The Coming of the Shepherd

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘shepherd’? A crook? Smelly animals? Wool? Long cold nights under the stars? Shepherd is a common term in the Bible and the expression of sheep and shepherds is used as an illustration often. Many of us do not come from a farming background and we have little knowledge of sheep. In the Middle East, in the time of Jesus and OT Israel, it was like our common knowledge of computers, cell phones and the internet today.

In Micah’s prophecy, we discover how a good ruler was to be a good shepherd. A governor, who governed well had the heart of a caring, protecting and guiding shepherd. When Jesus came into the world, the eyes of prophecy had foreseen that the Messiah would be not only our defender but also our self-sacrificing provider and benevolent ruler.

Unfortunately, today we rarely see a ruler who acts like a good shepherd.

For followers of Jesus, to know that our ‘Good Shepherd’ Jesus the Messiah, is always trustworthy and reliable in our protection, provision and guidance should give us GREAT CONFIDENCE in living out our calling in anticipation of our blessed hope. The final governing role of the Good Shepherd who will reign with His Saints forever and ever in the new heavens and the new earth will be a time of eternal security and celebration with no evil to cloud the kingdom rule. That is why the end of the Bible in John’s vision finishes with the desire of the Saints that Jesus would come quickly – Oh what a day that will be!