Shepherding Throughout the Scriptures

This week we being our study of the final chapter of 1 Peter. We will spend the next couple of months unpacking chapter 5. This chapter is Peter’s final instructions to the church and the elders of the Church. Peter explains how we are to live and serve in the body of Christ. He also goes on to give us some final warnings in resisting our adversary the roaring lion who seeks to devour us along with reminding us of our final glory that awaits us in Christ!

However, before we jump into chapter 5 we are going to spend some time backtracking to consider the shepherding theme that Peter raises in the first four verses of chapter 5.

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory.

Do you see this strong exhortation to the elders and the reason for it? Because he as a fellow elder, and a witness to Christ sufferings (an apostle), and a fellow partaker in glory. Peter has the authority, experience, and credibility to call elders to the role and responsibility.

But more than that he reminds the elders and the church who the Chief Shepherd is and that He is returning. In light of this we want to look back throughout the Scriptures and understand this imagery, theme, the and doctrine of shepherding!

When you think about Shepherds or shepherding in the Scripture, where do your thoughts go?

Do you think of she shepherds in Genesis? What or who are some of the shepherds in Genesis?

Do you think about a great king who started out as a shepherd boy? What do we know about Him as a shepherd?

He lived with the sheep.

He protected the sheep.

He provided for the sheep.

What about the LORD’s call and condemnation of the shepherds of Israel in the OT? There is no better explanation and exposition of the role of the shepherd in Ezekiel chapter 34. Now I want us to read verses 1-24 to set the stage for the rest of our study of Shepherding in the OT, NT, Gospels, and Peter’s epistle. As we read these verses I want you to look at all the things the LORD call’s shepherds to do and what he will do as a Shepherd. Make a note mental or on with a pen on the roles and responsibilities of a shepherd as it comes straight from the voice of God.

Switch from slide to Logos Bible.

English Standard Version Chapter 34

34 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; 6 they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.

7 “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8 As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 10 Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

The Lord GOD Will Seek Them Out

11 “For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 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 on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

17 “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken.

Now as you consider this condemnation of the shepherds of Israel, and the LORD saying, I will shepherd my people and that he will set up His servant David to shepherd them what is the next place in Scripture you think of, probably the most well known passage on shepherding?

The LORD Is My Shepherd

: A Psalm of David

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want

Notice how David begins this Psalm proclaiming,

The LORD, the God of Israel is his shepherd. This is a personal profession David makes. He is saying this the LORD shepherds Him. He is the LORD’s sheep. He belongs to the LORD. We know from that means he knows the LORD’s voice and follows Him.

The rest of this Psalm is David’s explanation of what it means to have the LORD as his shepherd, what it means for you and I to have the LORD as our personal shepherd.

Derek Kidner explains it this way,

Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary The Shepherd (23:1–4)

The Lord, as often in the Psalms, occupies here the first and emphatic place, and the my reveals a pledged relationship which dares to link The Lord (is) … with the incongruous I shall … Everything in the psalm flows from that.

Think about what we have learned about shepherds from the Scriptures. What are some truths we should learn from this imagery David uses here describing the LORD as his shepherd?

Protects his sheep

Provides for his sheep

Lead his sheep

Feeds his sheep

Guides his sheep

Abides with his sheep

Tends his sheep

David is saying in this shepherd imagery these are all the things the LORD does for me as my shepherd.

So following that phrase David says in light of the I Shall…David responds to the LORD’s shepherding because of the LORD’s care for him.

Ultimately David says, because the LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. What David is saying here as long as the LORD is my shepherd I shall not lack, I shall not need anything, I shall not be without anything I need to live as long as I am under the tending and care of the good Shepherd.

Gerald Wilson rightly states, “The focus of the word “want” is not so much on the idea of “desiring” something as on “lacking” something needed. The psalmist does not mean Yahweh shepherds us by giving us everything we desire. Rather, those who trust in Yahweh as sheep do in a shepherd will never lack for whatever they need.” Wilson, Gerald; The NIV Application Commentary: Psalms Volume 1; Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI; 2002 (pg. 23)

There may be times from a sheep's perspective we think we lack but that is when we have to continue to look to and entrust in the good Shepherd knowing that he cares for his sheep.

You may ask how specifically does the good shepherd care for His sheep? Verses 2-6 tell us.

