In the spiritual realm, there are two shepherds: Jesus Christ and Satan, the angel of death. Man’s time on earth is a probationary period meant to reveal which shepherd people will choose to follow. Consider the differences found in these two shepherds, their flocks and the eventual destinations of each group.
Jesus Christ truly is “the good shepherd [who] lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) He has proven His willingness to go after the lost sheep—even the one sheep whose willfulness has led him astray to the point of finding himself lost. Jesus will go to battle with any wolf or lion to save one of His sheep—even to the point of laying down His own life. Depending completely on what His sheep need, He leads them beside “green pastures,” “quiet waters,” or even through the “valley of the shadow of death.” Every new experience is meant for the eternal good of His beloved.
Satan, on the other hand, is rightly known as the Destroyer; he is the personification of Death itself. He is utterly selfish—everything he does is ultimately done to satisfy his own lust for blood. He doesn’t lead people. At first, he uses the oily words of a temptress to lure them ever deeper into sin. He keeps them on the road to perdition by constantly inflaming their lust for sin—but it is an itch that can never be satisfied. Rather than feeling an increasing sense of fulfillment in their pursuits, they become increasingly more agitated and miserable.
Who are the sheep of Satan’s pasture? According to Psalm 49, they are those whose hearts are completely fixed on earth life. “Their inner thought is that their houses are forever…” (Psalm 49:11) They are happy to indulge themselves in Satan’s allurements because they live for temporal pleasure. If they show an interest in spiritual things it is only superficial and hypocritical.
The flock which Jesus leads is of a different sort. They know their Master’s voice and follow Him wherever He leads. Why? Because they have come to understand that He is goodness personified; that He is trustworthy; that He only has their best interests in mind. It is this willingness to be led—to obey—that characterizes them as part of the flock of Jesus Christ. One day He will lead them straight into eternal life.
And where is Satan's flock headed? The unbeliever will one day discover to his horror that he has been terribly deceived. “He is torn from the security of his tent, and they march him before the king of terrors.” (Job 18:14) He consigned himself to Satan’s kingdom on earth and will remain with him forevermore.