The Shepherd
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Shepherds During Bible Times
Shepherds During Bible Times
The Bible is filled with stories about shepherds. Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David were all shepherds.
Shepherds in ancient Israel likely worked with, among others, the broadtail Syrian variety of sheep, which have large fatty tails and a thick fleece. The rams of this breed are horned, and the ewes are not. These docile animals are easily led and completely at the mercy of their environment and predators.
In the spring the Shepherd would take his flock out of the pen near his home and lead them to graze on the new grass growing in a village field nearby. Lambs and kids would expand the size of the flock and workers would sheer the winter fleece from the sheep. This was a time of celebration.
After the grain harvest farmers would let the shepherds take their sheep into their fields to graze on the stubble. When the summer heat set in the shepherds would take their flocks to cooler pastures on higher ground. They would stay with the sheep for days on end, working and sleeping outdoors. They would build open sheep folds where they would guard their sheep, or they might shelter them in a cave at night.
Shepherds were so familiar with their sheep that they would know their names, their parents names, and even their grandparents names. They spent so much time with the sheep—teaching them and protecting them and comforting them—that the sheep would know the shepherd’s voice. When they would get spooked by an owl or hyena the shepherd would talk softly to the to settle them down.
Each evening the shepherd would count his sheep, checking on the health of each animal. In the morning he would call to the animals and they would follow him to new pasture ground. At midday the shepherd would lead his sheep to cool pools of water to drink and rest. When the pools dried up the shepherd would take them to a well and draw water for his sheep.
At the end of the dry season the shepherd would lead his sheep to the coastal plains and valleys to find water. When the rains started again he would lead them back home to winter indoors so the animals wouldn’t die in the rain, hailstorms, or snow. From November till spring the shepherd fed his flocks indoors from stores of hay they accumulated during the summer harvest.
During the frigid nights the shepherd would wear a sheepskin with the fleece turned inside to protect him from the rain and cold. He would carry a scrip, or leather bag, with food supplies like olives, bread, dried fruit and cheese. He carried a weapon called a rod which was a three foot long stick with sharp slate rock imbedded in one end. He carried a staff which was good for leaning on in the middle of a field, or to stabilize himself when walking among rocky hills, or to help the sheep when they had fallen in a crevice. He carried a personal water pouch and a collapsible leather pouch for drawing water from wells. He also carried a sling to lob rocks near sheep to startle them and bring them back to the flock, and to drive off wild animals; and he carried a reed pipe or harp to entertain himself with music.
A shepherd would risk their lives to protect their sheep, as David did when he fought a lion and a bear to protect his flock.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd
Jesus, the Good Shepherd
It’s little wonder that God compares the Messiah to a shepherd in
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
Jesus adopted the shepherd metaphor when He described himself in . He points to himself as the doorway to the sheep:
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
He says that He knows his sheep and they recognize His voice and follow him above all others.
3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:14-
John 10:
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
Jesus is the good shepherd who knows his sheep by name.
He leads them, feeds them and shelters them.
When someone begins with the words, “The Lord is My Shepherd...” we all know exactly what is coming next. The 23rd Psalm is one of the most precious passages in all of scripture, and from what we’ve just seen of Jesus, it has a spiritual application to our saving relationship with Jesus. But this passage is filled with beautiful ideas for ancient Israel and their rebellious scrapes, as well as for our current lives as Christians today.
Let’s read it together:
He is the door through which the sheep and everyone else must enter.
He gives his life for the sheep.
A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The passage begins by reminding us that it is a shepherd, David, who wrote this passage.
David proclaims that “The Lord is my Shepherd.” This is the Lord, YHWH. Jesus himself claims this name when he says in the New Testament, “before Abraham was, I Am” the same statement God made to Moses in the burning bush when he told Moses to have Israel call him, the “I Am.”
Jesus says of Himself:
I am the resurrection and the Life.
I am the resurrection and the Life.
I am the way the truth and the life.
I am the true vine.
I am the Good Shepherd.
When we read , we can confidently say, “Jesus is my shepherd...”
David goes on to say, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”
This is the shepherd who became the favorite general of king Saul’s army and then was forced to flee for his life from Saul’s jealousy, living among the rocky hills and caves that he may have once led his sheep through during the hot summers. To feed himself and his followers they would provide protection services for farmers, shepherds and villages. But David knew where his food really came from—his every need was provided for by God Himself.
In verse 2 he says,
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
The God that David is singing about is the Shepherd who cares for every detail of the sheep’s life. He sees the future and understands the blessings he intends for us. The green pastures and still waters are the good life that Jesus promises us. Some time this year we’ll have to do a series on and 6 and explore the good life Jesus plans for us.
This good life includes a life lived in the Spirit who gives us love, joy, peace, patience, and all the other fruit of having the Spirit guide our lives.
