
I’ve been thinking about the relationship between me and my doggies in regard to what we are learning in our weekly Bible study at our home in John 10 about God’s picture/illustration about Him being the wonderful Shepherd and we being His needy/faithful sheep. Our teacher, Ed Miller, pointed out that in the Occidental/western society the shepherd has a much closer relationship with his sheep than those in our eastern society…
“Sometimes the shepherds were with the sheep for many months, and never saw a human being. They just lived with the sheep; they got to know the sheep. In our society I think we’d say, “That relationship could be between a person and an animal, maybe a boy and his dog, or even an adult and their dog, or some people are cat lovers. It doesn’t matter what the pet is. It could be a parrot or a spider monkey or a gerbil or whatever you like as a pet, a rabbit, a squirrel; I don’t know. But sheep not so much in our western society.”
It got me thinking about my relationship with dogs, and how all my life there’s been a such special bond between them and me. Presently I have my two precious Basset Hounds, Pumpkin and Eddie, who have captured my heart, and it seems like I’ve captured theirs. Dogs tend to be so loyal to their masters (like we’re shepherds), and follow our voices…
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a 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. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:1-6)
In our study it was pointed out that even if you blindfolded an occidental shepherd, he would be able to identify each of his sheep by their cry and by their smell, and he knew each one by name. I began to think about my relationship with Pumpkin and Eddie, and how unique each one of my doggies are, and how I know them so well that I can recognize them according to how each barks/howls/whines, understanding what it is they seem to be “saying”, recognize what each feels like when I pet them, and recognize how each sounds against the floor when they walk and run, even if I were blindfolded.
The picture of the Oriental shepherd in union with his sheep is only a figure of speech, as is the picture of me and my dogs is for me. When studying the Bible, the reality is always greater than the picture that pictures the reality. God is using those pictures, but the reality that He’s the shepherd is much better.
There’s a greater picture of us as His sheep in Matthew 10:30, where it says,
“The very hairs of your head are numbered.”
I certainly can’t claim to know the numbers of fur strands Pumpkin and Eddie have, except that I’m aware of how much of them they shed every day! In Psalm 147:4, another picture of God and what He knows is,
“He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.”
In Psalm 139:17&18 it says,
“How precious are your thoughts to me, oh God. How vast is the sum of them. If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.”
Well, back to my dogs as my picture; as dear as they are to me, and as much as I cuddle, care, play and “talk” with them every day, my thoughts about them would barely fill a bottle cap of sand.
So, then, if all of those are just pictures, and the reality is bigger than the picture, what can God’s reality be for us of Him as the wonderful Shepherd? God’s reality is given as follows…
“I’m the good shepherd and I know My own, and My own know Me.” Even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father, I lay down My life for the sheep.” (John 10:14&15)
“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27)
In the Lord’s knowledge of us and our situation and all we’re facing and all we’re going through, here is the reality; He knows that situation as much as He knows the Father and the Father knows Him.
“I and the Father are one; I and My sheep are one.” (Matthew 11:30)
In regards to our study of John 10 with the sheep that hear His voice, I’ve been thinking about what those past forty-three years of spiritual growth in my life have looked like, and how the Lord has progressively in His grace been maturing in me from being a fetus, to being a baby, to being a child, to being a young adult, and finally into being a fully mature adult in the exchanged life—a sheep that is of His fold that consistently is able to listen for and discern His voice. (This progression of the growth process in believers is scripturally explained in audio and book form in Ed Miller’s, “Christ Formed in You.”)*
The following is an edited and condensed version of Ed Miller’s Bible Study message #34 in John 10 Know Him – Trust Him – The Exchanged Life” on the sheep of His fold. Enjoy!
KNOW HIM AND TRUST HIM – THE EXCHANGED LIFE, Ed Miller’s message #34 in John 10
Now, in John 10, we’ve been there for several sessions, but we are now looking at it in terms of that stated purpose, in other words, to know Him, to trust Him and to enjoy Him. So far, we’ve completed our meditation on that first point, what does God the Holy Spirit show us of the good shepherd to help us know Him more intimately? Last session we had begun to look at that second question, “How does the revelation of the good shepherd in John 10 enable us to trust Him more thoroughly?” We introduced that section by calling attention to the security that the shepherd gives the sheep. We’re encouraged to place our full confidence in the Lord, because in Him we are safe; in Him we are secure.
This passage in John 10, is very, very basic; I hope the Lord lets you see this. The sheep in John 10 are not the same as the sheep in the rest of the Bible, “All like we are like sheep have gone astray.” Not in John 10; these sheep are not going astray. This is the remnant flock; these are sheep that are united to the Lord.
