Listen Carefully

Can you spot the difference between these two Hebrew letters? It may not seem like much, but this small difference determined the fate of some Ephraimites (Judges 12:4-6).

This story illustrates the importance of your words and the interpretation of those words. For the controllers of the Jordan in Judges 12, “shibboleth” versus “sibboleth” was the difference between life and death.

The Israelites had crossed the Jordan River during the time of Joshua (after the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness), which symbolized the boundary between the Promised Land and the land they had come from. The Promised Land was critical to the Jews, it represented the fulfillment of God’s promise, thus the “Promised” Land. Having that land meant that God was faithful, strong, and capable. The Messiah was to be the king that would rule that land. Isaiah 9:6-7, “…the government will be on His shoulders, and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.”

But just as there were problems within the tribes during the years of Canaanite conquest, there were also problems amongst the Jews concerning who the Messiah, the Christ, would actually be. Would people hear His voice? Would they follow Him?

Jesus compared Himself to a shepherd in John 10:14-16, and said, “I know My sheep and My sheep know Me… they will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” Isaiah had prophesied about the Messiah as a shepherd in Isaiah 40:11, “He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart…” Also, in Ezekiel 34:23, “I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and He will tend them; He will tend them and be their shepherd.”

The imagery of the shepherd meant that the Jews would need to listen to His voice and follow His example. Jesus said in John 10:25-27, “The works I do in My Father’s name testify about Me, but you do not believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.”

Being able to decipher the words of God as instructions that need to be obeyed is, and was, fundamental to doing the will of God (Matthew 7:21; Ephesians 5:17). Caring for the flock should be considered part of what determines my faithfulness to God. Consider this concept in light of 1 Timothy 5:8, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”