THE SHEPHERDS BELIEVED (2 OF 4)
by Tony Thomas
Scripture: ?Luke 2:1-20
This content is part of a series.
The Shepherds Believed (2 of 4)
?Series: Because of Bethlehem
Tony Thomas
?Luke 2:1-20
The shepherds were the first to hear about the birth of Jesus Christ. But why shepherds? Shepherding was such a common, ordinary job. Tending sheep is something almost anybody could do!
In 1 Samuel 17, David's father sent him to the battlefront with provisions for his three older brothers. But when David arrived he chastised his brothers for not having the courage to answer Goliath's challenge. His oldest brother was Eliab, and Eliab was not amused! In fact, Samuel says that Eliab burned with anger towards his brother and said:
28 What are you doing here! Why aren't you minding your own business, tending that scrawny flock of sheep?
The implication was obvious: Eliab didn't think David was qualified to comment about military skirmishes. His only life experience was shepherding, and military concerns did not equate with shepherding! Eliab didn't think much of shepherds, so why did the angels appear first to them?
Shepherding was common in Judea because God's people needed lambs to sacrifice for the atonement of their sins. But, for the most part, shepherding was not a respected trade. In Genesis 50, Joseph moved his family to Egypt, and he gave them some free advice:
Genesis 46:33 The king will call you in and ask what you do for a living. 34 When he does, be sure to tell him you are shepherds.
34 If he knows that he'll let you settle in the region of Goshen because the Egyptians despise shepherds.
Even today, some farmers aren't excited to be around sheep. Sheep eat grass all the way down to the roots, causing the topsoil to erode. Too many sheep can harm the land, so, many farmers think as much of shepherds as they do of sheep.
So why shepherds? Shepherds were the lowest of the low. They were dirty, they lived outdoors, they almost always needed to shower, and they seldom changed clothes. A shepherd would be the last person you'd want to hold your ...
?Series: Because of Bethlehem
Tony Thomas
?Luke 2:1-20
The shepherds were the first to hear about the birth of Jesus Christ. But why shepherds? Shepherding was such a common, ordinary job. Tending sheep is something almost anybody could do!
In 1 Samuel 17, David's father sent him to the battlefront with provisions for his three older brothers. But when David arrived he chastised his brothers for not having the courage to answer Goliath's challenge. His oldest brother was Eliab, and Eliab was not amused! In fact, Samuel says that Eliab burned with anger towards his brother and said:
28 What are you doing here! Why aren't you minding your own business, tending that scrawny flock of sheep?
The implication was obvious: Eliab didn't think David was qualified to comment about military skirmishes. His only life experience was shepherding, and military concerns did not equate with shepherding! Eliab didn't think much of shepherds, so why did the angels appear first to them?
Shepherding was common in Judea because God's people needed lambs to sacrifice for the atonement of their sins. But, for the most part, shepherding was not a respected trade. In Genesis 50, Joseph moved his family to Egypt, and he gave them some free advice:
Genesis 46:33 The king will call you in and ask what you do for a living. 34 When he does, be sure to tell him you are shepherds.
34 If he knows that he'll let you settle in the region of Goshen because the Egyptians despise shepherds.
Even today, some farmers aren't excited to be around sheep. Sheep eat grass all the way down to the roots, causing the topsoil to erode. Too many sheep can harm the land, so, many farmers think as much of shepherds as they do of sheep.
So why shepherds? Shepherds were the lowest of the low. They were dirty, they lived outdoors, they almost always needed to shower, and they seldom changed clothes. A shepherd would be the last person you'd want to hold your ...
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