“My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)
That’s contrary to the nature of a sheep, but this is the kind of sheep He’s talking to. So, the promise given in John 10 are addressed to sheep that are in union with the Shepherd; they are the ones that are getting it.
The second observation is closely related to that. We can’t see the heart, but there’s such a thing as back sliding, and there’s such a thing as taking your eyes off the Lord. God forbid, but if you take your eyes off the Lord, you are capable of any sham that any unsaved person is capable of. But they’re not dealt with in chapter 10, except if they’re under the false teachers and those that come up another way. The point I’m making is that this promise of eternal security is addressed to the sheep that know His voice and are following Him. It’s not addressed to the sheep that are wandering away and living on their own. I can’t see anybody’s heart; I can’t look at somebody and say, “You’re not a sheep.” Sometimes it’s obvious but you can’t judge a heart, but I can say without clearing my throat, “If you’re not following the Shepherd, you have no Bible proof that you are saved.” There is not one verse in the Bible that would give you assurance. I’m not saying you aren’t saved; I don’t know. God knows, but the only ones who have this assurance are those that know His voice and are following the Shepherd, and they can rest assured.
“Test yourselves and see if you are in the faith. Examine yourself, or do you not recognize this about yourself, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you fail the test.” (2 Corinthians 13:5)
One time I had someone who was living way deep in the world, and he came to me, and he said, “I accepted Christ in Sunday school; I was seven years old. So, I’m saved.” And, I said, “I see the Bible description of those that are saved, and I see your life, and I can’t prove it; it doesn’t look like it, but may God test your heart.” We’re not judging, but if you are related and living in union with Christ, great security belongs to you. I can’t see the heart but
“The firm foundation of God’s stands, having this, that the Lord knows who are His.” (2 Timothy 2:19)
Now, I’m going to read those verses again, and we’re going to pick up there.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me is greater than all, and nobody is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand; I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)
I want to dive a little deeper into the awesome verses that we have here. I see at least four descriptions, there are more, that portray and underscore this great security that those who follow Him have. The first is that expression “eternal life”, “I give eternal life to them.” The next is the word “snatch” or if you have the KJV it’s “pluck”, “No one will snatch/pluck them.” The third word is “hand”, the “hand of Jesus and the hand of His Father”. The last is the reference to His Father. I know that’s surface; there’s a lot more. Actually, there’s no bottom to any verse in the scriptures. Each of these, I think, gives a special invitation, and the Lord saith, “Will you please trust Me; look what I have provided; trust Me and put your confidence in Me; don’t be afraid, and you can lean heavy on Me.”
John 10:28, “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish.” I want to focus on eternal life. There are a couple of truths about that I want to underscore. The first is that eternal life is a gift, “I give eternal life to them…” That idea of “I give” is calling our attention to the fact that it’s a gift; it’s a free gift of grace. It wouldn’t be grace if it wasn’t a gift.
“If it’s by grace, it’s no longer by the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.” (Romans 11:6)
The fact that eternal life is an undeserved blessing and it’s a gift, how wonderful, but actually in this passage there are two gifts that are mentioned. John 10:28, eternal life is a gift, “I give eternal life.” And then in John 10:29, “You are the Father’s gift to His Son.” He’s given us to the Lord Jesus. You know that God can only give the best. He gave us Jesus and He couldn’t do better than that; we got His life; He gave us the best.
What gift can you give Jesus who has everything? The Father said, “I want to give Him a gift; I want to give Him the best,” and He decided to give you to Jesus. That’s the best; you are the best. You say, “Are you kidding? I’m not worth anything. There’s no intrinsic value in me. How in the world can I be a gift?” You are not only a gift, but you are God’s best gift. If somebody would offer me right now, and I might even sell it, a million dollars for this Bible, this book would be worth a million dollars. The value is made by how much somebody is going to pay for it. If value is made by the price that is paid, then His blood made a treasure of you. That’s the price that He paid, and you are His gift to the Father. Pull out all the stops and believe that with all your heart. May God give us eyes to see ourselves as God sees us, very valuable. That’s a death knoll to all this self-depreciation and, “I’m a nobody.” You are in Christ, and you are a valuable gift.
There’s something else about eternal life that makes it precious. It’s not only a gift, but eternal life is a Person; it’s the Eternal One. Usually, we think of eternal life as duration, “God gave me eternal life. I’m going to go on and on and on, and I’m never going to die. I’ll be in heaven as ages roll upon ages.” I’m not infinite; I’m only eternal on one end. I had a starting point, but I’m going to keep going on and on. God’s eternal on both ends. We look at it as if it were duration, but in the gospel of John, it’s not only duration, but it’s quality, and not only quantity.
