Scripture Reading(s)
Jeremiah 23:1-6
23:1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.
23:2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD.
23:3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
23:4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD.
23:5 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
23:6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The LORD is our righteousness.”
Reflections
There will come a time when those who have been placed in a position of authority, specifically those called to lead the church, that they will be held accountable for their actions. Those who have faithfully lead the people of God will be blessed and those who have preached false messages will be judged.
When one takes up the role of leadership within the church and preaching, they are held to a higher standard. It is not a position or role that one should take lightly and it is one that God expects for those in that position to treat with care, respect and value. God wants to use people to be His vessels and if one is misusing that role, as verse 5 indicates, justice and righteousness will be executed.
God will simply remove those who are abusing their role and raise up others. He is not a God who sits idly by watching as those mistreat His people and His name. If we are in a position of ministry or entering into one, let us be sure to examine our hearts, motives and actions. Let us ask for God’s help in equipping us to properly do His work and follow in obedience after Him.
Someone asked me once why the Jews don’t believe that Jesus was the messiah. I told them that certain parts of the OT seem to remain unfulfilled. This prophetic word by Jeremiah would fall into that category because accompanying the root of Jessie was supposed to be the salvation of Judah and the restoration of the land. There is a second school if thought on these types of passages which state that when Jesus returns these hanging prophecies will be completed. I cannot claim to have a hard opinion on either view except that Shalom prophecies tend to have a lot of overlap with what we thing of when Jesus returns.
For those of us who are followers of Christ and that believe in the return of Jesus we should eagerly look forward to the day that we are in the eternal home of our shepherd, Jesus. Eventually this world we know will be renewed and we will have a new heaven and new earth. We will live eternally with the Father and no longer will the cares of this world plague us.
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