In verse 3 David adds,
In Galatians we
3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
The word translated “restores” means to “bring back” or “turn back.” This is the same idea for repentance, and it is appropriate that David would use that in the context of a sheep. The shepherd might go after the sheep and physically redirect it back to the flock, or they might lob a rock nearby it to make it recognize its going too far from the fold and needs to turn back. The life and health of the sheep is dependent on the shepherd’s redirection when they go astray. David knew what it was like to go astray, and he knew the Lord’s redirection though the work of prophets like Samuel and Nathan.
David assures us as readers that the paths the Lord redirects us to are “paths of righteousness” or translated literally, “right paths.”
Most people want to be in control of their own lives–to have agency in their own decisions. It takes us a while to trust the leadership of someone else who says, “this is the right direction, let’s go here.” We hesitate, doubt and question. If we truly understood that God’s plans for us are good and that He sees beyond what we are able to perceive, we might trust Him with our next steps.
This is true of our personal walk with God, and the direction of our church. I believe that God has good plans for this community. Jesus said, “I will build my church” and I believe this year will demonstrate the power and work of God in Boundary County. He will lead us in right paths. There might be some rough patches as we move forward, but if we keep our focus on the shepherd, when we look back on this year, I know we’ll be able to say that He has led us in “right paths.”
In David is assuring us that our shepherd is trustworthy. He knows the way.
Look at verse 4 and we’ll discover a new element in David’s poem,
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Its not too difficult to follow someone when things are looking good. Its easy to trust when the path is easy. But when the path of life is rough and the struggles are real, we start looking around and wondering, “am I following the right leader? maybe if I went over there I’d find a better path.”
The phrase that is translated here “valley of the shadow of death” is most literally translated “valley of deep darkness.” Death is the deepest darkness, and one we know all too well in this church. It is difficult for us to see past the darkness that we face.
Maybe your darkness is the death of a loved one like the McIntosh and Shelton and Schatzel families are facing right now.
Maybe your darkness is the loss of a friendship that you have treasured.
Maybe your darkness is the news of a health complication that will change the course of your life in some way.
Maybe your darkness is the loss of a friendship that you have treasured.
Maybe your darkness is a change in your financial situation that will profoundly affect you and your family.
Maybe your darkness is a theological question or a significant doubt that you are struggling with.
Maybe your darkness is an addiction that has had your soul locked up in chains.
David had many of those same dark times in his life, and he assures us that the Shepherd’s rod and staff comfort him.
The rod is what the shepherd uses to defend the sheep against thieves and wild animals. He knows how to defend us against predators.
The staff is what the shepherd uses to help the sheep when they have fallen. It is the tool of connection. God the Comforter comes so close that He almost touches the human, He consoles. This proximity of God, the touch of his rod at the moment of total despair, means everything.
Radisa Antic, director of the Ellen White research center and a teacher at Newbold College wrote in Ministry Magazine that,
God the comforter comes so close that He almost touches the human, He consoles. This proximity of God, the touch of his rod at the moment of total despair, means everything.
“The Hebrew word Nacham is probably the key word in , carrying within itself the message of hope, meaning, and the future. Nacham speaks about the special, deep relationship and friendship between God and humans that continues to emerge out of darkness and hopelessness” (The Basic Pictures of God in , Ministry Magazine, Oct 2011).
David is telling us that God is the one who has brought us to peaceful and contented places in life and who is nearby protecting us when things are going well, but God is even closer when we’re experiencing darkness. He draws near to comfort and guide ad protect in a way that He is only able to do during the hard times of our life.
In the shepherd didn’t make the dark valley as an object lesson for the sheep—though there are often many things to learn from the valleys. He didn’t design the dark valleys so he could scare the sheep into following Him—though we often huddle closer to God and each other when we are cold and afraid. The visual in Psalm 23 is that God is actively moving us through that valley, protecting and comforting us all along the way.
You may have noticed that in the first few verses of David address God as “He.” It’s as if he were talking to us and pointing to God, over there, sitting on the rock playing his pipe flute while He watches the sheep.
But when David talks about the valley of deep darkness he changes to addressing God directly, saying, “You.” David is illustrating the change in position of the shepherd during these dark times. From the God who is over there, to the God who is right here with me.
“You are with me.” He says.
“Your rod and staff comfort me.”
In verse 5 David moves past the dark valley to the happy conclusion of the darkness:
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
"In the presence of my enemies” is a phrase that was used in ancient literature to illustrate victory. The enemies have been captured, and while they watch in chains, we will feast.
Whatever your enemy might be in your dark time, Jesus is the good shepherd who rules with a “rod of iron” and he will subdue your enemies under his feet.