“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life; this life is in His Son; He who has the Son has the life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” (1 John 5:11&12)
Eternal life is the life of the Eternal One, and God has given Jesus. He is in your heart, and He’s in my heart; eternal life is a Person. If we can catch the wonder of that, we’ll see what assurance He gives His sheep, that we are a gift to Jesus, that He is a gift to us, and that eternal life is a Person, and that Person lives inside of us, doesn’t that make you want to trust Him? It’s such an invitation to a child-like faith.
There’s another word in this passage that’s an incentive to child-like faith, and that’s in John 10:28&29, the word “snatch”, “No one shall snatch them.” If you have the KJV, “No one is able to pluck them out of His hand.” Darby says, “seize them”, “No one can seize them out of His hand.” Darby is calling attention to the essence of the Greek word. In other words, the focus is on power, that God is holding you so tightly, that no one can pull you away, can snatch you and pluck you from His hand. The emphasis is on the power, and not on Satan and not demons and not sinful men and not your old sin nature. Nothing can pluck you from His hand, so secure are His sheep.
I thought it would be a great encouragement if that verse was turned around, and if God was saying, “I will snatch you out of the hand of the enemy.” That would have been a comfort to me to know that God is going to snatch me out of their hand, but it’s the other way around; the enemy is not able to snatch me from the hand of the Lord. That’s so precious. A lot of people misunderstand Matthew 10:22, “It’s the one who has endured to the end who will be saved,” and it sounds like a condition that I’ve got to endure, and keep on going, and if I don’t, I’m going to be lost. The one that endures to the end shall be saved. Matthew 10:22 is not a condition of salvation, “If you do that, then this. If not, well sorry, then you are lost.” Matthew 10:22 is a description of a Christian and not a condition of salvation. In other words, describe a Christian. A Christian is someone who has been forgiven of his sins. A Christian is someone who has the Lord in his heart. A Christian is someone who loves the Bible. A Christian is someone who endures to the end. It’s a description and not a condition. There’s no “if” in that.
Do you remember that line in “Amazing Grace”, “It’s grace that’s brought me safe thus far, and grace will bring me home.”? I think many are familiar with the five distinctives of those who claim to be Calvinistic. of their theology. They use a memory aid to help them remember those five doctrines. It’s called pneumonic, and they took the word “tulip” and took each letter to get a doctrine. The “T” is total depravity, the “U” is unconditional election, according to them, and the “L” is limited atonement, and “I” is irresistible grace, but the “p” they call perseverance of the saints. I know what they mean, and basically, I guess I agree with it, but I don’t like to call it “perseverance” because that sounds like sweat. I like “preservation” of the saints.
The word “snatch”, “No one will snatch them… No one will pluck them… No one will seize them,” that makes me think I’m being preserved; I’m not persevering; I’m being protected, that the Lord is holding me, and that’s the reason why I’m safe. The book of Jude is a wonderful book on this, on security. In the first verse it begins with, “I am being kept for Christ,” and the book ends, verses 24&25, “Now to Him that is able to keep you from stumbling, to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority for all time, now and forever. Amen.” Kept for Him, kept by Him; that’s what you get, and no one will snatch them. A child that is crossing the street, a busy highway, clinging to it’s parents hand, the security of that kid doesn’t depend upon the grip the kid has on the parent’s hand; the security depends on the grip the parent has on the child’s hand. We are being gripped by the Lord, and what a precious truth that we can trust in the Lord; the security is guaranteed for those sheep who are following Him.
When it says that no one shall pluck them out of His hand, He’s saying that they shall never perish. In other words, we’re being saved from perishing. Some Christians might think, “Oh, we’re exempt; He’s holding me, and therefore sickness can’t get me, or temptation can’t get me, or persecution can’t get me, or some kind of a tragedy on the level of earth can’t get me.” We’re not exempt from any of that. We are being held safe for His redemptive purposes, and that’s why He holds us. The enemy in this context was successful in kicking that restored blind man out of the synagogue, but the enemy kicked him right into the hands of the Lord, and he’s now safe. No power of any enemy and no error of any false teacher or no blunder of mine, nothing can snatch you out of the hand of the Lord. You are God’s gift to Jesus. Jesus is God’s gift to you. You have the life of the Eternal One living in your heart. How safe, how safe!
* CLICK HERE FOR FREE ONLINE BOOK “CHRIST FORMED IN YOU” BY ED MILLER
(the unedited uncondensed audios and transcripts of Ed Miller’s Bible study messages # 31-37 in John 10 can be accessed and/or downloaded at www.biblestudyministriesinc.com)