The other day I followed a link to Isaiah 53. This is a beautiful chapter that talks of Christ and describes our part in his sufferings. This verse jumped out at me.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
It dawned on me that the Jews knew Isaiah and were very familiar with his writing. This image would have been known by them, so when Christ came along and taught the parable of the ninety and nine. They would have connected the parable with this revered verse in the scriptures.
11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoice thmore of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:12
While searching for these scriptures I did a search for ninety and nine and the first reference to come up was this one
24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Genesis 17:24
So now we have two Old Testament references that would be very clear and recognizable to the Jews, or at least Jews that are well versed in the Old Testament. Ninety and nine is a reference to the House of Israel, the circumcised.
In the parable of the lost sheep the Jews are complaining to the Savior that he spends his time with sinners, those that are not clean. The Lord teaches them that God rejoices over the return of the Lost more so then the ninety and nine.
I noticed something else in this parable. If you go to the Bible Dictionary and look up Sacrifices you will learn a lot about the Great Atoning Sacrifice that is Christ. The Dictionary states that sacrifices where instructive. They taught the individual the importance of the sacrifice and his relationship to it. It then gives six points that were important to make the sacrifice valid. In studing this idea I came to realize that there is possible a seventh point and it is one that would be recognizable to the Jews.
If I were a Shepard and I was preparing for the Passover. I would need to go out to my flock and find the Passover Lambs. I would know who they are as I would pay attention to every female sheep that would give birth to its first born. I would be able to recognize her and I would pay attention to that lamb to make sure that I could recognize him when I need him. None the less I would still have to seek him out when I needed him.
So the search for Lambs would have been common. Notice in Luke's version of the parable that the Lamb is brought home to a celebration with the Shepard's friends and not returned to the ninety and nine. Another important characteristic of a sacrifice, it must be set apart from the flock.
Sheep were not pets and so the only reason that one would come home is because it was part of peace offering which is the only time a part of the lamb would come home for a sacrificial meal or feast. Another image that the Jews would understand.
I think of the many hours that I spent on my mission search for the one. At the time it was very discouraging. It’s comforting to know that it is a part of a pattern that is essential to our salvation. As missionaries we have the privilege of being the "Good Shepard" and seeking the one. Then in turn offer ourselves as a sacrifice that others might live.
I'm thinking this great search works two ways. The Savior seeks us and we in turn must seek him.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me Proverbs 8:17
