In 1966, a
song called “Little
(or Lil’) Red Riding
Hood,” written by
Ronald Blackwell and
produced by Stan
Kesler, was released
and sung by “Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs.” It was very
popular. The lyrics
are as follows:
Owoooooooo!
Who's that I see
walkin' in these
woods?
Why, it's Little Red
Riding Hood.
Hey there Little Red
Riding Hood,
You sure are looking
good.
You're everything a
big bad wolf could
want.
Listen to me.
Little Red Riding
Hood
I don't think little
big girls should
Go walking in these
spooky old woods
alone.
Owoooooooo!
What big eyes you
have,
The kind of eyes
that drive wolves
mad.
So just to see that
you don't get chased
I think I ought to
walk with you for a
ways.
What full lips
you have.
They're sure to lure
someone bad.
So until you get to
grandma's place
I think you ought to
walk with me and be
safe.
I'm gonna keep my
sheep suit on
Until I'm sure that
you've been shown
That I can be
trusted walking with
you alone.
Owoooooooo!
Little Red Riding
Hood
I'd like to hold you
if I could
But you might think
I'm a big bad wolf
so I won't.
Owoooooooo!
What a big heart
I have-the better to
love you with.
Little Red Riding
Hood
Even bad wolves can
be good.
I'll try to be
satisfied just to
walk close by your
side.
Maybe you'll see
things my way before
we get to grandma's
place.
Little Red Riding
Hood
You sure are looking
good
You're everything
that a big bad wolf
could want.
Owoooooooo! I mean
baaaaaa! Baaa?
Jesus said in John
10:12, “A
hired hand will run
when he sees a wolf
coming. He will
abandon the sheep
because they don't
belong to him and he
isn't their
shepherd. And so
the wolf attacks
them and scatters
the flock
(emphasis mine).”
(John 10:12 NLT)
When examining this
verse, it is easy to
recognize the false
prophets of today,
whether they stand
behind a pulpit, on
a stage, or sit in a
chair. They are the
hired hands who
forsake the sheep to
the menacing fangs
of the wolf. Usually
we think of these
charlatan ministers
(pastors,
evangelists,
teachers, authors,
writers, etc.) as
being dressed in
sheep’s clothing,
but the real
portrayer in sheep’s
clothing is the one
who pushes their
buttons; i.e. Satan.
He is the wolf.
I have heard good
ministers say in the
past that Satan
really beats up on
them when they
preach directly
against him, showing
him up for what he
is. I have
experienced the
same. Therefore, I
now wait for his
blows.
When thinking about
actual wolves, the
four-legged ones, I
do not view them as
bad. They’re just
glorified dogs,
doing what comes
natural in the wild.
They have to eat,
and they are of
course very good at
catching their prey.
It is actually a
shame that they have
been made to seem
evil in movies. I
certainly do not
think this is what
Jesus had in mind in
the verse above. He
was simply using the
traits of a wolf
(which doesn’t know
any better) to
equate with the
wolf, Satan (who
certainly does know
better). Satan uses
the same tactics as
the four-legged
wolf. He is
constantly stalking
the sheep, just
waiting for an
opportunity to
strike.
Satan is called
Abaddon (destroying
angel), the accuser
of our brethren, the
adversary, Apollyon
(destroyer), Belial
(worthlessness), the
Devil, dragon, the
enemy, father of all
lies, god of this
world, Lucifer (the
morning star), power
of darkness, prince
of the power of the
air, the tempter,
the wicked one, king
of Babylon
(confusion), and the
list goes on. Satan
is very powerful,
very intelligent,
and very dangerous.
Have you not seen
and heard
yourselves,
simple-minded
religious leaders
make some stupid
remark like, “I
order you Satan to
leave this place?”
Then they compound
the issue by
encouraging others
to do the same. In
the book of Jude we
find that even
Michael left it up
to the Lord, “Yet
Michael the
archangel, when
contending with the
devil he disputed
about the body of
Moses, durst not
bring against him a
railing accusation,
but said, The Lord
rebuke thee.”
(Jude 1:9)
When it comes to
anything you or I
have to say, Satan
is no amateur bozo
to contend with. He
is a wolf in sheep’s
clothing, and he is
extremely dangerous.
