Day: July 13, 2024

Saturday, July 13, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

Referring to the context of today’s Scripture, let us see the pitiful end of Ahab, King of Israel: “[33] And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. [34] And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.” You can also read 1 Kings 22:34-40. Despite all the precautions he took to avoid the terrible fate God’s prophet foretold about him, the gaps in Ahab’s armor proved to be his downfall in the day of the war. Flying arrows marked the violent end to the 22-year reign of a sinful, idolatrous, diabolical monarch. With Ahab’s demise, Israel (northern 10 tribes) was now without a shepherd or leader (see today’s Scripture).

Interestingly, some centuries prior, Moses had feared Israel (all 12 tribes) was facing a similar fate once the LORD notified him that he, because of his sin, was not being allowed to lead the nation into the Promised Land. Numbers chapter 27: “[15] And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, [16] Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, [17] Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd. [18] And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;….”

We can pick out other biblical references to this “no shepherd for Israel” theme….






































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