In verse 2,

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He, the shepherd, makes his sheep lie down in a peaceful, safe place with plenty to eat. Sheep are scary critters. They are nervous by nature, therefor for them to lay down they must be assured that there are know predators lurking outside the fold. The also must be free from pests, lice, mites and parasites that may keep them from resting. Along with all of that they must not be hungry if they are going to lie down.

Every time I read or think of this text, my mind goes back to the time I spent in Nebraska working on a ranch during college. I was up in NC Nebraska in a area they call the sand hills. This area in NE is known for it’s rolling hills, sandy soil, and massive underwater aquifer. I was up there in 1993 as winter ended and spring began. As the snow melted and the ground thawed these rolling pastures began to flourish with native grasses. By the time I left these grasses were about knee deep, green, and lush. When you looked across these pastures there was nothing more beautiful. When you watched the cows graze and the grass was nearly up to their belly you had confidence that they would be well fed.

One of the last things we had to do when spring arrived is drive these cows down to summer grazing which was about 25 miles from the home place where the Rancher Mr. Stuart wintered his herd and where they would keep them during calving season. Now as we were driving these cattle we would have to do down dirt roads, crossed a couple of highways, around a few homes, a one room school house or two. You constantly had to be on the lookout for cows bolting from the herd, cars that would come by and cause an confusion and chaos, but it was the job of the cowboys and girls to keep the herd together safe and to the pasture where we would keep the cows overnight before we drove them on to summer pasture the next day. By late that afternoon we finally got to the green pasture where the cows would be kept for the night, the lead man in the front open the gate, we drove them in, and they where able to lay down, eat, and rest safely for the night until we picked up the next day and continued the drive.

Do you see the similarity between ranchers and shepherds? They both must care for their herds and flocks. They both must ensure they have a safe place to lie down and eat. A place where they are protected from predators, rustlers, and have plenty to eat before they continue their journey.

Now you have to compare this to the lands in the times and places of the Bible. They were not in the lush, green, sand hills of Nebraska. They were in dry, rocky, rolling hills with sparse areas with scattered grass. The predators were greater in number and the effort it took to care for these sheep brought about greater danger for the shepherd and the sheep.

How well do you rest when you are itching?

How well do you rest when you are hungry?

I love what James Montgomery Boice says here,

Psalms, Volume 1: (Psalms 1–41): An Expositional Commentary I Shall Not Lack Rest

Fear. Friction. Flies. Famine. Sheep must be free from each of these to be contented. And as Keller notes, only the shepherd can provide the trust, peace, deliverance, and pasture that is needed to free the sheep from them.

These were all the responsibilities of the shepherd. And David said His shepherd, the LORD takes care of all of these things for Him!

Do you see the application for God’s sheep who have the LORD as their shepherd?

How well do you rest when you are fearful?

How well do you rest when you are itching?

How well do you rest when you are hungry?

Next in verse 2 David says,

He leads me beside still waters.

David continues this idea of faithful tending by the Good Shepherd. He explains he leads him to a place to drink from a cool, refreshing, still, life sustaining stream! Sheep need fresh water, they need a place to drink safely because of their defenselessness. They are not the most agile to navigate rough, fast flowing waters. Neither do they have much of a defense mechanism, no horns, no claws, no teeth. Therefore the shepherd must make sure they drink living water safely!

Again, I have never been around sheep much, but have spent some time around livestock. Thinking back to the pasture and land in Nebraska another one of the amazing things about this area was the artisan well fed water troughs in the Sand hills. This water was so clean and fresh you could drink out of the troughs right beside the cows. This water was not man made, but God provided clean, refreshing water which kept the cows nourished, hydrated, and healthy.

On the other hand, when I was working down at the UGA beef research farm in Tifton we had a bull penned outside one of the feedlots. When one day we were pumping out the waste from below the slotted feedlots which was not clean, but green if you could imaging. Before we knew it this bull had went over and started drinking this contaminated water. Within an hour he was broadside, convulsing, until finally he kicked the bucket. It was a quick and violent death. We didn’t make sure this bull was lead to clean, still water and it would be the cause of His death!

Here are a couple considerations for us as the LORD’s sheep?

Have you drank of the living Water? Or are you still thirsty?

Have you tasted and saw that the LORD is good?

If you have, are you resting in Christ?

Verse 3 has to be one of my favorite.

3 He restores my soul.

The LORD is the one who restores his sheep souls. He brings them back to what they ought to be, causes them to return to the state which was intended. Brings them from death and decay of soul to a living and loving soul.

