The Lord wants us to know that we are in a war. We are at war. We are engaged in many battles. Some we lose. Every so often, we win. But we are in a state of war as long as we are still here on earth, battling for our eternal destiny. The Devil does not rest. Hence, our Lord sees the people as sheep without a shepherd. They need protection, preparation, equipment, discipline, and so on. Foremost, they require a leader and a guide.
