Old Dog IV
Scattered Sheep
Bob Neumann
Sometimes I hear things very clearly, but there are times where everything is “seen” and little actually said. This is one of those. And the many scriptures that came after the “vision” the reason why THE SHEPHERD said so little was it has all been said.
One of the first dreams/ visions I ever was given was of THE GOOD SHEPHERD and THE FLOCK. If one would wish to equate FLOCK with CHURCH, it can be done. The only problem is THE COMMUNITY of the SAINTS should be functioning according to THE KINGDOM RULES. The fact that it is not may be an explanation of the need for this vision in this day.
Like many times before I was “moving” across open land, “pasture land”. Place where sheep and cattle could graze was my first impression. And immediately I “caught” the difference in the IMAGE. I had no recollection of any vision or dream where “cattle” were seen. The fact that I realized this at the very beginning made me aware that this was “something different”. What was also different was that I had no sense of my own reality. Was I running on four legs or two was my first question. And “running” was the only mode I could relate to because I was covering ground very rapidly. I also noticed I was seeing everything in a very narrow field of vision. As through a telescopic site or even a periscope.
Add it all together and I was very “on edge” and expecting the “unexpected”. So I kept moving watching and anticipating. But the first thing that happened was I heard some weak “bleating” and moved to the sound. In a thicket I saw a ewe and a lamb by themselves. She was very weak and the lamb lay on the ground. As I came towards her she looked up at me without moving, just bleating weakly. In my spirit I felt her “words” asking me “where were you?” She was not addressing a sheepdog, for as I reached down to pick up the lamb I saw BLACK ARMOR. As I picked up both ewe and lamb I “knew” the problem. Mama was dehydrated and baby had no milk. I looked in all directions and saw no other sheep. And I wondered “where did they come from?”
And for the first time I heard THE MASTER’S VOICE….”WHERE THEY CAME FROM IS NOT THE ISSUE, THE ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS WHERE DO YOU NEED TO TAKE THEM?”
With that I began to move quickly and after a short time came across a small stream. There I let Mama drink a little and washed both their faces. And I knew that this was not where I had to go. So once again “we” were running. After awhile I came to a glade where several sheep milled around with two lambs. So I found water for Mama in the glade with rich green grass and two sources of milk for Baby if I could figure out how to milk a sheep with gauntlets on. But the predicament was a mute point because a ewe came over to me and allowed Baby to feed. Her lamb did not like the competition, but held back. After awhile the second ewe came over.
My first thought was “this is unnatural”. Ewes do not do this. With that thought sliding through my mind I “felt” HIS PRESENCE…. But I could not see HIM. This too was different. VERY DIFFERENT. So if the dog can “smell” THE MASTER…then THE SHEEP here were safe. And I knew I had to move on.
If anything I was now faster and covered miles rapidly. Over hill and dale I kept finding sheep. A couple here, one there. Some old ewes and some lambs. All scattered all over the place. Then it hit me…the sheep were scattered and I could not “find” THE SHEPHERD. But HIS PRESENCE was all around.
So I stopped and looked around. It was like I could see from one end of the earth to the other. HIS SHEEP were everywhere. But THERE WAS NO FLOCK….and they sure were not milling around HIM as in visions past.
So I stopped and waited. I felt no sense to move farther for I had seen what I was supposed to see. All I had was the question…WHERE DO I NEED TO TAKE THEM? But there was no answer because I knew that HE WOULD GATHER HIS FLOCK….and right now there was no place to take any of them. Especially now that Mama and Baby were taken care of. So I wondered and prayed. And THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT just started flowing verses by me.
A whole lot of EZEKIEL…
5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
When this last verse came to mind I looked up at the sun, there was not a cloud in the sky. But my armor was BLACK. There was no LIGHT to reflect on it. Once again Isaiah’s words about the deep darkness came by, as did Joel’s description of THE DAY OF THE LORD. And another image came by…. about cattle…. And I had to look it up and it was right with the Ezekiel 34 stuff I recognized….
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
17 And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.
Strange that HE will judge cattle as HE DOES SHEEP AND GOATS. I wondered how many times had I studied Ezekiel 34 and never saw the “cattle”…. Was I too focused on the false shepherds? But at the time I was reminded of another verse…
7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
But this one bothered me and as other verses came by I held onto it, unsure why.
After while and many verses on sheep and shepherds I felt the “flow” end, but I had no peace.
So I prayed some more, waited some more. But THE SHEPHERD did not speak. And this was beginning to bother me. AND I HEARD ABBA’S VOICE…”DOES THE ARMOR CHAFE YOU SON? HE ASKED. “No ABBA, but I am worried about THE SHEEP? “WHY?” “Because there is no SHEPHERD and they are scattered all over….” “ALL OVER THE WORLD SON”, HE STATED softly cutting off my response and finishing it for me.
“IT IS WRITTEN THAT THEY WOULD BE SCATTERED SON. IT IS ALSO WRITTEN THAT THERE IS A PURPOSE TO EVERY TIME AND SEASON. UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE AND IT WILL BECOME CLEAR.” And that was it. The vision ended with me chewing on one verse…because I was “missing something”…. So I went looking for it…and found it…and was set back by it….
Zechariah 13
1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:
5 But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.
6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.
If you noticed I put red letters in Zechariah because THE MASTER is responding. Verse 6 has one of those Hebrew original language where an untranslated word appears but we do not see it in English. It is a prophecy of MESSIAH. It is a very heavy scripture that speaks more than once. Verse 2 refers to THE DAY OF THE LORD… Verse 3 speaks of the exposure and condemnation of the false prophets…and their execution. Verse 4 goes along with that…but Verse 5 has a double take…and talks about cattle…. IF ABBA OWNS ALL THE CATTLE ON THOSE THOUSAND HILLS…. Who watches them? Verses 7,8 & 9 talks about the near future…. And the REFINERS FIRE…
The sheep are scattered all over the world. Some are dying of thirst. Some are starving for some grass to munch. Some are being devoured by wolves in the wilderness…. And some by wolves in the sheepfold. And the wolves in sheep’s clothing can slaughter huge numbers because the sheep are penned up.
Maybe we have to be sheep scattered here and yon…. I am chewing on a lot right now…. …. Not sure where it leads…
Selah bob