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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PSALM 23
LESSON #17
THE SHEPHERDS MINISTRY
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 23:6
PSALMS 22, 23, AND 24 BELONG TOGETHER. THEY ARE CALLED THE “SHEPHERD PSALMS”.THEY ARE ALL ILLUSTRATIONS OF JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SHEPHERD.
READ JOH 10:1-18
| PSALM 22 | PSALM 23 | PSALM 24 | |
| THE TITLE AND RELATED SCRIPTURE: |
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
JOH 10:11 |
THE GREAT SHEPHERD
HEB 13:20-21 |
THE CHIEF SHEPHERD
1PET 5:4 |
| THE SYMBOLIC VIEW: | THE CROSS | THE SHEPHERDS CROOK | THE CROWN |
| THE PERSON OF CHRIST: | THE SAVIOR | THE SATISFIER | THE SOVEREIGN |
| THE PERSPECTIVE OF TIME:: | CHRIST DIES
THE PAST |
CHRIST LIVES
THE PRESENT |
CHRIST IS COMING
THE FUTURE |
| CHRISTS IMPORTANT MISSION: | HE IS THE FOUNDATION. | HE IS THE MANIFESTATION | HE IS THE EXPECTATION. |
| CHRISTS GIVING ACTION: | HE GIVES HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP | HE GIVES HIS LOVE TO THE SHEEP. | HE GIVES HIS LIGHT WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR. |
DAVID PROBABLY WROTE PSALM 23 WHEN HE WAS A MATURE KING, AND NOT WHEN HE WAS A SHEPHERDBOY IN THE FIELD. IN THIS PSALM WE SEE A BELIEVERS MATURITY IN HIS LONG RELATIONSHIPWITH HIS SAVIOR. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS PROBABLY OLD WHEN HE WROTE IT, DAVID NEVER FORGOT HISSHEPHERD EXPERIENCE OR HIS HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
THE PRIMARY INTERPRETATION AND THE PERSONAL APPLICATION:
READ PSA 23:1-6 DAVIDS EXPERIENCE AS A SHEPHERD
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP:
THE SHEEP DEPEND ON THE SHEPHERD FOR EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIVES:
THEY NEED FOOD, PROTECTION, GUIDANCE, LOVE, HEALING WHEN THEY ARE SICK, AND SALVATION WHENTHEY ARE LOST.
THE SHEPHERD SPENDS EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT CONTINUALLY WITH HIS SHEEP.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SHEPHERDS AND SHEEP IN ORDER TO BETTERUNDERSTAND THIS PSALM. YOU WILL RECOGNIZE REFERENCES TO SOME OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS INTHIS PSALM.
THE NATURE OF SHEEP:
1. SHEEP ARE VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT THE WATER THEY DRINK. THEY ARE EASILY FRIGHTENED ANDWILL NOT DRINK FROM RUSHING STREAMS. THE WATER MUST BE STILL. THEY WILL NOT DRINK WHEREPIGS DRINK, NOR WILL THEY DRINK STAGNANT WATER. (SEE VS. 2)
2. SHEEP BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THEIR SHEPHERD AND ARE COMFORTABLE WITH HIM AND HISSHEPHERDS CROOK. THEY ALSO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH HIS VOICE BECAUSE HE TALKS TO THEMALL DAY. (JOH 10:4,14)
3. SHEEP BECOME SO ENGROSSED IN THEIR OWN EATING PATTERN THAT THEY DO NOT WATCH WHERE THEYGO. THEREFORE, THEY CAN EASILY GET LOST AND MUST BE CONSTANTLY LED. THE SHEPHERD MUST BECAREFUL NOT TO PUSH THE SHEEP BUT TO LEAD THEM. (SEE VS. 3)
4. BECAUSE SHEEP ARE SO PREOCCUPIED WITH EATING, THEY ARE NOT CAREFUL TO AVOID SHARP ROCKSOR THORNS. THEY FREQUENTLY BECOME CUT AND BRUISED. (SEE VS. 5)
5. SHEEP DO NOT LIE DOWN UNTIL THEY ARE NO LONGER HUNGRY AND FULLY SATISFIED. (SEE VS. 2)
6. SHEEP MUST BE KEPT MOVING BECAUSE AS THEY GRAZE THEY PULL UP THE GRASS BY THE ROOTS.THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM COWS WHO ONLY CUT OFF THE TOPS OF THE GRASS. NEW PASTURES MUST BEFOUND CONTINUOUSLY FOR SHEEP.(SEE VS. 2)
7. THE NATURE OF SHEEP IS THAT THEY ARE STUBBORN, HARD-HEADED, FILTHY ANIMALS. THEY ARENOT LIKE THE CUTE, SOFT, AND STUFFED VARIETY WE BUY IN THE STORE FOR OUR BABIES.
