Jeremiah 23:1-8, The Righteous Branch

A shepherd’s responsibility is the safety and care of his flock. He must tend them, herd them, feed them, and guard them. Israel’s leaders and kings have not been doing that. They have been doing the opposite, “scattering” the flock they were supposed to safeguard.

^23:1 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares Yahweh. ² Therefore this is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares Yahweh. ³ “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴ I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares Yahweh.

Because Israel’s shepherds are not doing their job, but actually acting as Judah’s enemy, Yahweh must step in and shepherd them. They will be scattered, literally, among the nations when Babylon conquers them. But Yahweh will herd them back to the promised land and put faithful under shepherds over them who will lead them in safety and keep the herd intact. Not one will be missing. They will be fruitful and multiply, as He instructed them at creation (Genesis 1:28).

⁵ “The days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. ⁶ In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: Yahweh Is Our Righteousness.

⁷ “So then, the days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as Yahweh lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ ⁸ but they will say, ‘As surely as Yahweh lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.” (Jeremiah 23:1-8)

“The days are coming” is a phrase that speaks of the Messianic era. Yahweh will raise up the Anointed One, the Messiah, from David’s offspring, to rule wisely and justly. He will be the righteous Branch, “rightful heir” or “a rightful shoot” (Jeremiah 30:9; 33:15; Ezekiel 31:23-24; 37:24; Isaiah 4:2; Zechariah 3:8; 6:12). He will be the legitimate heir of David who does justly and righteously. He will bring three things to God’s people, 1) spiritual salvation, 2) national safety, and 3) a reuniting of Israel and Judah as one nation.

Jeremiah has already prophesied that Israel and Judah will be returned from captivity and exile, which occurred under the rule of Cyrus, king of Persia. And that was pretty spectacular. But he is predicting in the days coming, the Messianic kingdom, a return that will outshine even the rescue of Israel from Egypt and become the miracle to which all Israel refers when they give allegiance to Yahweh in their own land. The return to present day Israel in 1948 was also pretty spectacular, but nothing like this one yet to come.

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Discussion Questions:

1. There have likely never been any questions about whether you are the legitimate branch or heir of your parents, so why would there ever be such a question about the next Davidic king?
2. How have you seen people scattered by their “shepherds”?
3. Who are you responsible for shepherding?
4. Why do all current shepherds pale in comparison to Messiah?