Please, do not allow
some fool to cause
you to get in a
fight you cannot
win. All our battles
should be fought
behind the robe of
Jesus Christ. Jesus
is God, and is
supreme over Satan
and all his minions.
We are not.
What is the
intention of the
four-legged wolf
when attacking a
flock of sheep?
LUNCH! The
four-legged wolf can
sneak up on the
sheep with little to
no effort while
wearing a bib and
holding a knife and
fork (metaphorically
of course). Satan
does the same. He
sneaks up on us,
while we aren’t
looking and pounces.
How many of us have
been caught unawares
by his trickery? Oh
come on now! We all
have! Satan rarely,
if ever, shoves the
temptation in our
face, and says,
“This is really bad
and you will suffer
much, but go ahead
and take it anyway.”
If there is any
voice telling us to
run from it, it is
the whisper of the
Holy Spirit. Is
there doubt in your
mind? If so, it’s
coming from God. He
knows what Satan is
up to. My Mother
gave us children the
best advise while we
were growing up that
I have heard along
these lines. She
said, “If in doubt,
don’t.” I haven’t
always followed that
advice, but the
times I have, saved
me from much grief.
Satan always shows
up in sheep’s
clothing. He makes
sin look so good,
but how many broken
lives has been a
result of his
treachery? God has
given the world a
guide to use when
contending with,
“What should I do?”
It is called the Ten
Commandments. To
those who are His in
the Church age, He
has gone even
further. He says,
“Follow Me.” When we
follow the Good
Shepherd, the wolf
is no danger to us.
He is powerless. We
are under God’s
divine protection.
Even if Satan throws
rotten tomatoes at
us, Jesus will just
make tomato soup out
of it (Romans 8:28)
Many things we face
in life are obvious
in their detriment
to our well-being.
Others are not. They
are very subtle in
their approach. We
say of these, “just
this once won’t
hurt,” “everyone
else is doing it,”
“it feels right,”
“it’s my body,” “it
looks like fun,”
etc. How do we know
if it is appropriate
for us? God provides
only one yardstick.
It is His Word, the
Bible. If it doesn’t
measure up to His
Word, then it is
wrong for us.
There are other
areas where the wolf
can attack the
sheep, and they are
even harder to
recognize for those
who are lost without
Christ or are weak
Christians. These
come from within the
walls of
Christendom. Again,
the only yardstick
is God’s Word, the
Bible. How do I know
if the pastor is
preaching the truth?
If what he is saying
does not measure up
to the Word of God,
it is wrong.
Remember the
Bereans. “These
were more noble than
those in
Thessalonica, in
that they received
the word with all
readiness of mind,
and
searched the
scriptures daily,
whether those things
were so
(emphasis mine).”
(Acts 17:11)
Peter used another
animal to portray
the cunningness of
Satan, the lion, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around
like a roaring lion,
looking for someone
to devour.” (1
Peter 5:8 NLT)
Do you feel like
Little Red Riding
Hood? Are you
confused? Do you
feel like you’re
being stalked? If
you prefer not being
the wolf’s next
meal, then get in
the Word daily.
There are no
short-cuts.
Satan is the
big bad wolf, and he
is the roaring lion.
He is always looking
for his next meal.
If you are a child
of God, by faith in
Jesus Christ, you’re
tasty mutton for
Satan’s ravenous
appetite. He wants
more than anything
to destroy your
witness for Jesus.
If you choose to
live by your
feelings, your
opinions, or the
erroneous tripe that
comes from others,
you will fail, but
if you measure your
beliefs and actions
by the Holy Word of
God, the Bible, you
will defeat Satan’s
goals for your life.
Only behind the robe
of the Good Shepherd
can we have victory
in this life on
earth, and Jesus has
told us everything
we need to know in
His Word. Satan will
attack. You can
count on it, but in
Ephesians 6:13-18
our Lord provides
our defense.
Grant Phillips
grantphillips@windstream.net
My articles are
posted at
“Pre-Rapture
Commentary”
http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
and many are also
posted at “Rapture
Ready”
http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html.