In the shepherd sheep imagery, picture the sheep near death, lethargic, barely breathing, gaunt, and haggard looking. The gathers him up in his arms, cleans him, medicates him, and restores him to life.

Do you think that sheep will follow that shepherd? He goes on to say of the LORD,

He leads me in path’s of righteousness

The LORD has brought the sheep to life and know he leads him in the right ways to stay alive. He leads in on the right path, the righteous path, the narrow path. I am not going to spend a lot of time expounding on how foolish sheep are, because we all know that, but I do want to talk for a minute about how foolish we can be as God’s sheep. How we can get off on a path that is not righteous, if we are not looking to the Good Shepherd.

How do we make sure we are being lead by the LORD?

Do you remember why the Shepherd restores and leads his sheep?

for His name’s sake.

Yes, all that God does for his sheep, for his church, is for our good. But it is ultimately for His Glory. For His names sake. The more he cares for us the more we praise Him, the more we worship Him. Through His restoring, converting, sustaining, and tending God’s goodness is shown and His sheep are strengthened.

Does this mean that there are never going to be any hard times, no fear, or no suffering?

David explains this in verse 4, He writes,

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

David says even as I am following the LORD as my shepherd there are going to be deep, dark, valley’s I am walking through. There are going to be times I see the shadow of death looming over me. It is going to look like I am at death’s door. But even during these times,

I will fear no evil,

I will not be scared of those things or those people who look like they may destroy my body. Or as Peter says, I will not fear anything that is frightening. David knew he was in God’s fold, he was one of God’s sheep and because of this he could boldly say, I will not fear,

for you are with me;

David knew the Good Shepherd did not leave his sheep, even in the valley, he didn’t send them through it, he led his sheep through the valley, he was prepared to kill lion and bear with his bare hands as David was.

Is there anyone more qualified to speaking about the the LORD Shepherding through the Valley of Death than David? Think of all of the years he spent on the run from Saul and even his own son. He continually trusted in the LORD even when he saw opportunity to avenge or protect himself.

However there is one more qualified to teach us on this verse. It is the Good Shepherd himself. Consider his walk through the valley’s of death.

Andrew Bonar explains,

Christ and His Church in the Book of Psalms Psalm 23

It was not once only, (though it was specially as the Garden and the Cross drew near,) that his soul was in “the valley of death-shade,” (ver. 4). But he passed all in safety; even when he came to that thick gloom of Calvary. And He who led Him through will never leave one of his disciples to faint there.

How much more should we trust in a Shepherd who has been shepherded by the LORD, by God the Father. Who trusted him through temptations, trials, and tortured to the point of death!

How many of us have been face to face with the devil after 40 days of fasting? Do you think he can shepherd us through our temptations?

How many of us have been tried through suffering, rejection of our own family, of our own people, and mocked to the level Christ was?

How many of us have been led to a cruel cross where we were slapped, whipped, had our skull ripped, hands and feet pierced, suffocated, and speared?

Is Christ enough to comfort us in the midst of a “valley of death” that we may experience?

Not only is Christ unequally qualified for the role of Shepherd, Christ is not unarmed and without weapons to protect His sheep.

However, the shepherd is not unarmed and without weapons to protect His sheep.

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

I don’t know about you but if I am in a dangerous place it is a comfort to look up and see a policeman armed or a security guard armed ready to engage then enemy. David looking to the LORD as his shepherd knew he had the rod and staff and knew that he was able and willing to use it. Either to crack a predator on the head with a rod, or the staff to hook the sheep around the neck and snatch him back in line to get him out of danger.

Are you comforted by the LORD in times of danger when death is near?

Do you trust in the LORD to protect you and discipline you as needed?

Christ the Good Shepherd is where we ought to find our comfort!

So far in this Psalm we have see the LORD as the Shepherd provide, Peace, Guidance, and Protection. As we come to verse 5 we see the Shepherd as one who provides daily provisions.

Peace, Guidance, and Protection. As we come to verse 5 we see the LORD as the Good Shepherd providing

5 You prepare a table before me

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;\

Notice first, that the LORD is the provider of his people’s food. He prepare’s their table, he provides for them all they are to eat. He does this in the midst of his people’s enemies. He wants to make sure they are taken care of, but he also wants them to know who this feast came from. As God provides for His people we are to be a thankful people, recognizing that it is the LORD our Shepher who provides the meat and food for us to eat. He is the one who makes sure we are fed and therefore we are the ones whom should praise Him with Thanksgiving for all he has provided!

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.