Isaiah 40:11

) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, yet these condescensions of his grace must not be thought of with any diminution to the transcendencies of his glory. Let us see how great our God is, and fear before him; for, I. His power is unlimited, and what no creature can compare with, much less contend with,

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He shall feed his flock like a shepherd,....

He shall feed his flock - In the previous verse, the fact had been asserted that God would come to subdue his foes, and to reward his people. In this verse, the mild and gentle character of his government over his people is predicted. It would not be that of a conqueror over vanquished subjects; but it would be mild and tender, like that of a shepherd who carries the lambs, which are unable to walk, in his own arms, and gently leads along the feeble and the delicate.

IN the chapter before us our Savior is described as Jehovah God. He is spoken of as clothed with irresistible power: "He shall come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him," but, as if to soften a glory far too bright for the weak eyes of the trembling, the Prophet introduces the delightful words of the text: "He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Here is Divinity!

feed--including all a shepherd's care--"tend" (Eze 34:23; 1Pe 2:25). carry--applicable to Messiah's restoration of Israel, as sheep scattered in all lands, and unable to move of themselves to their own land (Ps 80:1; As Israel was "carried from the womb" (that is, in its earliest days) (Isa 63:9, 11, 12;

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THE people of God are most fitly compared to sheep. The excellencies of their moral and spiritual character furnish one side of the picture, for like sheep they are gentle in their lives and are well accepted, whether living or dying, as a sacrifice unto God. Their frailties and weaknesses complete the likeness, for they are prone to wander—full of wants, powerless in self-defense, and not able to escape from their enemies by rapid flight. No creature has less power to take care of itself than sheep.

THE people of God are most fitly compared to sheep. The excellencies of their moral and spiritual character furnish one side of the picture, for like sheep they are gentle in their lives and are well accepted, whether living or dying, as a sacrifice unto God. Their frailties and weaknesses complete the likeness, for they are prone to wander—full of wants, powerless in self-defense, and not able to escape from their enemies by rapid flight. No creature has less power to take care of itself than sheep. Even the tiny ant with its foresight can provide for the evil day, but this poor creature must be tended by man or else perish. Such are the people of God—timid, weak, defenseless—unable to provide for themselves and compelled to depend for everything upon Him whose name is, "That great Shepherd of the sheep." As the people of God individually are comparable to sheep, so the Church as a whole finds a very fit representative in a flock. A flock is a multitude. Diversities of character, of state, of age, of condition are always to be found in a flock. Yet, while a multitude, it is but one. One in association—they journey or lie down together—in the same pasture they rest. They are led beside the same still waters. They are one in nature—they are equally sheep and, however much they may differ, their diversity is not half so great as their agreement. Two Believers may greatly differ. But only let me be assured that they are both sheep of the Lord's pasture, and I will find ten points of likeness for one of difference. They are one, moreover, in property—they are the property of one Owner, being bought with one price in one great transaction, when their one great Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep. The saints are intimately and truly united.

OUR Lord Jesus is very frequently described as the Shepherd of His people. The figure is inexhaustible, but it has been so often handled that I suppose it would be difficult to say anything fresh upon it. We all know and are very glad and comforted in the knowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ, as our Shepherd, exercises towards us all the kind and necessary offices which a shepherd performs towards his sheep. With gentle sway He rules us for our good—"Let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand." He guides us—"And when He puts forth His own sheep He goes before them and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice." He provides for us—"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters." He protects us from all forms of evil. Therefore, "though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for He is with us: His rod and His staff, they comfort us." If we wander, He seeks us out and brings us back. "He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." If we are broken, He binds us up. If we are wounded, He heals according to His own Word, "I will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick." The sheep is an animal of many diseases and many needs and so the Christian is an individual of many sins and many infirmities. But as the shepherd endeavors to meet all the needs of his flock, so our Lord Jesus succors all the blood-bought company in all their needs. We propose to illustrate the great doctrine of the text in a Scriptural, and therefore we hope in an interesting, manner. First, we shall consider in connection with the text, Old Testament illustrations. In the second place, New Testament descriptions.

