Yahweh Raah
God By Name • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
We have been studying the theme “God By Name” wherein we are going through the Old Testament and examining those name given to God.
Up to this point we have looked at eight different names for God.
We have seen those names that are found several thousands of times and those found only once.
Today we are going to be looking at Yahweh Raah.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
As one of the most recognizable names or characteristics of God it is interesting how little God is specifically named “Shepherd.”
Don’t get me wrong there are several references to God’s sheep and thus implying He is their Shepherd but specifically called such is very limited.
In fact I only found 8 instances where in God is specifically called a Shepherd in the Old Testament.
Don’t get me wrong there are several references to God’s sheep and thus implying He is their Shepherd but specifically called such is very limited.
We first find this name Raah for God in .
15 And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
The first and most well known is from and that is where we will spend our time today.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
As one of the most recognizable names or characteristics of God it is interesting how little God is specifically named “Shepherd.”
In fact I only found 8 instances where in God is specifically called a Shepherd in the Old Testament.
Don’t get me wrong there are several references to God’s sheep and thus implying He is their Shepherd but specifically called such is very limited.
In we are given a most excellent look at God as a Shepherd of and for His people.
So what makes God such a great Shepherd…first…
He Leads Us
He Leads Us
By Still Waters.
By Still Waters.
God our Shepherd leads his sheep by still waters as not to cause them anxiety or worry.
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.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Yahweh Raah, God our Shepherd, shepherds or leads us to a life of peace but He also leads us…
In The Paths Of Righteousness.
In The Paths Of Righteousness.
God our Shepherd, Yahweh-Raah, leads His sheep on the path that is right and pure.
3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
7 The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous.
10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. 5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
God our Shepherd’s path is straight, level, memorable so as to keep us going where we ought to go.
Summary
Summary
Yahweh Raah is the best leader because He has the desire and power to keep us in peace along the road of righteousness.
If we are willing to follow God our Shepherd we will find righteousness and peace.
Yahweh is shepherd also because…
He Never Leaves Us
He Never Leaves Us
In The Shadow Of Death.
In The Shadow Of Death.
The psalmist here understands that not every journey, even with God our Shepherd, is going to always be as “green pastures & quiet waters.”
There are going to be times when we walk through darkness and gloom.
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.
10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,
22 the land of gloom like thick darkness, like deep shadow without any order, where light is as thick darkness.”
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
No matter the “shadow of death” we find ourselves walking through, God our Shepherd will always be there with us.
In fact, God never leaves us…
By Comforting Us In Trials.
By Comforting Us In Trials.
Though we will go through the “valley of the shadow of death” from time to time we have no need to worry because God’s is there to protect us with His rod and staff.
God’s rod & staff will be our comfort because He uses it to always know when we are there.
32 And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord.
God’s rod & staff will be our comfort because He uses it to keep the ravenous away.
34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.
God’s rod & staff will be our comfort because we know He loves us.
24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Summary
Summary
The reality is, it doesn’t matter what thick darkness we find ourselves in we can know God our Shepherd is right there with us.
As long as we seek Him and long for Him, He will never leaves us nor forsake us (; ).
Lastly, Yahweh is shepherd because…
He Provides For Us
He Provides For Us
By Preparing The Table.
By Preparing The Table.
God our Shepherd is going to provide what we physically need.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Mt 6.
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
God our Shepherd is going to provide what we need spiritually.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
God has provided the ultimate feast by which we must partake of which is Christ Jesus His only begotten.
53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
This feast isn’t given to just anyone, but only to those whom God has provided for…
By Anointing Our Heads.
By Anointing Our Heads.
test John 6:53-55
The anointed of the head by the host to the visitor was a sign of respect and recognition that the guest was distinguished.
We have a saying in our home, the first time you are here you are our guests after that family.
When we sup, God our Shepherds feast, we no longer are guests but family.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
Our anointing demonstrates our place as family instead of stranger in the home of God.
Summary
Summary
In the parable of the Great Banquet, , we see Jesus tell of a great feast God had prepared.
All initially invited rejected the invitation to their Shepherds feast and thus none of those originally invited would tasted of the food prepared.
They missed out the opportunity to (1) enter God’s home, (2) eat what He prepared, and (3) be anointed and become family.
Conclusion
Conclusion
God “our” Shepherd desires to always lead us to peace and safety by always being there for us and always providing for us.
Yahweh Raah loves us!!!
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.