PSALM 23; "A verse by verse understanding" WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ALL BELIEVERS? (Part 1)
I would like to begin this study in Psalm 23 and look at it verse by verse. We must ask ourselves, "What does it mean to me?" "How does it relate to me as a born-again believer?" So, this will be a study of a few weeks, so, read a bit and then think about what you have read, then come back for more another day.
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT (KJV) ADONAI IS MY SHEPHERD; I LACK NOTHING (CJSB) "Complete Jewish Study Bible"
The only ones that can call Adonai their "shepherd" are the ones who are part of his selected and chosen flock of human sheep. He has chosen us from the beginning of time, and due to his infinite and all-knowing nature, God knew beforehand who would choose to follow Him through Yeshua, those who would choose to obey His Word above the calling of this lost world. A shepherd's job is to guide his sheep and provide for their everyday needs. This would include food, water, shelter, and protection. Today, we have real-life shepherds who care for actual sheep in the fields. Pastors and rabbis are also shepherds, since they have to care for human sheep. Yeshua pointed this out to Peter in John 21:15-18. He stated, "Feed my lambs," "Shepherd my sheep, "feed my sheep.
He wasn't talking about the animal sheep; Peter wasn't a shepherd, he was a fisherman. Yet, He was referring to the human sheep of His pasture. Peter would be the leader of the church in Jerusalem at a later date. The job of shepherds (pastors, rabbis, ministers, etc.) is to teach and guide the "lambs" (young believers) and the "sheep" (older and more mature believers). Sheep and lambs are fed by the WORD of God and guided by the Holy Spirit. The WORD of God in a Holy Spirit-guided pastor or rabbi is what a "flock of human sheep" needs to grow in faith and in maturity. Lambs must grow into sheep eventually.
God will provide all of our needs. This is a promise (Philippians 4:19). He will supply our spiritual needs as He knows what they are. He will and has provided us with our physical needs (food, water, clothes, housing, jobs, etc). Paul tells us to be content in the times of plenty and in the times of scarcity. He might have a lot, and at times, a little. Yet the promise still holds, "My God will supply All of my needs through Messiah Yeshua". Yet He has also provided us with "wants" as well. (How many pairs of shoes do you have in your closet? more than one pair, right?)
So, our Good Shepherd has provided us with what we need during our sojourn on planet Earth, most importantly, He has provided us with the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE) and has sent earthly shepherds to guide His human flock of believing lambs and sheep. So, we can conclude that as sheep, we lack nothing, and have everything we need.
I would like to begin this study in Psalm 23 and look at it verse by verse. We must ask ourselves, "What does it mean to me?" "How does it relate to me as a born-again believer?" So, this will be a study of a few weeks, so, read a bit and then think about what you have read, then come back for more another day.
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT (KJV) ADONAI IS MY SHEPHERD; I LACK NOTHING (CJSB) "Complete Jewish Study Bible"
The only ones that can call Adonai their "shepherd" are the ones who are part of his selected and chosen flock of human sheep. He has chosen us from the beginning of time, and due to his infinite and all-knowing nature, God knew beforehand who would choose to follow Him through Yeshua, those who would choose to obey His Word above the calling of this lost world. A shepherd's job is to guide his sheep and provide for their everyday needs. This would include food, water, shelter, and protection. Today, we have real-life shepherds who care for actual sheep in the fields. Pastors and rabbis are also shepherds, since they have to care for human sheep. Yeshua pointed this out to Peter in John 21:15-18. He stated, "Feed my lambs," "Shepherd my sheep, "feed my sheep.
He wasn't talking about the animal sheep; Peter wasn't a shepherd, he was a fisherman. Yet, He was referring to the human sheep of His pasture. Peter would be the leader of the church in Jerusalem at a later date. The job of shepherds (pastors, rabbis, ministers, etc.) is to teach and guide the "lambs" (young believers) and the "sheep" (older and more mature believers). Sheep and lambs are fed by the WORD of God and guided by the Holy Spirit. The WORD of God in a Holy Spirit-guided pastor or rabbi is what a "flock of human sheep" needs to grow in faith and in maturity. Lambs must grow into sheep eventually.
God will provide all of our needs. This is a promise (Philippians 4:19). He will supply our spiritual needs as He knows what they are. He will and has provided us with our physical needs (food, water, clothes, housing, jobs, etc). Paul tells us to be content in the times of plenty and in the times of scarcity. He might have a lot, and at times, a little. Yet the promise still holds, "My God will supply All of my needs through Messiah Yeshua". Yet He has also provided us with "wants" as well. (How many pairs of shoes do you have in your closet? more than one pair, right?)
So, our Good Shepherd has provided us with what we need during our sojourn on planet Earth, most importantly, He has provided us with the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE) and has sent earthly shepherds to guide His human flock of believing lambs and sheep. So, we can conclude that as sheep, we lack nothing, and have everything we need.
