Nice Doggy

1. Nice Doggy Isaiah 56:9-12

2. Dogs • Said to be “man’s best friend!” • Have you ever had a favorite dog? • Dogs serve multiple purposes! • For Hunting – retrievers, pointers, setters • For family pets • For catching criminals • For companionship shows and competition • For security – “Junk yard dogs” • “Watchdogs” • Guide dogs – for those with disabilities • Some are pure bred • Have AKC registration papers • Some are mutts – “pound hounds”

3. Dogs • Some dogs are friendly! • Some are not! • Some sleep and slumber! • Some are useful workers!

4. Dog(s) - a Bible Subject! • Used Many times in the Bible! • “Dogs” occurs at least 23 times • “Dog” occurs at least 17 times • Used generally in a negative way; often describes a despised, lowly or unholy character! • Dogs were coupled with evil workers and sorcerers! • Applied to those who bound circumcision – Phil. 3:2 • Jesus and his apostles applied to sinners and false teachers! • Example - 2 Peter 2:22

5. 2 Peter 2:20-22 • “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

6. Clinton Hamilton on 2 Peter 2:22 • “The dog is returned to his own vomit again…Probably is taken from Proverbs 26:11, ‘As a dog returneth to his vomit, so as a fool returneth to his folly.’ • “Its own vomit…what has been vomited of the dog…The dog having regurgitated the poison from his system then comes back and eats it again. So is that these seducers had left the immoral life they lived in paganism but are gone back to it…so have these seducers gone back to the life they had abandoned. • “Is returned...has the sense or meaning of something’s having occurred in the past.” • Truth Commentaries, 2 Peter & Jude, p. 193, 194

7. Occurrences of “Dogs” • Old Testament: • Exodus 22:31 • 1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21:19, 23, 24; 22:38 • 2 Kings 9:10, 36 • Job 30:1 • Psalms 22:16; 68:23 • Jeremiah 15:33 • New Testament: • Matthew 7:6; 15:26, 27; Mark 7:27, 28; Luke16:21 • Philippians 3:2 • 2 Peter 2:22 • Revelation 22:15

8. Occurrences of “Dog” • Old Testament: • Exodus 11:7 • Deuteronomy 23:18 • Judges 7:5 • 1 Samuel 17:43; 24:14 • 2 Samuel 3:8, 9:8; 16:9 • 2 Kings 8:13 • Psalms 22:20; 59:6,14 • Proverbs 26:11, 17 • Ecclesiastes 9:4 • Isaiah 66:3 • New Testament: • 2 Peter 2:22

9. A “Nice Doggy” Defined • Obeys his Master’s commands • Is friendly to his Master & his Master’s friends • Fulfills the expectations of the Master • Knows the voice of his Master • Heeds when called by the Master • Remains alert & barks when there is danger • Not a constant yelper when there is no danger • Works for the Master • Protects the Master • Is loyal to his Master • Loves his Master

10. Our Lesson Text • “9All you beasts of the field, come to devour, All you beasts in the forest. 10His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 11Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory. 12‘Come,’ one says, ‘I will bring wine, And we will fill ourselves with intoxicating drink; Tomorrow will be as today, And much more abundant’”(Isaiah 56:9-12) – NKJV.

11. “Dumb Dogs” • “His watchman are blind” – vs. 10 • Refers to the prophets or shepherds • Where not watching for the souls they were charged to oversee • Applicable to preachers and elders today… • Acts 20:26-32; 1 Peter 5:1-2; Hebrews 13:17 • Christians are commanded to watch – 1 Thessalonians 5:6 • 1 Corinthians 16:13; Revelation 3:3 • “They are all ignorant” • Paul & Peter preached against ignorance • Romans 1:13; 10:1-3; 11:25 • 1 Corinthians 10:1; 12:1; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 2:11; I Thessalonians 4:13 • 2 Peter 3:5-9 • They did not regard God and His word, nor did they proclaim it • “They are all dumb dogs” • They failed to warn of impending danger • Should have been like watchful sheep dogs – watching, warning and protecting

12. “Dumb Dogs” • “They cannot bark, Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber” • Their ignorance and slothfulness impeded their sounding the alarm of danger • Ezekiel 33:1-12 • “Yes, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough” – vs. 11 • They loved their ease • They sought gain for themselves and had no love for the souls of men • Matthew 6:19-24 • They were overcome by greed and indifference • Amos 6:1 – “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came.” • 2 Peter 2:1-3 • 1 Timothy 3:1-8 – qualifications of elders and deacons • They continually fed their fleshly lusts, but were never satisfied • Ecclesiastes 5:10

13. “Dumb Dogs” • “And they are shepherds who cannot understand” • They had not love for God, His word or His people • Ezekiel 34:1-3; Jeremiah 23:1-4 • “They all look to their own way” • They did not regard the commands of God to watch and warn of evil, nor did they seek the people’s spiritual good • Their prime concern were their own base lusts and promotion of evil • Isaiah 53:6; Psalms 119:176; 1 Peter 2:25 • “Every one for his own gain, From his own territory” • They were seeking their own, not the spiritual good of God’s people • They were lawless and corrupted God’s word to retain their power • Like King Jeroboam - 1 Kings 12:25-31 • Religious & Political liberals are of a similar caliber

