Proper 10 (OT)

Jeremiah 23:1-8

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. ² Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. ³ Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. ⁴ I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

⁵ “Behold, the days are coming, declares 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. ⁶ In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

⁷ “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ ⁸ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”

How often have you thought of God as the LORD who brought up his people from the land of Egypt? Sometimes people think of the LORD who brought his people up out of slavery. But God has done both these things. He brought his people out of the land of Slavery. He brought his people back from the land of Babylon. He has also delivered you from your own sin.

I have heard of some pretty bad shepherds. But it seems a little strange for a shepherd to send his sheep away to other pastures. Taking the sheep to the meat locker, seems understandable, but this might not make for the best illustration. God has allowed his sheep to be scattered. They have been spread to foreign lands. They have found their way into devastating thoughts and down paths that lead to destruction.

But there is some good news. The days are coming and in fact have already been. The LORD will raise up for David a righteous branch. He will make a True King for his Sheep. He will give them a Good Shepherd. He will give them the one who will save Judah and Israel and all God’s people.

The Father sent his only Son to be our Good Shepherd. He laid down his life for you and me. He died so that we might have life. Proceeding from the Father and the Son was the Holy Spirit, who calls gathers and enlightens the whole Christian Church on earth. He has brought us to dwell in the Land of God. He has brought us to an eternal inheritance. As the LORD lives who brought us from death to life, this is our God, Father Son and Holy Spirit.