“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown glory that fadeth not away.” 1 Peter 5:4
Who is this “Shepherd” of whom Peter speaks? Of course, it is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ who is coming again. But in this present day, when David speaks of his Shepherd, and Peter speaks of our Shepherd, what are they talking about? What is it about this Shepherd that evokes faith and reverence for God, worship and devotion of heart? The answer is found in the revelation of God in Christ, provided to us in the Scriptures from the beginning to the ending of the Bible. The reason for which the Bible speaks so “greatly,” and very specifically, concerning this Shepherd, is for the same reason that Paul writes concerning the preaching of the word of God in the demonstration and power of the Spirit, “…that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:5) Perhaps the greatest, and most simple, illustration of this reality is found in Psalm 23. The revelation that David had of Christ to his heart by the Spirit, brought him to the place of simple, but whole-hearted faith, nothing doubting. But it was a faith that was directional, specific in its application, an application that would change the entirety of his life and ours, if we let it. How did God work in him to bring David to such singular, simple faith, but one that would have remarkable, and lasting repercussions in his life?
Most certainly because David, from a young man, had become a shepherd, the Lord would take that illustration and teach David concerning his relationship with Him. First and foremost, there is the presentation of “The Lord” as “…my Shepherd.” Who is this Shepherd? Certainly not a sinful man, an unfaithful man, a selfish, degenerate man with faults and failures. No. This Man is none other than God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sustainer of life, and provider of all necessary for man to be saved from his sin, himself, the world, and the devil, so that he might truly know God. This Man is none other than the only One who would love the sheep to the point of devising the only way by which the sinner’s sin could be dealt with, and his freedom procured. He is the only One who would prove His love towards the sheep by giving Himself totally unto death on a cross, to motivate man to not only look at Him dying there, but to respond by surrendering all to Him, trusting Him fully. You see, in the revelation of God in Christ, as the Shepherd of the sheep, there is the laying of the foundation, and basis for faith, true, whole-hearted faith in Him. Who could deny that this Shepherd is worthy to be trusted if He went to such lengths to prove His love? Who could refuse to trust this One fully who had made the sinner, kept him, provided for him, revealed that which is good to him, and this by His great care, and attention to the details of that care, feeding and providing rest and peace for the sheep’s soul to be restored. David saw Christ as the Perfect object of faith, filled with wisdom and strength, power and authority to fulfill every promise, but the one who in detail identified with the needs of the sheep. David’s faith was founded on the loving faithfulness of God, revealed in Christ, and specifically applied as the Shepherd of our souls. What does this mean to the seeker of God today, or to the believer who knows Christ but little?
In John’s gospel we find this Shepherd of the sheep, who calls His sheep by their name, draws out the heart of the sheep towards Himself, and then leads them out of the sheepfold, there to principally know Him, His faithfulness, goodness, and love. It is as the sheep follow Him, in faith and obedience, that the sheep come to know Him.
Dear Father, Shepherd us entirely today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.