IN the chapter before us our Savior is described as Jehovah God. He is spoken of as clothed with irresistible power: "He shall come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him," but, as if to soften a glory far too bright for the weak eyes of the trembling, the Prophet introduces the delightful words of the text: "He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Here is Divinity! Not Jehovah, the Man of War, but Jehovah the Shepherd of Israel! Here is the fire of Deity, but its gentle, warming influence is felt and the consuming force is veiled. Greatness in league with gentleness, and power linked with affection now pass before us. Loving-kindness and tender mercy are drawn in their golden chariot by the noble steeds of Omnipotence and Wisdom. Heroes who have been most distinguished for fury in the fight have been tender of heart as little children— sharp were their swords to the foe—but gentle their hands towards the weak. It is the index of a noble nature that it can be majestic as a lion in the midst of the fray and roar like a young lion on the scene of conflict—and yet have a dove's eye and a maiden's heart. Such is our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the conquering Captain of salvation but He is meek and lowly of heart. This morning, in considering the text, we have a special eye to these who are the weaklings among us. Our desire is, as an under-shepherd, to administer consolation to those who are distressed in spirit and feeble in mind, hoping that while we speak, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, may speak effectually to them. I. Our first consideration, this morning, will be the enquiry, WHO ARE THE LAMBS WHICH OUR BLESSED LORD IS SAID TO GATHER AND TO CARRY IN HIS BOSOM? In a certain sense we may affirm that all His people are lambs.

MINISTERS all over England have been specially requested to assist in exciting a spirit of prayer in connection with Sunday schools, today, and I feel that the training of the young is so important a part of Church work that it would be almost sinful to decline the seasonable request of the Sunday school Union. Therefore have I selected this subject this morning in the hope that God the Holy Spirit may bless it, not only to those who are teachers, but to those who ought to be, and afterwards to those of us who may be otherwise occupied in the Master's vineyard, that we, also, may be led more earnestly to pray for our Brothers and Sisters who are watching over the lambs of the flock. The words of our text are spoken of One who is, in the 10th verse, called, "The Lord God with a strong hand," and of whom we are asked, in verse 12, "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out Heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?" It is a wonderful proof of the tenderness of God that very generally, when He is spoken of by His glorious titles and is described in the infinity of His power, we are, before long, assured of His great gentleness by having some special deed of kindness ascribed to Him. He is the Lord God with a strong hand and a ruling arm, but He carries the lambs in His bosom. He brings out the starry hosts by number. He calls them all by names in the greatness of His might and yet He "does gently lead those that are with young." How condescending it is on the part of the great Lord that He should come to shepherd men! How marvelous that it should be said of the Almighty God, "He shall feed His flock like a shepherd"—shall act the Shepherd towards His chosen among the sons of men—guiding, feeding, protecting, nourishing and healing them.

MINISTERS all over England have been specially requested to assist in exciting a spirit of prayer in connection with Sunday schools, today, and I feel that the training of the young is so important a part of Church work that it would be almost sinful to decline the seasonable request of the Sunday school Union.

OUR Lord Jesus is very frequently described as the Shepherd of His people. The figure is inexhaustible, but it has been so often handled that I suppose it would be difficult to say anything fresh upon it. We all know and are very glad and comforted in the knowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ, as our Shepherd, exercises towards us all the kind and necessary offices which a shepherd performs towards his sheep.

Shall gently lead those that are with young “The nursing ewes shall he gently lead” - A beautiful image, expressing, with the utmost propriety as well as elegance, the tender attention of the shepherd to his flock. That the greatest care in driving the cattle in regard to the dams and their young was necessary, appears clearly from Jacob’s apology to his brother Esau, Gen 33:13: “The flocks and the herds giving suck to their young are with me; and if they should be overdriven, all the flock will die.” Which is set in a still stronger light by the following remark of Sir John Chardin: “Their flocks,” says he, speaking of those who now live in the east after the patriarchal manner, “feed down the places of their encampments so quick, by the great numbers that they have, that they are obliged to remove them too often, which is very destructive to their flocks, on account of the young ones, who have not strength enough to follow.” Harmer’s Observ. i., p. 126.