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.
Jeremiah 23:5
This morning I was reading in Jeremiah 23. It's a great text to help prepare my heart for Christmas. It is fitting for the Advent season because verse 5 is packed with holy anticipation: "the days are coming". In typical prophetic fashion, the "days" unfold across an expanse of time. Although prophetic literature can be a bit mysterious, I feel confident that Jeremiah allows me to see a glimpse of the arrival of the Savior and the reign of His Majesty Jesus. The description of Jesus is powerful. He is a king unlike any other. He will reign in righteousness. he will "deal" wisely and execute justice. What a king! Yet, to separate Jeremiah's prophetic description of the Savior from the desperate context is a tragedy. Jeremiah 23 begins with an ugly indictment: "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter sheep. The shepherds in Jeremiah's day failed to protect the sheep. They failed to "attend" to them. What is a shepherd's primary responsibility? Jesus answered that question centuries later when He told Peter to "tend my sheep". No wonder Jesus Himself revealed that He saw us as "sheep without a shepherd" and His heart was broken because we are lost without Him. As I think about the contrast between shepherds who failed and the King who has succeeded, I cannot help but notice a little bonus in terms of remembering this glorious chapter in Jeremiah. The numbering of the chapter provide a great mental connection. Perhaps the first passage of Scripture that I memorized as a child was Chapter 23 of the Psalms and it begins with a verse that I frequently quote in the morning as I speak to the Lord. ?The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." What kind of Shepherd? He leads me. He heals me. He is "Immanuel", God with me in the valley of the shadow of death. He calms my fears. He restores my soul. Yes, Jeremiah, He is wise and wonderful, He is a righteous Branch and He reigns.
Jeremiah 23:5
This morning I was reading in Jeremiah 23. It's a great text to help prepare my heart for Christmas. It is fitting for the Advent season because verse 5 is packed with holy anticipation: "the days are coming". In typical prophetic fashion, the "days" unfold across an expanse of time. Although prophetic literature can be a bit mysterious, I feel confident that Jeremiah allows me to see a glimpse of the arrival of the Savior and the reign of His Majesty Jesus. The description of Jesus is powerful. He is a king unlike any other. He will reign in righteousness. he will "deal" wisely and execute justice. What a king! Yet, to separate Jeremiah's prophetic description of the Savior from the desperate context is a tragedy. Jeremiah 23 begins with an ugly indictment: "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter sheep. The shepherds in Jeremiah's day failed to protect the sheep. They failed to "attend" to them. What is a shepherd's primary responsibility? Jesus answered that question centuries later when He told Peter to "tend my sheep". No wonder Jesus Himself revealed that He saw us as "sheep without a shepherd" and His heart was broken because we are lost without Him. As I think about the contrast between shepherds who failed and the King who has succeeded, I cannot help but notice a little bonus in terms of remembering this glorious chapter in Jeremiah. The numbering of the chapter provide a great mental connection. Perhaps the first passage of Scripture that I memorized as a child was Chapter 23 of the Psalms and it begins with a verse that I frequently quote in the morning as I speak to the Lord. ?The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." What kind of Shepherd? He leads me. He heals me. He is "Immanuel", God with me in the valley of the shadow of death. He calms my fears. He restores my soul. Yes, Jeremiah, He is wise and wonderful, He is a righteous Branch and He reigns.
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