wolves, prepare for war.  But this is not just about the coming destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans.  It is about irresponsibility on the part of pastors and other church leaders in the face of grave spiritual dangers for the Body of Christ.  All of this speaks to the weighty responsibility of overseeing and protecting the people of God. 

From an Old Testament perspective, Ezekiel 34 drives the point home even more clearly.  The prophet Ezekiel writes from Babylon during his captivity.  In chapter 3 (v17), the Lord speaks to him and says, Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel.  When we read chapter 34, it is easy to understand why that was necessary:

[34:1] The word of the LORD came to me: [2] “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? [3] You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. [4] The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. [5] So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. [6] My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. 

[7] “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: [8] As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, [9] therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: [10] Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.  (Ezekiel 34:1-10 ESV)

Of course, all of this is not about shepherds and sheep, but about the leaders of Israel and the people they are supposed to care for.  It is a serious matter when those who have been given the responsibility to care for God’s people fail to do so for the sake of pursuing their own gain at the expense of the people they are supposed to be serving.  God is angry toward those shepherds who feed themselves while their flocks starve, wandering about, left vulnerable to those who would destroy them.  They are neglected by the shepherds, the wild beasts come, and they are devoured.  

We see the same thing happening very often in the church today.  The primary duty of the shepherds of God’s people is routinely neglected: Believers are not fed the Word of God, and they are scattered everywhere.  Several of you have told me how difficult it was for you to find a church in this area where the Scriptures are regularly taught and explained.  That should grieve our hearts for our brethren in this town.

If you recall, last week we looked at Acts 8 about the Ethiopian eunuch reading from Isaiah 53.  Do you remember how Philip approached him and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”  And the eunuch’s response was, “How can I, unless someone guides me.”  And then Philip said to him, “Well, it’s little wonder you can’t understand what you’re reading!  You’re using the King James Version!  And you’re reading the Old Testament!  That is so archaic and, well, irrelevant!  Here, take this copy of Good News for Post-Modern Persons in Tomorrow’s English.  And here’s a couple of CDs on the Second Coming and a copy of The Purpose-Driven Life.  Spend 40 days reading that and listening to those and you should be all set.  If you have any more questions, just tweet me.”

No, not exactly.  Philip did what he and all shepherds of God’s flock are supposed to do.  When the eunuch said, “How can I understand this unless someone guides me?’, Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. (Acts 8:35 ESV).  Philip taught him what the Bible says.  More specifically, he taught him what the Old Testament says about Jesus.  That is how God’s shepherds are supposed to feed His sheep.

But that’s hard to find these days.  In many places the regular, systematic, verse-by-verse teaching and preaching of the word of God has been replaced by story-telling and anecdotal parables about morality and fantastic tales of supernatural experiences.  Today, you can get special speakers to step into the pulpit and talk about their trips to Heaven and back, or to Hell and back.  There’s probably someone who has been to Purgatory and back.  And no doubt there’s someone out there that has made a trip to both Heaven and Hell and back.  

Unhelpful at best and heretical at worst, unbiblical, doctrinally bereft, so-called Christian books are written and published by the ton for consumption by the Evangelical Christian community.  And it is done with the specific purpose of eventually selling sequels, study guides, videos, seminars, booklets, movies, online courses, T-shirts, jewelry, and trinkets.  The church in America has become a gigantic source of revenue for unscrupulous preachers and book publishers and “Jesus junk” dealers.  Sleepy shepherds have allowed the church to be transformed into a marketplace instead of guarding the flock from error so that we might be what we’re supposed to be: the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth (1Timothy 3:15 ESV).

The men responsible for watching over God’s people in Judah for their protection were described as lazy, sleepy, perpetually hungry dogs that can’t bark.  What good is a watchdog that can’t bark?  It’s not much different than a soldier who can’t keep his eyes open during guard duty.  Isaiah also likens them to shepherds that feed off of the sheep rather than feeding the sheep.  What good is a shepherd that eats the sheep but doesn’t feed the sheep?  He scatters the flock instead of gathering it.  Much of what we see presented today as Christian preaching and teaching is not food for the flock, but poison. 

I believe most of you are generally aware of these things.  When we look at the big picture called Evangelicalism, it is easy to see we’ve had nominal Christian leaders teaching nominal Christianity for decades, which has produced nominal Christians and a nominal Christian culture.3  We’ve created the spiritual equivalent of political “RINOs”.  Instead of Republicans In Name Only we have Christians In Name Only.  I’ve talked about this for nearly 20 years, so for most of you, I’m saying nothing you haven’t heard before.  Eventually, when I go on these tirades, I just stop preaching altogether and start griping.  I don’t want to do that to you.  Again.

