The Shepherd of Israel and His Scattered Flock

David Baron (1855 – 1926) was a Jewish convert to Christianity, writer, and missionary. 


“This book is primarily a continuous exposition of a very important scripture which briefly but very graphically depicts Israel’s present state among the nations, and looks on prophetically to God’s dealings with them in the future. 


The summary of Jewish history, which might almost stand by itself, and which some readers may perhaps regard as not the least valuable portion of the work, is included chiefly in order to confirm and elucidate the Scripture, and to show how truly the Word of God has been fulfilled in the history of this unique people. 


Of the importance of this subject, especially in these days of unsettlement and doubt, I need not here speak. Christians, as stated in the book itself, have reason to be thankful for the confirmation of Scripture, and for the light thrown on its pages by recent historical and monumental discoveries; but, after all, the most eloquent monument to the faithfulness of God and to the everlasting truth of His holy Word is the Jew; and there is an inscription more striking and legible than any which can be found written on papyrus or graven on rock—an inscription nearly twenty centuries long, consisting of the history of the Jewish nation since their dispersion, written for the most part in their own blood, and which supplies more light upon, and confirmation of, God’s living oracles, than can be obtained from any other source except within the Bible itself. 


But this is not primarily an apologetic or argumentative book. Much rather have I sought, by God’s help, not only to point out the true solution of the enigma of the history of the nation to which I have the honour to belong, and which I love, not less, but more, since by the grace of God I have been led to recognise in Christ Israel’s true Shepherd and King; but I have tried also to keep before me the spiritual profit of my readers, whether Jews or Christians.” 


This work is organized as follows: 


Preface 


Psalm LXXX 


Introductory 


The Division 


I. The Invocation 


II. Israel’s Woes Depicted 


III. A Summary of Jewish History Since the Destruction of the Second Temple 

A. The National Catastrophe 

B. The Final Struggle with Imperial Rome 

C. Degradation and Sufferings Heaped Upon the Jews by the Papal Church 

D. Jewish Sufferings in the Middle Ages 

E. The Jews in France 

F. The Jews in England 

G. The Fiery Furnace in Germany 

H. The Jewish Tragedy in Spain and Portugal 

I. The Jews in Poland 

J. The Reformation and Since 


IV. The Primary Cause of Jewish Sufferings; Israel a Prophet of Judgment 

V. Israel’s Sufferings in Fulfilment of Divine Forecasts and an Object-lesson to Christendom 

VI. The Parable of the Vine: The Contrast Between the Past and the Present 

VII. “Turn Again, We Beseech Thee”: Israel’s Hope for the Future 

VIII. The Refrain