John 10 used to frustrate me because it says that the sheep follow the Shepherd because they know His voice, but I didn’t feel like I knew His voice. The Scriptures just made it sound automatic. His sheep knew His voice. If I was God’s sheep, I should know His voice.
Since then, the Lord has trained me in hearing and trusting His voice, but let’s look at what the verses really say.
First, it says that He calls His own sheep by name. We’re each personally called to Him. He uses our name. We don’t have to know His voice to follow Him. He leads these personally-called sheep “out.”
Then, when He has brought out ALL His own, the sheep follow Him because they know His voice.
This is a future promise. When Jesus has gathered to Himself all of His sheep, they will know. There will be no confusion or wondering what we should do. We will walk in the right way all the time. We’ll always know where our Shepherd is leading. We’ll perfectly follow Him. No stranger will be able to imitate His voice and lead us astray.
This whole passage is in the metaphor of sheep and Shepherd, but Jesus says a lot with it. He tells of the promise of salvation for the Gentiles and all will be one flock. He says that He lays down His life for the sheep. He also says that He’ll take up his life again.
Jesus was in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication. That’s Hanukkah.
He gives another sheep lesson. We’re told that we’re both in Jesus’ hand and the Father’s hand. It’s a double-fisted promise that we can’t be snatched away. I don’t think it’s at all good to worry about whether you are saved or not. If you’ve chosen to place yourself in God’s hands, you are safe there.
Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. God is never plotting or carrying those things out against you, but He will allow Satan measured access when it is for His perfect purposes and your ultimate good. So, even in the place of attack, we can trust we are safely held.
As sheep, we can live in shalom, the place of resting, trusting, confidence in our God who loves us perfectly.