![]() The shepherd David is said to have protected his own flock from lion and bear (1 Samuel 17:34-36). Lions and bears were common (Judges 14: 8 2 Kings 2:25). The sheep needed constant protections there were plenty of dangers to the flock from the wild animals that came up from the jungle surrounding the Jordan River gorge. When the grass is gone, and new growth appears, and the herbage of the mountains is gathered, the lambs will provide your clothing and the goats the price of a field there will be enough goats‘ milk for your food, for the food of your household and nourishment for your servant-girls. Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds for riches do not last forever or a crown for all generations. The shepherd metaphor is reflected in Proverbs 27:23-27 to teach people to be responsible stewards acting with foresight in what we do with our riches: This divine shepherd restores my soul.Ī true shepherd needs to know the condition of his flock for it brings the shepherd a lot of benefits. Psalm 23 portrays the shepherd as meeting all the needs of his sheep: ―Because the Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. The flock Israel is safely sheltered in God. ![]() The shepherd God goes before his flock leading them to the pastures and to places where it may rest by the waters, who protects it with his staff and gathers the dispersed. This familiar metaphoric title for God actually appears in only two other psalms (28:9 80:1). Toni Craven and Walter Harrelson in their commentary on Psalms state, ―The claim that God is my shepherd is unparalleled in Scripture. Another example is the Shepherd Psalm, found in Psalm 23. Susan Ackerman thinks that this ―image may have helped inspire Christianity‘s image of Jesus as the ‗good shepherd‘ (see John 10:11-18). One good example of this is found in Isaiah 40: ―He will feed his flock like a shepherd he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep‖ (v. There are a number of passages that use the rich imagery of shepherd vocabulary in reference to God. The application of the shepherd image to Yahweh is embedded in the living piety of Israel. Thereupon, the emperor pardoned Androcles and ordered his master to set him free, while the lion was taken back into the forest and let loose to enjoy freedom once more.In the OT the description of Yahweh as the Shepherd of Israel is ancient usage, but the surprising paucity of references in which the title is used of Yahweh shows that this is not just a formal oriental divine predication. So Androcles told the Emperor all that had happened to him and how the lion was showing gratitude for his having relieved it of the thorn. It was of course the lion which Androcles had met in the forest. But when it came out of its cage and got near Androcles, what do you think it did? Instead of jumping upon him, it rubbed up against him, and stroked him with its paw. ![]() The Emperor of Rome was in the royal box that day and gave the signal for the lion to come out and attack Androcles. Now it used to be the custom to throw murderers and other criminals to the lions, and on the appointed day he was led forth into the arena. ![]() They took him prisoner and brought him back to the town, and he was condemned to death because he had fled from his master. One day, a number of soldiers came marching through the forest and found Androcles. Plucking up courage, he seized hold of the thorn and drew it out of the lion’s paw, who roared with pain when the thorn came out, but soon after found such relief from it that he rubbed up against Androcles, and showed that he knew, that he was truly thankful for being relieved from such pain. Looking more closely at it, Androcles saw a great big thorn pressed into the paw, which was the cause of all the lion’s trouble. Instead of attacking him it kept on moaning and groaning and looking at Androcles, who saw that the lion was holding out his right paw, which was covered with blood and very much swollen. ![]()
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