Dogs Don't Bark

We often complain about the neighbor whose dog barks so loud that it disturbs us. But dogs are supposed to bark. Most of the time they bark when a stranger approaches the property. They warn the homeowner in case a burglar, thief, or other predator comes near. Dogs protect their owners from danger. If a dog doesn’t bark, we would think that he is not doing his job, and not earning his kibble. I have heard about one dog that cannot bark. It is called the Basenji. The Basenji is a dog breed that doesn’t bark because its larynx is shaped differently. Instead, these dogs make a yodeling sound. They are called the “barkless dog”.

The prophet Isaiah spoke about other barkless dogs. Israel’s leaders had the responsibility to warn the nation of sin, danger, and judgment. They had the duty to call their people back to a relationship with God. However, Isaiah rebukes them for not doing their job in Isa. 56:10,11: “His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; they all look to their own way, everyone for his own gain, from his own territory”. In these verses Isaiah speaks out about the nation’s leaders who are not doing their job. They are called blind watchmen, barkless dogs, and silent shepherds.

The church has its share of barkless dogs, blind watchmen, and silent shepherds. The duty of our spiritual leaders is to preach boldly the gospel of Christ, to speak clearly against sin, to call people to a lifestyle of biblical obedience, and to warn about the judgment of God. When we fail to send out a bold “thus saith the Lord” message we are guilty of becoming silent shepherds. We may not receive much praise or commendation for our message from God’s Word. We may even get a few rocks thrown at us for our barking. However, a dog’s gotta bark if he’s worth his kibble.