BY HOOK, OR BY CROOK by Sue McCary Sargis

 “Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. And I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords.’” —Ezekiel 38:2–4

There is a war coming, the likes of which we have never seen. God says He will put a hook in the nostrils of those coming against His beloved Israel. It’s a battle I will not be here to witness, even from a far away shore because I will be safe in Heaven with my Jesus by then. I pray all those I know and love have a personal relationship with our Savior so they, too, do not have to suffer the world to come, a world gone totally array in the hands of the antichrist. This, however, is not the intent of my writing today.

While reading Ezekiel’s prophesy, the phrase “by hook or by crook” suddenly came into my mind. I’ve always understood this to mean something will happen, one way or another. As I believe God is sovereignly in control of timetables past, present and future, I know His will is accomplished, one way or another – in my life because I choose the crook; in others lives because they continually choose the hook. In the case of this end-times war it will be by hook, or by force and against the will of those waging war because God’s plans will be accomplished. At times in my own life when, kicking and screaming all the way, I ended up right where God’s plans intended because He knows I am not His enemy, but a sheep in His pasture, under His protection and care. It wasn’t His preferred method of moving me, though.

As “by hook or by crook” flittered through my mind I saw a Shepherd’s staff – that S-curved handle on a straight, strong, sturdy implement, and I know the shepherd uses his staff to rescue sheep from harm, to haul them out of streams when they get too close to raging waters ending upside down and helpless, weighted by their heavy frock, and to pull them out of briar and bramble. The shepherd also uses the crook to ward of predators, and to hook a lamb to keep it from wandering off. The shepherd’s hook is a steadying rod as well.

Would I rather be forced by hook - a symbol of servitude and conquest, or by crook – a symbol of rescue and protection? Would I rather experience the Good Shepherd’s leading and care . . .

The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23

Or constantly be afraid of that cruel hook found in God’s Ezekiel warning? When we get to know the Shepherd, we see His staff with eyes of understanding – we know we are protected, we know we are rescued, we know we are led safely to succulent pastures and rest. I will follow the Shepherd. I choose the Crook.

Once upon a time, a shepherd stood on a hillside 

with a stick in his hand, and that was all he needed 

to successfully guide his flock.

(smallfarmersjournal.com/The Shepherd’s Crook/by: Nick Evangelista/from issue: 21-1)