THE NATURE OF A SHEPHERD:
1. A SHEPHERDS POSITION IN SOCIETY WAS VERY LOW AND WITHOUT ANY CIVIL RIGHTS.
2. A SHEPHERD LOVED HIS SHEEP AND KNEW THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EVERY ONE OFTHEM. HE COULD INDIVIDUALLY DISTINGUISH HIS SHEEP FROM HIS NEIGHBORS SHEEP. (JOH10:14)
3. HE USED HIS OWN PERSONALLY MADE SHEPHERDS CROOK WITH WHICH THE SHEEP BECAMEFAMILIAR (SEE VS. 4)
4. THE SHEPHERD WOULD LEAD HIS SHEEP TO HIGH TABLE LAND WHERE HE COULD SEE LONG DISTANCESFOR POSSIBLE PREDATORS. (SEE VS. 4)
5. THE SHEPHERD MUST KNOW WHERE ARE THE STILL WATERS AND THE UNGRAZED FIELDS ARE SO THATHIS SHEEP DO NOT RUN OUT OF WATER AND PASTURE. (SEE VS. 2)
6. THE SHEPHERD SLEEPS ACROSS THE DOORWAY OF THE SHEEPFOLD TO PREVENT HIS SHEEP FROMESCAPING AS WELL AS PREVENTING WOLVES FROM ENTERING THE SHEEPFOLD. (JOH 10:7-8)
7. A SHEPHERD INDIVIDUALLY EXAMINED HIS SHEEP DAILY FOR CUTS AND APPLIED WARM OIL ON THEMFOR HEALING. (SEE VS. 5)
8. THE SHEPHERD CARRIED A NEWBORN SHEEP IN HIS ROBE NEXT TO HIS HEART UNTIL IT WAS OLDENOUGH TO WALK ON HIS OWN. A SICK, OLDER SHEEP HE WOULD CARRY ACROSS HIS SHOULDERS.
WHAT SPECIFIC ACTS OF MINISTRY DOES PSALM 23 TELL US THAT JESUS CHRIST WILL DO FOR HISPEOPLE? DISCUSSION
PSA 23:1
“THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD; I SHALL NOT WANT.”
THROUGH ALL HIS LIFE, DAVID EXPERIENCED GODS NEVER-ENDING SUPPLY OF BLESSINGS. HEDID NOT SAY THAT THERE WERE TIMES WHEN HE DID NOT WANT SOMETHING FROM GOD. WE HAVE SEENTHOSE “WANTS” IN MANY OF THE PSALMS WE HAVE ALREADY STUDIED. HOWEVER,DAVIDS EXPERIENCE WAS THAT GOD SUPPLIED ALL THAT HE NEEDED WHEN HE NEEDED IT.
IN THIS FIRST VERSE, WE SEE THAT DAVID HAS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST. YOUMUST KNOW JESUS CHRIST IN PSA 22 AS YOUR SAVIOR, THE GOOD SHEPHERD, BEFORE YOU CAN KNOWHIM IN PSA 23 AS YOUR SATISFIER, THE GREAT SHEPHERD, WHO WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS.
PSA 23:2
“HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES:
HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS.”
WE SEE THIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP IN ALMOST EVERY LINE WHEN IT SAYS “HE” ANDTHEN “ME”.
IN THIS VERSE WE SEE HOW JESUS CHRIST, OUR SHEPHERD, SUPPLIES OUR NEEDS JUST AS A SHEPHERDSUPPLIES THE NEEDS OF HIS SHEEP.
THE GREEN PASTURES REPRESENT ABUNDANT SUPPLY WHERE THE SHEEP BECOME FULLY SATISFIED ANDLIE DOWN.
THE STILL WATERS REPRESENT PEACE.
PSA 23:3
“HE RESTORETH MY SOUL;
HE LEADETH ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAMES SAKE.”
DAVID KNEW THE RESTORING POWER OF JESUS CHRIST WHEN GOD FORGAVE HIM OF HIS SINS.
