August 24

"Smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn my hand upon the little ones." Zecn. 13: 7.

We know who this Shepherd was. God speaks of him in the former part of the verse as "his fellow," and calls him "his Shepherd." He was God's Shepherd, because he appointed him to take the charge of his church, and to perform on their behalf all the duties implied in the pastoral office. Hence it was foretold of him, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." This character the Saviour applied to himself with an attribute of distinction: "I am the good shepherd." Paul styles him, "that great Shepherd of the sheep." Peter calls him, "the chief Shepherd," and "the Shepherd and Bishop of souls." Let the language of my heart be, "Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon."

He was to be "smitten." Every one that enters this vale of tears is a sufferer. But he was "a man of sorrows," and could say, "Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger." For though he suffered from devils, who had their hour and power of darkness, and though he suffered from men—for against him both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together—yet it was only to do whatsoever his hand and his counsel determined before to be done. It pleased the Lord to bruise him. He put him to grief. When therefore the Jews esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, they were right in the fact, but mistaken in the cause. They supposed he suffered for guilt; and he did thus suffer, but the guilt was not his own. "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Here let me contemplate the evil of sin in the sufferings of this divine victim. And here let me dwell on that love which passeth knowledge, that led him, all innocent as he was, voluntarily to become a sacrifice on our behalf, and to suffer, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God. The glory of the gospel, the hope of the sinner, the triumph of the believer, all lies here, "It is Christ that died."

It was a sad thing that his own disciples should abandon him at the very moment he was going to die for them, and after all their professions of determined adherence to him. But when the shepherd was smitten, "the sheep were scattered." In this desertion he was not taken by surprise, for he had previously said, "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave me alone." Yet how much he felt it may be inferred from his lamentation and complaint: "I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforter, but I found none." Let not his people count it a strange thing, if they are betrayed or forsaken. It should remind them of the fellowship of his sufferings.

But behold an instance of forgiving mercy and renewing grace: "And I will turn my hand upon the little ones." His disciples were little in the eyes of the world, and less in their own. They were few in number, and poor in condition. They were weak in faith and fortitude, and were now dismayed and desponding. But he did not give them over unto death. He knew their frame; he remembered that they were dust. As soon as he was risen from the dead, he appeared to them—not clothed in terror, but saying, "Peace be unto you." He exerted again the powerful influence of his Holy Spirit. He renewed them again unto repentance. He established their faith and hope. He gave them enlarged views, and fresh courage, so that they were ready to suffer and die for his name.

Surely a bruised reed will he not break, and the smoking flax will he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.