So let’s read what the Scriptures say in regard to the cure for this affliction of sleepy watchdogs that don’t bark, drunken shepherds that don’t shepherd, and lazy watchmen that are asleep at the wheel.  The New Testament speaks very clearly about this in 1Peter 5.  There, Peter is speaking to groups of Jewish believers scattered everywhere because of persecution from unbelieving Jews.  He encourages them in their suffering and then says this:

[5:1] So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: [2] shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; [3] not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. [4] And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. [5] Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 

[6] Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, [7] casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 

[8] Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. [9] Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. [10] And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. [11] To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.  (1 Peter 5:1-11 ESV)

There’s not a whole lot you or I can do about TV preachers who steal people’s money, or about publishers that print stuff and call it Christian simply because it will sell.  But we can do something about ourselves and our own church family.  In this text, the entire church body is addressed.  But the Elders of the church are singled out.  Peter addresses them directly.  He tells them to conduct themselves as shepherds over the congregation the Lord has made them a part of.  

Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

First of all, the word shepherd is a verb.  The work of elders is shepherding.  Providing oversight.  Watching.  Feeding.  Protecting, like a shepherd does for his sheep.  

Secondly, the local church is God’s flock.  Elders who serve as shepherds in the church don’t own the sheep.  The people don’t belong to the elders or the pastor or the leaders of the church.  The church is God’s possession, the sheep are His flock.  

Thirdly, Peter exhorts elders to shepherd God’s flock that is among you.  The sheep that the shepherd/elders lead are those that are among them, not people somewhere else down the road in the next town or the next county.  They oversee those among whom they live and dwell together.  That is not to say that we have no responsibility toward believers outside our congregation.  But it is to say that an Elder’s primary responsibility is the flock God has made him a part of.

Fourthly, Peter commands the Elders to watch over God’s flock, not in a domineering, authoritarian fashion, but out of concern for their good, and as examples of godly living to them.  The Pastor/Elder/Shepherd is not the boss of the sheep.  Nor is he a cattle driver.  He’s not a cowboy, he’s a shepherd that leads and feeds and protects.

Fifthly, the Pastor/Elder/Shepherd is to do his work of shepherding eagerly, gladly, willingly, and not for shameful gain.  If all the pastors and church leaders who worked among the people of God solely because the church is their source of income and a means of funding their retirement; if all those men and women were to suddenly disappear, . . . Well, that would be a very good thing.  Then you would find out who really loves God’s flock.  It would be those who understand there is a chief Shepherd to whom they must give an account for how they have fed His sheep.

Verse 8 seems to have been written by Peter with Isaiah 56 in mind: Be sober-minded, not drunk.  Be watchful, not asleep.  There is an enemy who prowls like a wild beast, like a roaring lion, coming to devour.  But you notice Peter is saying this watchfulness isn’t only the responsibility of the shepherds in the church.  It is the responsibility of all.  All believers must be on guard against their adversaries.  

In the days of Judah’s captivity, there were no shepherds for the people.  Imagine having no one to teach you, no one to turn to for spiritual help, no one to speak for God or explain His word.  No one to give wise advice or counsel according to the word of God.  The prophet Amos put it this way: 

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”  (Amos 8:11 ESV)

We’re not there yet.  As a nation, we still have many faithful shepherds of God’s flocks.  But, there is a wondrous day that still lies ahead for the people of God.  The Lord Jesus is our Chief Shepherd.  I just want to read to you what He said about this in John 10, and it is very ironic that He is speaking to those who claimed to be shepherds of the people of Israel: the Pharisees.

[10:1] “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. [2] But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. [5] A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” [6] This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 

[7] So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. [8] All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. [9] I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. [10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. [11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. [13] He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. [14] I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

[16] And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. [17] For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. [18] No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” 

[19] There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. [20] Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” [21] Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 

[22] At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, [23] and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. [24] So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” [25] Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. [27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”  (John 10:1-30 ESV)

Do you think the Pharisees knew about the shepherds in Isaiah 56 or Ezekiel 34?  Or Jeremiah 25?

[34] “Wail, you shepherds, and cry out, and roll in ashes, you lords of the flock,

for the days of your slaughter and dispersion have come, and you shall fall like a choice vessel.

  [35] No refuge will remain for the shepherds, nor escape for the lords of the flock.

  [36] A voice—the cry of the shepherds, and the wail of the lords of the flock!

For the LORD is laying waste their pasture, [37] and the peaceful folds are devastated

because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”  (Jeremiah 25:34-37 ESV)

Jesus said he was THE good Shepherd.  And by implication, He was calling the Pharisees worthless shepherds, shepherds who didn’t care about God’s sheep.  They were like soldiers who don’t care for their fellow men during times of war.  Death is their just punishment.  Marine Private 1^st Class Bruce Lippert took his responsibility to stand guard over his comrades so seriously that he risked killing himself in order to stay awake and protect them.  He would rather have died than fall sleep at his post and put his and his friends’ lives in jeopardy.

In the Lord Jesus, we have a Shepherd who loves His sheep.  He never sleeps nor slumbers.  He never leaves or forsakes them.  He has laid down His life for His sheep.  Let’s pray for God to raise up more godly shepherds who will love and care for God’s flock and feed them with the Word of God until our Chief Shepherd, our good Shepherd, comes to take us all to His heavenly fold.

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