This story of victory doesn’t just place God as some divine waiter, feeding us, but rather God the almighty Host, welcomeing us to His banqueting table. He has won the victory over our enemies. Now we will feast together.
In the woman describes her lover and says,
4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
He was the shepherd over there when I was content in my green pastures, but when I passed through darkness I found Him to be the shepherd right beside me. In the dark times I learned to trust and love Him more.
After a dark valley we find God’s Word deepening in meaning and value. That’s why the Psalmist was able to say that “God’s word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Bible authors describe God’s Word as sweet and precious and pure and delightful. The Bible becomes a banqueting table when we discover how close Jesus is to us and how much He loves us.
Its in the darkest time of our lives that we discover that the Good Shepherd loves us so much that he laid down His life for us. That’s the depth of his love, and that’s the reason that David described sitting down with Him and said that He was overflowing with the oil of gladness. (, )
David ends with the closest association with the shepherd that can exist.
In the grassy field the shepherd may have been sitting over there on a rock
In the dark valley He’s rescuing us with his rod
At the banqueting table he’s serving us and sitting next to us
But all of those are temporary situations. And isn’t that the case for everything in this world? We live in a temporary situation. We can only get so close to God because our sin seperates us from Him. But this will not always be the case for David declares:
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Goodness and mercy are personifications of Jesus. “Jesus shall follow me all the days of my life.” All the passing days of this temporary life God will be with me. But then, “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
He’s not just the Good Shepherd over there on a rock, not just helping me when I’ve fallen in the dark valley, not just feeding me at His rich banquet, but He’s made a room for me to live with Him forever.
Jesus was telling his disciples that He would be leaving them soon, but he didn’t want them to be sad about it because He had a plan to come back and bring them home with Him. And not to some mansion all their own like that song says, “I’ve got a mansion, just over the hilltop...” No, Jesus is bringing his disciples—you and me—to a room in His Father’s house.
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
John 14:1-
The trustworthy leadership and close presence of God and how they bring comfort to our souls are the themes of . And isn’t this the theme of the entire battle that God is fighting with sin and evil? Sin seperated us from God in the garden of Eden and everything God has done from then till now has been with one goal in mind, so that He can live with us again.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Dietrich Bonhoeffer lived in a dangerous time of German history. Before most people recognized it he was telling people that Adolph Hitler was moving the church toward a godless religion. When it was illegal to have a church other than the state aligned church, Bonhoeffer and several other church leaders left the church and started the Confessing Church. When that was forcibly shut down by the government and many of his friends were put in prison, Bonhoeffer found himself working in a branch of the intelligence service that was opposed to Hitlers regime. He was in a position to do something to help overthrow Hitler.
He reasoned that if he knew there were children playing in the road a mile or two away and he saw a drunk driver careening towards them, it would be his responsibility to find a way to wrest the wheel out of the drunk’s hands so that he could save the children. His work to end Hitler’s regime was suspected and he was eventually put in prison, shortly after proposing marriage to the love of his life. He was eventually hanged for treason.
During his short life, Bonhoeffer preached and wrote about a sincere, intimate relationship with God. Even before Hitler’s regime took charge, He saw a church steeped in formalism and knew that the only real religion is the one that describes—the intimacy of a loving relationship with God, the Good Shepherd.
Bonhoeffer wrote many articles and poems and songs for the little confessing church. This one is about the new year and it seems particularly appropriate for our study of .
BY GENTLE POWERS
Words by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
D A Bm
Surrounded by such true and gentle powers
G D A
So wondrously consoled and without fear
D A Bm
Thus will I spend with you these final hours
G A D
And then together enter a new year
Chorus
D A Bm
By gentle powers lovingly surrounded
G A
With patience we’ll endure, let come what may
D A Bm
God is with us at night and in the morning
G A D
And certainly on every future day (repeat after last verse)
The worries of the old year still torment us
The worries of the old year still torment us
G D A
We’re troubled still by long and wicked days
D A Bm
Oh Lord, give our frightened souls the healing
G A D
For which You’ve chastened us in many ways
[Chorus]
D A Bm
And though You offer us the cup so heavy
G D A
So painful, it’s the most that we can stand
D A Bm
Not faltering, with thanks we will accept it
G A D
And take it as a gift from Your good hand
[Chorus]
D A Bm
And should it be Your will once more to grant us
G D A
To see the world and to enjoy the sun
D A Bm
Then we will all the past events remember
G A D
And finally our life with You is one
[Chorus]
Whether we face green pastures and cool waters, or a valley of deep darkness as this year begins, we can be sure that we are surrounded by the gentle, loving arms of the Good shepherd, and that one day soon we’ll eat from his banqueting table and live with Him in the rooms that He has prepared for us.
Please stand for our closing Hymn: #321, My Jesus, I Love Thee