AN HIRELING
Thursday – May 30, 2019, Iyar 25, 5779
Greetings dear friends and partners of Eastern Gate Ministries International and The Three Minute Word publication. The pictures this week are from a recent trip to Boothbay, Maine. God is so good, He will, if we allow, make all things new again. If you have had loss in your life He will restore and more. Before we move into this powerful Bible Study of the Book of John let me remind those who are reading this on Facebook to hit the “like” and “share” buttons. Now let’s read our primary Bible text aloud.
John 10:9-13 (KJV)
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Today I will move forward into verse twelve and we will start with the idea of a hireling who we are told right off the bat is not the shepherd. A hireling can be a wage earner and hourly worker but that is not what is being said in this passage. Let’s take a look at the definition from The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament, a hireling is a one who is not showing real interest in his duty and who is unfaithful, a hireling. This is not someone who is outward focused but one who is inward focused or selfish. Now, let’s take a look at this twelfth verse in a different translation.
John 10:12 (AMP)
12 But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock].
So, this hireling, is neither a shepherd by calling nor is he or she an owner of the sheep. This person has no real interest in the sheep and certainly has no love for the sheep. As we translate that to the Church, the context of our passage, this person also does not love God. This is a job to them, it is not done to love God obeying the Scripture, it is not done in a selfless manner a love of people, and it is certainly not done recognizing and walking out the Covenant. When this imposter shepherd sees trouble coming, he or she does not defend the sheep but flees and as a result the flock is scattered and many are devoured. Perhaps you have seen this in a local Church. A hireling in the local Church by the definition of Jesus and what I provided above would be at best a very weak Christian with no real standing with the Father and no real understanding of how to get things done in the Spirit. Couple this lack of faith with a lack of love and no sensitivity to the Holy Spirits leadership and the congregation is red meat and he or she themselves for the enemy. The hireling is not concerned about the flock nor does he or she have a genuine interest in them. As we are finishing for today let’s move into the 14th verse.
John 10:14 (KJV)
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
This is really good news saints of God, members of His sheepfold. The word “good” in our text is predominately translated as good but can also be translated as ‘meet’ which means ‘to be able’. So, we could correctly say that Jesus is an able shepherd. Next, we are told that Jesus knows His own sheep and that those sheep know Him. We all hear the Master’s voice but we don’t all want to hear it when it is contrary to what we want to do or when we don’t want to make a change. I would encourage each one of us to practice knowing, hearing the Lord Jesus and actually treating Him as Lord (one highest in authority). Let me point out something that everyone knows but somehow we don’t connect with God. In a home with children the parents are the ones highest in authority however that does not result in the children always following the parent’s instruction. And, so it is in the Kingdom of God. We get instructions from the Word of God or the still small voice and we decide, sometimes it is obedience, sometimes it is a halfway measure which is disobedience and sometimes outright disobedience or we put Jesus on ignore.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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