Shepherding

From: CareLines: Volume 2

By: Paul J. Pascoe

• 1 min. read • grade level: 4

GEN 37:2²These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. (Genesis 37:2) 1SA 17:14-15¹⁴And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. ¹⁵But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. (1 Samuel 17:14‑15)

Joseph [seventeen] . . . feeding the flock. Gen. 37:2²These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. (Genesis 37:2)

David [the youngest] went. . . to feed his father’s sheep.

1 Sam. 17:14, 15¹⁴And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. ¹⁵But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. (1 Samuel 17:14‑15)

Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law (Ex. 3:1¹Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. (Exodus 3:1)).EXO 3:1¹Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. (Exodus 3:1)

Take heed . . . to all the flock (Acts 20:28²⁸Take 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)).ACT 20:28²⁸Take 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)

Feed the flock of God (1 Peter 5:2²Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (1 Peter 5:2)).1PE 5:2²Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (1 Peter 5:2)

The great men of the Old Testament began their “careers” as shepherds. The Lord, in John’s gospel, commissioned Peter to shepherd the lambs and the sheep. Paul tells the elders of Ephesus to take heed to the flock. Peter exhorts the “elders” to feed the flock of God. What does all this mean? Shepherding is a great work. It’s probably always done behind the scenes but it’s VERY important.

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