14. “Dumb Dogs” • “‘Come,’ one says, ‘I will bring wine, And we will fill ourselves with intoxicating drink; Tomorrow will be as today, And much more abundant’” – vs.12 • Their hearts were set on doing evil and deceiving God’s people • They were never satisfied, in a stupor, overcome by their indulgencies for the moment, giving no thought to the future judgment of God or the responsibilities of their title: • Ecclesiastes 8:11 – “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” • 2 Timothy 3:13 – “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” • 2 Peter 3:3 – “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.”

15. Keil & Delitzsch on Isa. 56:10-11 “The prophet…refers to Israel….“His watchmen are blind: they (are) all ignorant, they (are) all dumb dogs that cannot bark; raving, lying down, loving to slumber. And the dogs are mightily greedy, they know no satiety; and such are shepherds! They know no understanding; they have all turned to their own ways, every one for his own gain throughout his border.” The “watchmen” are the prophets here, as everywhere else (Isa. 52:8, cf.; 21:6, Hab. 2:1; Jer. 6:17; Ezek.3:17). The prophet is like a watchman stationed upon his watch-tower, whose duty it is, when he sees the sword come upon the land, to blow the shophâr [the instrument used to sound an alarm - tgm], and warn the people (Ezek. 33:1-9). But just as Jeremiah speaks of bad prophets among the captives (Jer. 29:1-32), and the book of Ezekiel is full of reproaches at the existing neglect of the office of watchman and shepherd; so does the prophet here complain that the watchmen of the nation are blind, in direct opposition to both their title and their calling;

16. Keil & Delitzschcont. “they are all without either knowledge or the capacity for knowledge (Isa. 44:9; 45:20). They ought to resemble watchful sheep-dogs (Job 30:1), which bark when the flock is threatened; but they are dumb, and cannot bark…and leave the flock to all its danger. Instead of being “seers”, they are ravers (cf., Isa. 19:18), …Instead of watching, praying, wrestling, to render themselves susceptible of visions of divine revelations for the good of their people, and to keep themselves in readiness to receive them, they are idle, loving comfortable ease, talkers in their sleep. And the dogs, viz. those prophets who resemble the worst of them, are of violent unrestrained soul, insatiable. Their soul lives and moves in the lowest parts of their nature, it is nothing but selfish avarice, self-indulgent greediness, violent restlessness of passion that revolves perpetually around itself.” • Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on Isaiah, p. 541

17. The Application • Preachers and elders today are His “watchman” and must “…preach the word…” • 2 Timothy 4:1-5 • Must sound “…out the word of the Lord…” • 1 Thessalonians 1:8 • Must “…speak as the oracles of God…” • 1 Peter 4:11 • Must warn brethren of spiritual dangers • Acts 20:31; 1 Corinthians 4:14 • Must warn the unruly and ungodly • 1 Thessalonians 5:14; Jude 1:4, 14 • Must warn of false teachers and their error and mark them • 2 Timothy 2:15-18; Romans 16:17; Philippians 3:17-19 • Deity of Christ, MDR, Fellowship, Salvation, Work of the Church, Holy Spirit, etc.

18. “Brotherhood Watchdogs” “During the past few years, there has been much wrangling and writing concerning brotherhood watchdogs. Some of our brethren seem to think that those who expose false teaching and/or false teachers have made themselves into watchdogs for the brotherhood. Others believe they are forming parties and seeking those who will join. It’s becoming very tiring and petty. The term watchdog is not in the Bible, but the word “watchman” is. A watchman is a person who is employed to stand guard or keep watch. Does God need such persons today? Does the Lord’s church need watchmen? Before someone accuses me of violating church autonomy, let me state that I am not speaking of watchmen over the brotherhood. God set Ezekiel as His watchman over Israel (Ezekiel 3:9-19). He was to warn the wicked about their ways and bring them to repentance. What if the watchman, knowing who is wicked, does not warn them? God will judge the wicked according to their sins, but He will also hold the watchman accountable for failing to warn the wicked of the consequences for their actions.” • Excerpt from the article, “Brotherhood Watchdogs” by Keith Greer • Available at: http://www.railroadavenuechurchofchrist.org/Bulletin_Files/2005_05-06_Vol_09_No_3.02.htm

19. Questions to Ponder! What kind of “watchman” do you want watching over your soul and the souls of others, alert “watchman” (a “nice doggy”) who are called “brotherhood watchdogs” by those who are the “watchers” of the “watchdog brethren”? Or, “dumb dogs” who are asleep and cannot bark? Which? - (cf. Proverbs 17:15) A “Nice Doggy” is the very opposite of a “dumb dog.”

20. Ezekiel 3:17-19 (NKJV) Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: “When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. “Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”