DOGS GONE WILD

BY GRANT MARSHALL

During a weekend break, at a farm stay, with my family, my grandson, aged 12, noticed the two farmers’ dogs roaming around. I assumed the farmer would be close at hand and said the dogs would be okay. We’d been looking out for deer in the field at the time, when it was noticed that the two dogs had gotten hold of a lone sheep.  The main flock, I assumed , had dispersed at the entry of the dogs into the field.

It was an unusual event, I thought, because the farmer was nowhere to be seen. Our daughter rang the farm and reported that the sheep were being attacked, prompting the farmers to rush out to the field to get the dogs. Had the dogs run off or escaped from the farmhouse? Why wasn’t the farmer alerted to their absence? These questions were posed.

Jesus uses the image of sheep as humans to highlight our tendency to run off, to show our weaknesses, and to show us that we are His and that His sheep hear the voice of our Great Shepherd. He even refers to Himself as the ‘Lamb of God’.

Friends, I sense that what happened in the morning highlights the task of the watchman who saw the unusual event and signals the occurrence. In this scensario, I assumed the farmer would have been with his dogs, but I was wrong. *

If we are not careful and refuse to join with the flock of Christ, the enemy will attack us because we become  isolated and vulnerable. Our protection from the rest of the community becomes weak. It is important to note that the watchman also comes under scrutiny. What he does and does not do will affect the community. His eyes must be on his position and not on another watchman’s position. When the enemy sees that we have shifted our gaze, he will reposition, and he will take his time, waiting for the watchman’s eyes to shift, and also when the guard is changed.

The watchman’s role is both intercessory and prophetic, and thus the judgment upon him is heavy if he fails to observe the watchman protocols.

Ezekiel 2 is the calling of Ezekiel as a watchman over Israel. He was to become a physical sign to the people, fulfilling the prophetic events and warnings given by God to an idolatrous people. However, failure to bring those warnings would also bring judgment upon himself.

Returning to the dogs in the field, it was also highlighted that when the dogs are kept under watch, they remain obedient and also provide protection for their owner; however, when left alone, they can quickly revert to their primal instinct and show their other undomesticated nature.

Friends, we are living in a time just like this event. Some believers feel that being part of  a community, or the flock of Christ, is not necessary. One of the things we must be aware of as a thriving community is that we must all be able to look out for each other, and not be the kind who likes to receive the attention from others. We are all given responsibility over the Lord’s sheep.

So, the watchman’s role is to highlight conditions and warn when unusual events occur outside the city walls. What a great responsibility this is!

Ezekiel’s calling was to a rebellious nation that had ceased listening to the word of God, had rejected His holy days, and turned to worshipping idols.

When a nation turns away from God, it becomes blind to the signals that God releases and to the severity of His warnings. They no longer want to listen to the judgments of God upon wickedness but prefer to listen to the admonishing words of the false teachers and the false prophets who prophecy that all is going well.

Friends, the Lord uses the enemy to find a safe and unassuming place among us; they are wolves in Sheep’s clothing. Dwelling among us, they pose no threat, but once they break away, they revert to their wild and violent nature.

God told Abraham that Ishmael would be a wild man, like a donkey; his hand will be against everyone, and everyone against him. We are told that he will be hostile toward his brothers. Genesis 16:11-13.

Ezekiel was told by God that the people had forgotten the day.

‘See, the day!

 See, it comes!

Doom has burst forth,

 the rod has budded,

 arrogance has blossomed!

11 Violence has arisen, a rod to punish the wicked. (Ez 7:10-15)

The day had come for judgment, and though the people had prepared to go to battle and had been equipped, they were not willing to engage in the fight.

In Many ways, the Body of Christ has become just like these people. On the outer surface, the right things and observances seem to be being done, but under the surface, ambivalence and weakness in combative ardour are lacking.

Again, in 1 Corinthians 14:8-10 , which is often mentioned in regard to the spiritual gifts of prophecy and tongues, Paul highlights that when the trumpet sound does not sound a clear call, the people will not understand what the call is about.

v8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

Now is a time of dullness, a time to stop messing around with biblical eisegesis, declaring that we have victory and be overcomers when we have become slothful, sluggish and soulis; saying we are ready, that we pray, that we intercede, and that is enough; it is a time to take up the sword of the word and employ it against everything that comes against the knowledge of God.

It’s time to disobey unrighteous laws and contend with ungodliness, but people don’t want to upset the apple cart or disrupt their pointless agendas; they want to remain dull. Dullness also means to be hard of hearing. The church can say it has power and authority, but it is of no use if the people don’t use it, and all they want to do is appease the world. We must never misappropriate God’s word. When God speaks through the prophet, we must respond as if the prophet is the trumpet.  ‘Shema’ is a precept that means we respond to God's word when we have heard it.

Responsibility comes upon anyone who hears the prophetic utterance and does nothing in response.

The trumpet call is going off, and it’s time to stop listening to it as some melodic instrument. The battle call is all but forgotten again. The great shout on Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah alludes to the cry of the people, the voice shouting out in praise to the name of all names, and declaring His kingship over all the earth.

*In the UK, Farmers and landowners are legally permitted to shoot a dog that is actively worrying or attacking livestock as a last resort to protect their animals.