Day 234

Good and Bad Shepherds

Read: Jeremiah 23-25

The Lord calls the religious and secular leaders of Judah “shepherds.” He condemns these shepherds for failing to care for the flock properly. He then promises to act as a shepherd himself and appoint new shepherds who will care for the sheep. Such language reminds us of Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and the words of Jesus, “I am the good shepherd.” God promises he himself will be a shepherd, and this is fulfilled in Christ. In Jeremiah 23:5, the metaphor is changed. A king is promised in the future, and again it is Jesus who fulfills that promise.

In the section that follows, these bad shepherds, the false prophets, are further condemned. These men claim to speak the word of the Lord, but it is their own word. Preachers today must be tested to see if they really preach the Bible or their own ideas.

The true prophet, Jeremiah, is given a vision of two baskets, one filled with good figs, the other with bad. The people who remain in Jerusalem think of themselves as good, but Jeremiah tells them that the bad figs represent them. False prophets speak soothing words. True prophets challenge the hearers to change as God wants them to change.

Jeremiah prophesies that the exile will last for 70 years, a prediction which was fulfilled many years later when Cyrus gave Jews the opportunity to return.

PRAYER
Father, we praise you that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Enable us to be good undershepherds. In his name. Amen.