JUST AS SHEEP KNOW THE VOICE OF THEIR SHEPHERD, JESUS SAYS THAT HIS BELIEVERS KNOW HISVOICE (JOH 10:25-27)
HE LEADS US AND GUIDES US INTO RIGHTEOUSNESS. HOWEVER, WE MUST FOLLOW HIS LEADING.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHEEP, SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING:
1. “FENCE SHEEP”
THESE ARE CHRISTIANS WHO FEED CLOSE TO THE FENCE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR GREENER PASTURESIN OTHER CHURCHES. YOU WILL FIND THEM RUNNING FROM ONE CHURCH TO THE NEXT NEVER SATISFIED.
2. “MAVERICK SHEEP”
THESE ARE REBELLIOUS CHRISTIANS WHO KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS THEM TO DO, BUT THEY EXEMPLIFY THEHARD-HEADED, STUBBORN NATURE OF SHEEP.
PSA 23:4
“YEA THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL;FOR THOU ART WITH ME; THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME.”
THE SHEPHERD SUPPLIES COURAGE, COMFORT, AND HELP AS HE PROTECTS HIS SHEEP FROM DANGER
THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH:
EVERY HUMAN BEING WALKS HIS WHOLE LIFE IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH FROM THEMINUTE HE IS BORN. HOWEVER, THAT VALLEY HOLDS NO FEAR FOR THE BELIEVER: WHY?
1. FOR A SHADOW TO BE CAST, THERE MUST BE A SOURCE OF LIGHT PRESENT. JESUS CHRIST IS THATLIGHT FOR US. PSA 23:4 SAYS HE IS WITH US THROUGH IT ALL.
2. DEATH IS CALLED A SHADOW HERE. IN OTHER WORDS THERE IS NO REAL SUBSTANCE TO IT. ASHADOW IS AN ILLUSION.
READ 1COR 15:54-57
HIS ROD AND HIS STAFF COMFORT ME:
THE ROD WAS FOR DEFENSE AND THE STAFF WAS FOR DIRECTION.
JUST AS THE SHEPHERDS CROOK COMFORTS AND GUIDES THE SHEEP, AND THE ROD PROTECTS THESHEEP FROM WOLVES; SO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST COMFORTS, GUIDES, AND PROTECTS US.
PSA 23:5
“THOU PREPAREST A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MINE
ENEMIES; THOU ANOINTEST MY HEAD WITH OIL; MY CUP RUNNETH OVER. “THIS VERSE EXPRESSESJOY AND ABUNDANCE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.
A TABLE:
THE TABLE LAND WAS THE SAFEST PLACE FOR THE SHEEP IN A LAND OF WOLVES.
THE ANOINTED HEAD:
WARM OIL HEALED THE WOUNDS OF THE SHEEP AND MADE THEM FEEL LOVED.
FOR THE BELIEVER, THE SYMBOLISM IS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT FILLS US, HEALS US, AND MAKES USFEEL LOVED.
MY CUP RUNS OVER:
THIS REFERS TO AN OVER-ABUNDANCE OF BLESSSINGS, SPIRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY.
PSA 23:6
“SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE; AND I WILL DWELLIN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.”
GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME:
THE HEBREW VERB INDICATES THAT THEY WILL PURSUE YOU (RUN AFTER YOU) JUST AS A SHEPHERDPURSUES A LOST LAMB IN ORDER TO BRING IT BACK HOME.
ESSENTIAL IN THIS IDEA IS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL PURSUE A REBELLIOUS BELIEVER UNTIL HEBRINGS HIM BACK TO THE SHEEPFOLD.
NOTICE DAVIDS DETERMINATION TO STAY IN THE HOUSE AND FAMILY OF GOD FOREVER.
HOMEWORK
PSALM 24
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF PSA 23
WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GREAT SHEPHERD DO YOU NEED THE LORD TO MANIFEST IN YOUR LIFETODAY?
WHAT CONDITIONS DID DAVID FULFILL IN HIS LIFE THAT INSURED THE SHEPHERDS ABUNDANTCARE?
WHAT CONDITIONS DO YOU NEED TO FULFILL IN YOUR LIFE TO MATCH DAVIDS EXAMPLE?
PREPARATION FOR PSA 24
READ PSA 24:1-10
WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BELIEVERS THAT WILL COME TO WORSHIP THE CHIEF SHEPHERDIN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM?
WHAT BENEFITS DO THEY RECEIVE?
CAN YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION IN THIS PSALM, WHO IS THE KING OF GLORY?
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 24:1
