"They shall hear My voice," He said, and it is by His voice—His Word spoken to the heart—that He ever leads His people. Three thousand heard it on the day of Pentecost, and were pricked in their heart. Wounded, and imploring forgiving, healing grace, they heard again with gladness, and followed their Lord in baptism (Acts ii. 37-41).
Lydia's heart was opened to receive the glad tidings, and she followed the Good Shepherd; and Jesus leads His disciples all the way home. "In all thy ways," the wise man says, "acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Prov. iii. 6). "These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth" (Rev. xiv.).
Happy are they who know the sound of that heavenly voice! Have we heard it? It may not be recognized at first, as Samuel heard, but did not know who called him, until his name had been again and again repeated, and Eli had "perceived that the Lord had called the child." But as surely as He speaks, we shall, sooner or later, know His voice, and long and love to hear it.
Then Jesus promises that all His people, of all nations and all ages of time, shall become one flock—one in Jesus; one in heart, and mind, and judgment—and the whole redeemed and gathered flock shall at last dwell in one fold—the fold of heavenly, eternal life and glory.
"From sorrow, care, and pain,
And sin they shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity."
"And there shall be one Shepherd." "Jesus only" shall be seen, acknowledged, and followed. Now He is loved and honoured as the great Chief Shepherd of the sheep, and the ministers of the Gospel are pastors, or shepherds, serving under Him. Christ brings them forth, gives them their work, and blesses their careful labours. But He removes them one by one. He alone abides for evermore. And in the fold above, the pastors appear no more as shepherds, but as sheep, the redeemed and saved people of the Lord.
Yet, wonderful to relate, the one divine Shepherd is called "the Lamb" (Rev. vii. 9-17)—"the Lamb of God," all-seeing and almighty, yet the Lamb that once was slain.
"His life and blood the Shepherd paid,
A ransom for the flock."
And this wonderful work is to be remembered while the years of eternity roll, therefore it is "the Lamb in the midst of the throne that shall feed them, and lead them to fountains of living waters; and God shall wipe away tears from all eyes."
Shall we be among them? Let us rather ask, Are we asking Him to be our Leader now? Are we "hungering and thirsting after righteousness" now? And are we mourning over sin, and after Him? If so, our Leader in this world will be our Leader still.