One day, outside of a store I frequent, stood two boy scouts – one at the entrance and one at the exit.

The boy at the entrance was speaking toward people, however, because he was rather sheepish and his voice so low; no one paid attention to him. They walked right past him into the store.

In contrast, the boy at the exit, being very bold, was not afraid to confront people. Making sure he had their attention, he then began to plead his cause.

The situation struck me immediately that what I was witnessing was a profound analogy of the preachers in this land.

The god that has been preached in our pulpits – this god who is effeminate and repressively tolerant, is not the true God. This god who is a wish granter and life coach is not the God of the Bible. This god who coercers you into sowing your seed into the most successful ground for the sole purpose of you having all your wealthy dreams come true, is not the same God who told us to store up our treasures in heaven!

Oh how these false ministers have fleeced God’s flock!

The gods that have been erected in the minds of men are putrid representations of the true God. Holy and righteous, He has been reduced to some cupie doll that grants all our wishes.

The merchandizing of all that is holy shall be destroyed by great judgment. Do not be deceived into thinking that in this great Christian land, God will prevent His holy wrath from destroying those who have thought to mock Him.

Who has mocked Him more, but hirelings who have disguised themselves as shepherds?  These have led the sheep astray, teaching as truth utter heresy!

“My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold. All who found them have devoured them…” (Jer 50:6-7 )

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.” (Ezek 34:2-10)

The true gospel message is rarely preached in our churches. We are given a soft message to digest. Nothing that offends or prods or rebukes – and we are told this is love! 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is used to defend everything in which they do not want to confront.

The false shepherds in this land have created effeminate sheep that cannot bear to hear rebuke. They cannot bear to hear anything that would make them uncomfortable enough to change.

As a friend of mine said, “If we just simply stood and read the books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, it would empty our churches.” – for the sheep cannot bear such harsh messages.

The false shepherds will not teach against error, because they have been taught to keep their message positive and never, ever teach against anything. So, the result of this quite obviously is, false doctrine has invaded the church like never before. Deceiving and being deceived, the sheep have been lulled into a false state of comfort by the hirelings who speak peace instead of warning.

Jesus warned us about this very thing in John 10. A very interesting fact is that every Christian can quote the first part of John 10:10, which says,

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…

“Oh yes, that’s talking about the devil! The devil is the thief! The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy!”

This seems to be the most quoted verse and yet the most terribly misinterpreted. Let’s look at this verse in context.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”  This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.  So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.   All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. (John 10:1-13)

Verse 10 is not talking about the devil; it is talking about false teachers! Lest it be said that I’m going out on a limb, let’s look at what just a few commentators had to say on John 10:10.

John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible:

The thief cometh not but for to steal: That is his first and principal view; to steal, is to invade, seize, and carry away another’s property. Such teachers that come not in by the right door, or with a divine commission, seek to deceive, and carry away the sheep of Christ from him, though they are not able to do it; and to steal away their hearts from him, as Absalom stole the hearts of the people from their rightful lord and sovereign, David his father; and to subject them to themselves, that they might lord it over them, and make a property of them, as the Pharisees did, who, under a pretence of long prayers, devoured widows’ houses.

And to kill and to destroy:  either the souls of men by their false doctrines, which eat as doth a cancer, and poison the minds of men, and slay the souls that should not die, subverting the faith of nominal professors, though they cannot destroy any of the true sheep of Christ; or the bodies of the saints, by their oppression, tyranny, and persecution, who are killed all the day long for the sake of Christ, and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, by these men, they thinking that by so doing they do God good service.

Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible:

But for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy – Those who enter into the priesthood that they may enjoy the revenues of the Church, are the basest and vilest of thieves and murderers. Their ungodly conduct is a snare to the simple, and the occasion of much scandal to the cause of Christ. Their doctrine is deadly; they are not commissioned by Christ, and therefore they cannot profit the people. Their character is well pointed out by the Prophet Ezekiel (34:2). How can worldly-minded, hireling, fox-hunting, and card-playing priests read these words of the Lord, without trembling to the center of their souls!

Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible:

The thief cometh not … – The thief has no other design in coming but to plunder. So false teachers have no other end in view but to enrich or aggrandize themselves.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible:

The mischievous design of the thief: The thief cometh not with any good intent, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. First, Those whom they steal, whose hearts and affections they steal from Christ and his pastures, they kill and destroy spiritually; for the heresies they privily bring in are damnable. Deceivers of souls are murderers of souls. Those that steal away the scripture by keeping it in an unknown tongue, that steal away the sacraments by maiming them and altering the property of them, that steal away Christ’s ordinances to put their own inventions in the room of them, they kill and destroy; ignorance and idolatry are destructive things. Secondly, Those whom they cannot steal, whom they can neither lead, drive, nor carry away, from the flock of Christ, they aim by persecutions and massacres to kill and destroy corporally. He that will not suffer himself to be robbed is in danger of being slain.

False teachers.

That’s what John 10:10 is talking about. And because we have so many hirelings in our pulpits today, the Word has not been rightly divided. This is serious, folks. This is not a small issue. We have not been taught about the dangers of false teachers therefore they are glorified in American Christianity!

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Pet 2:1-3)

These false shepherds have left the foundational doctrines of Christ and have sought after spiritual experiences to qualify their belief system. Scripture is then used in a very twisted way to endorse every goose bump and spectacular display.

Altar calls are non-confrontational, with no calls for repentance. “Just slip up your hand to acknowledge that you need Jesus. We’re not going to embarrass you or ask you to come down front. Just simply acknowledge that you need Him.” Some churches don’t even go that far and just ask you to fill out a card as you leave.

Who is responsible for this reprehensible call to come to Christ?  Since when are men not expected to make a public declaration of their faith – if truly such a work has been wrought in their heart?

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. (Mat 10:32-33)

False shepherds working false conversions! Allowing men to think they are okay with God, without meeting any requirements of scripture!

The Lord God, is against these shepherds, and will require His sheep at their hand and put a stop to them feeding the sheep such vile doctines!

For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Heb 10:30-31)

O you hirelings, repent before your soul and the blood of others is required of you!

Copyright 2009  Holly D. Dye all rights reserved.  Material may be copied and shared with others as long as it is done so without charge, in entirety, and if attribution is given.