See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:10-11 NIV
Tending His Flock
Sheep farming in Canada goes back as far as the beginning of agriculture. The first sheep were introduced to the country in 1664. In 1667 in New France (now Québec), there were 45 sheep that had been brought from France, while in 1671 Acadia (now Nova Scotia) counted 407 sheep. In the West, ovines were introduced later, around the mid-19th century. At that time, sheep were needed for manufacturing clothing and to feed the first settlers. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Canadian ovine population was around 2.5 million head.
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Throughout John’s Gospel, the apostle records the “I Ams” of Jesus. One of the most beloved is found in John 10:11: “‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’” While this is a wonderful description of Jesus, caring for his lambs, laying down his life for us, the prophecy about his role as good shepherd was given hundreds of years before His arrival. The prophet writes this in Isaiah 40:10-11: “See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Centuries after this was written, Jesus the good shepherd would come to gather us and carry us close to His heart. What the prophet was given a glimpse into would come to its fulfillment near the shepherd’s field in a village called Bethlehem. He would lay down His life for His sheep.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley