Jehovah-Rohi, The Lord is My Shepherd
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Introduction
Introduction
This evening we continue with our study of God’s names as given in Scripture. As many of you know, we just finished one of the most significant names of God which is His name, Jehovah or YHWH. In studying His name, Jehovah, we discovered that He is a God of righteousness and truth. However, God’s revelation of Himself to man as Jehovah did not stop with just that name. God continued to reveal Himself by using His name Jehovah in conjunction with other nouns. These compound names offer us a developing revelation of His true nature and how He loves His people.
If you have your charts, take them out. Please note that in the box we just finished that we have the name Jehovah. Below it are several other boxes. Those are boxes in which we are going to fill out as we study each compound compilation of Jehovah. In the first box, you can put this name - Jehovah-Rohi.
The quintessential passage for this name of God is Psalm 23. I find it interesting that day we do this study that Psalm 23 was part of my daily Bible reading this morning as I was having my personal devotions. I do not believe that is a coincidence. However, I digress. Take your Bibles and turn to Psalm 23.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Note that it begins with “The LORD (Jehovah) is my shepherd.” In Hebrew, the word for shepherd is the word “r’h.” Now, remember that in Hebrew there are no vowels. As a verb, it is pronounced as “raha” and as a noun, it is pronounced “rohi.”
ra˓ah (רָעָה, 7462), “to pasture, shepherd.” This common Semitic root appears in Akkadian, Phoenician, Ugaritic, Aramaic, and Arabic. It is attested in all periods of Hebrew and about 170 times in the Bible.
To understand it in context, we must turn to Genesis 29:7 and the life of Jacob.
7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
Here we see a shepherds responsibility is to “feed” the sheep. Later, in Genesis 37:2, we read the following.
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
Joseph also, as a shepherd, tended the sheep by ensuring they were fed. Later, as we move into the Old and New Testaments, the Holy Spirit takes the responsibility of shepherds and applies to a myriad of authoritative positions such as a king, a leader, and, eventually in the New Testament, a pastor. Note this example concerning kings.
2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
As you can see, the word “r’h” is used figuratively as providing nourishment for those under a person’s care. They were to “feed them.”
21 The lips of the righteous feed many: But fools die for want of wisdom.
Now, as we go back to Psalm 23, we find the noun form when it states “The LORD is my shepherd.” In other words, Jehovah, the God of righteousness and truth, is the One Who feeds me. He is the Great Shepherd.
We can take these thoughts and give it this consideration. God revealed Himself to Israel as “YHWH” [Jehovah], the God of righteousness. Later, as Israel wandered through the wilderness and, even later, as they lived in Canaan, they behaved like sheep. They were in need of someone to guide them, feed them, protect them, and care for them. As we know, God did just that. Through all the trails, temptations, dangers, and difficulties, God was their shepherd. He lovingly provided nourishment, guidance, and protection. He was their faithful Shepherd.
This is interesting when you consider that Israel was, in a sense, a pastoral people. They were shepherds themselves. Many of them had herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. Without any doubt, they fully understood the duties and demands of shepherding. Consequently, as God revealed Himself as the Great Shepherd there was no doubt in their minds what that entailed.
Going back to our text, David was a shepherd long before he became a king. And, as we know, David had a wonderful relationship with God. Therefore, it should not surprise us that he would pen the words “The LORD [YHWH, Jehovah] is my Shepherd [r’h].” David begins this great Psalm with name of Jehovah and ends it with the name of Jehovah.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
The Hebrew word “r’h” is found in 142 verses of the Old Testament. It is used 171 times. When you examine how it is translated into English you gain a great understanding of its use. It is most often translated as “shepherd, shepherd’s, and shepherds.” However, it is also translated as “feed, feeding, feedeth, feedest, or fed.” Additionally, it is translated as “pastor, pastors, herdmen, keeper.”
However, in Proverbs 28:7, we read this.
7 Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: But he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.
Here, “r’h” is translated as “companion.” You will find the same rendering in Judges 14:20.
I note all that to say this. These different renderings gives us a complete picture of the LORD as our Great Shepherd. He is our Feeder as He continually provides for us. He is our Keeper as He protects us. He is our Companion Who is always there to cheer us and to comfort us. He is our Pastor as He guides us. He is our Herdsman as He gathers us. Finally, He is our Shepherd as He watches over us. All of which we could spend an enormous amount of time studying. However, I simply want you to understand that when God revealed Himself as our Shepherd, He chose a designation which pictures Him as a loving, caring, and personal God.
His Revelation as a Shepherd
His Revelation as a Shepherd
Let’s do a little interactive exercise this evening. Here is the exercise. The Old Testament is replete with men who were shepherds. For example, who is the very first man to be noted as a shepherd in the Old Testament? Does anyone know? The answer is Abel.
2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Now here is the exercise. Help me list in order after Abel the notable men of the Old Testament that were shepherds. Let’s try to name them and put them in order. It does not have to be a comprehensive list.
Do the exercise!
Now, here is what I want you to see from our exercise. God used a very common, blue collar occupation as a means to reveal Himself to us. Each of these men were experienced shepherds. Everyday, as they watched over their flocks, they understood that these sheep were defenseless. Sheep needed someone who was stronger and much more intelligent than them to guard them and protect them. All around these sheep were predators who were waiting to pounce on them and destroy them. These men, who we see today as faithful men of God, needed to see themselves as sheep. Spiritually speaking, these men were just as defenseless and lost as sheep. Therefore, God provided Himself as a mirror of their own occupation. He showed them He was the only One Who could feed them, lead them, and protect them spiritually. They needed One Who was stronger and more intelligent than them to do so. Thus, it was Jehovah Who reached down with His loving and strong arm. He gathered them into His bosom and became their defender and nurturer.
This picture of God revealed Him as a close personal companion to His people. There was close bond between the shepherd and his sheep. Later, as men took on leadership roles, God used that same relationship to illustrate their responsibility to those placed under their care. We noted this earlier when we read 2 Samuel 5:2
2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
God said the same of King Cyrus.
28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, And shall perform all my pleasure: Even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; And to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Later, as God used priests and prophets, He reiterated this relationship noting them as “pastors” which is the same word for “shepherds.”
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
8 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
We find then that this name, Jehovah-Rohi, paints God as a tender, intimate God who loves and cares for His own. Yes, He is Jehovah, the God of righteousness and truth. There is no doubt that He loves righteousness and desires for His people to have that same love. However, in the same breath, He is always near and ready to lead, guide, and protect.
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with his arm, And carry them in his bosom, And shall gently lead those that are with young.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
When we come to the New Testament, we find the same wonderful picture of Christ as the Great Shepherd. He is Jehovah-Rohi. Think about it. The announcement of His birth was not announced before kings and queens. Instead, God chose lowly shepherds in a field watching their sheep. Why shepherds? Christ was the Great Shepherd come to SEEK and SAVE the sheep that were lost. In Hebrews, we find Him as the Great Shepherd of the sheep.
20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
And, in 1 Peter 5:4, Christ is revealed as the chief Shepherd.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Each instance of Christ as Shepherd invokes His compassion for those who have no shepherd. At the same time, it reminds us how much He deeply loves us and cares for us who are His sheep. One day very soon, He will be our Jehovah-Rohi for all of eternity.
17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
His Relationship as Our Shepherd
His Relationship as Our Shepherd
For this next point, I want to take you back to the Psalms. In particular, we are going to consider some thoughts from Psalm 22 and Psalm 23. There is deep connection between the two.
Psalm 22 is often known as the Psalm of the Savior or the Calvary Psalm. You will recognize the first verse immediately.
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
This is the same thing that Christ said upon the cross. One commentator said this “psalm is indeed a photograph of Calvary, a memorial of the heartbreak of Jesus.” Which each verse of this psalm, we can see the agony of the cross. That is Psalm 22.
We then have Psalm 23. Unfortunately, more people know Psalm 23 than they do Psalm 22. Psalm 23 is known as the Psalm of the Shepherd. Here is the connection between the two. You cannot know the Shepherd of Psalm 23 until you know the Savior of Psalm 22. It is only the sheep who hear the voice of the Shepherd and there is only one way into His fold. He came as as the sacrificial Lamb. In laying down His own life, He made it possible for us to once again have that personal relationship of a shepherd and his sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Not everyone can call Him their Shepherd. You can read Psalm 23 all you want and claim it as your own, however, it means nothing unless you first claim Him as your personal Savior as described in Psalm 22. The wonderful privilege of being His only comes when you personally accept. And, like a good shepherd, Jehovah-Rohi knows the number of His sheep. He also knows them by name. Additionally, there is no one sheep that is lost while under His protection. We can rest assured that we eternally secure in His arms.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Christ as the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd
Christ as the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd
I already alluded to these three adjectives that describe Christ as the our Shepherd. However, I want to explore them just a little bit more.
He is the Good Shepherd - Redemption
He is the Good Shepherd - Redemption
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
One of the great characteristic of a good shepherd is his willingness to give his life for his sheep. Christ did just that for you and me. Now, remember, we, as believers, are His sheep. He gave His life for us. Yet, we know and understand that He gave His life for any who will believe and call upon His name.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
It is impossible for us to fully understand the scope of Christ giving His life for us. What we do know is this! It please Jehovah, the God of righteousness, that Christ willingly subjected Himself to the Father’s will and became the offering for sin.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He is the Great Shepherd - Resurrection
He is the Great Shepherd - Resurrection
The Gospel, the good news, is more than just Christ’s death. It is His death, burial, and resurrection. Christ, as the great shepherd, declared in Revelation 1:18
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Already, I have given you Hebrews 13:20, but read it with me again.
20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Note that God “brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus.” Who brought Him forth? It was the God of peace, Jehovah-Shalom. Now, as He, the Lord Jesus Christ, lives, as the great Shepherd, He cares for His own causing them to “lie down in green pastures” and to “sit beside still waters.” He knows our every need. Thus, He cares for you and me.
He is the Chief Shepherd - Rewards
He is the Chief Shepherd - Rewards
Note the instruction of 1 Peter 5:2-4
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Here the Holy Spirit is instructing pastors to “feed (shepherd) the flock” given to them by God. Then, in verse 6, He lays out the consequence of feeding the flock. He reminds us that we, as pastors having oversight of the local church, are commissioned by the Chief Shepherd to serve, not lord over, what He has entrusted to us. Perhaps, as Peter was penning these words, he was remembering the words of Christ when He said to Peter the following.
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
As he remember those words, he recognizes Christ as the Chief Shepherd. As pastors, we must recognize that we are in partnership with Chief Shepherd as His faithful under-shepherds. Our duty is not to strive for rewards (filthy lucre), but obtain the “crown of glory” give by Him. Our crown is different than the rewards of this earth. It is one that does not fade away and thus it is everlasting. It is a wonderful thing to be called of God to serve Him as one of His under-shepherds. And, one of the amazing things of ministry is to see others come to Christ and serve Him. Paul noted this when the Holy Spirit penned the letter the believers in Thessalonica. They were his crown of rejoicing. Thus, as pastors, we have the opportunity to receive the crown of glory while enjoying a crown of rejoicing as we serve the Lord and others.
Conclusion
Conclusion
If we go back to Psalm 23 as we conclude, I want to leave this thought with you. A noted Bible scholar suggested that you can see the compound names and titles of Jehovah in Psalm 23. Note his observation.
Psalm 23:1 (KJV 1900)
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Jehovah-Rohi [LORD is my shepherd]
Psalm 23:1 (KJV 1900)
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Jehovah-Jireh [The LORD will provide]
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
Jehovah-Shalom [LORD of peace]
Psalm 23:3 (KJV 1900)
3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Jehovah-Ropheka [The LORD heals]
Psalm 23:3 (KJV 1900)
3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Jehovah-Tsidkenu [The LORD is righteousness]
Psalm 23:4 (KJV 1900)
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Jehovah-Shammai [The LORD is there]
Psalm 23:5 (KJV 1900)
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Jehovah-Nissi [The LORD is my banner or my defense]
Psalm 23:5 (KJV 1900)
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Jehovah M’Kaddesh [The LORD does sanctify]
He is truly Jehovah Elohim - The LORD God!