JESUS CHRIST: The Fulfillment of the Promises of God Part 9 of 9: The Lord is our Shepherd

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Part 9: The Lord is our Shepherd (Jehovah Rohi)

“19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us - by me, Silvanus, and Timothy––was not "Yes and no," but in him was "Yes." 20 For all the promises of God in him are "Yes," and in him "Amen," to the glory of God through us.” (2Corinthians 1:19-20 EMTV)

What God as Jehovah was to the nation of Israel, He is to us today through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“1 A Psalm of David. Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters.” (Psalms 23:1-2 ASV)

To shepherd literally means to feed, or to pasture. The most basic need of sheep is to be fed. A shepherd tends to the needs of his sheep which develops intimacy between them. He does this by leading his sheep.

The shepherd’s responsibilities are twofold:

1. To feed. He feeds his sheep the best quality food he can find.
2. To protect. He protects the sheep from bad weather and attackers, either of men or beasts.

Those two responsibilities are represented by the shepherd’s staff:

1. On one end is a sickle for cutting down tender leaves from trees, bushes, etc..
2. The other end is a club for beating off attackers.

In summary, a shepherd takes care of his sheep. He also retrieves the strays (Matthew 18:12-13):

• “11 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places whither they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture; and upon the mountains of the height of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie down in a good fold; and on fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord Jehovah. 16 I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick:” (Ezekiel 34:11-16a ASV)
  

VARIOUS OTHER RECORDS REGARDING “SHEPHERDS”:

• “2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.” (John 10:2-4 ASV)
  
• “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11 ASV) See also 1 Samual 17:32-36.
  
• “He (the Lord God) will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young.” (Isa 40:11 ASV)
  
• “1 Therefore, as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of the Messiah, and also a participant in the glory about to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you: 2 shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God’s /will/; not for the money but eagerly; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1Peter 5:1-4 HCSB)
  
• “and I will give you shepherds according to my (the Lord God’s) heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” (Jeremiah 3:15 ASV)
  
• “In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you (David) that led out and brought in Israel; and the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.'" (1Chronicles 11:2 RSV)
  
• “Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus,” (Hebrews 13:20 ASV)
  
• “For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.” (1Peter 2:25 HCSB)
  

Jehovah my Shepherd means that I will be supplied with whatever I need – “Jehovah is my shepherd. I shall not want.” We can boldy proclaim, “God tends to my needs. He leads me. He guides me according to His perspective. I know His voice, the voice of truth. He feeds me with His knowledge and understanding. He protects my life so that nothing shall by any means hurt me. Because Jesus Christ’s death reconciled me to God I shall not lack anything.

We are a special people, in covenant relation to our God through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ – the blood of the eternal covenant (Hebrews 13:20). As a result, our God is eternally toward us all that He is. These Jehovah titles give us insight as to what this means.

These sessions have been as follows:

1. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all the promises of God, including all that God is to His covenant people; 2Corinthians 1:19-20 (our theme verses).
   
2. The Lord sees and provides; Genesis 22:14 (Jehovah-Jireh)
   
3. The Lord our health, or physician; Exodus 15:26 (Jehovah-Rapha)
   
4. The Lord our banner or sign ensuring victory over our enemies; Exodus 17:15-16 (Jehovah-Nissi)
   
5. The Lord our sanctification. He purified us for divine service; Exodus 31:13 (Jehovah-Qadash)
   
6. The Lord our peace (completeness, soundness, welfare); Judges 6:24 (Jehovah-Shalom)
   
7. The Lord our righteousness (our source for being right, without flaw); Jeremiah 23:6 (Jehovah-Tsidkenu)
   
8. The Lord is there, or present. He is attending, residing, not absent; Ezekiel 48:35 (Jehovah-Shammah)
   
9. The Lord our shepherd. He feeds us and protects us; Psalms. 23:1 (Jehovah-Rohi)
   

“For I say that Christ hath been made a minister to the circumcision for the truth of God, that he [Christ] might confirm the promises [given by God] unto the fathers.” - The Apostle Paul, Romans 15:8