"THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD" (4)
The Sufficiency of This Shepherd to His Sheep (continued)
Psalm 23

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In two preceding two messages we set forth "The Identity of This Shepherd" and "The Description of This Sheep". Then we began setting forth in the third message "The Sufficiency of This Shepherd to His Sheep" by expounding what is meant by the phrase "I shall not want." Having already observed that Christ's sheep shall not lack rest (v.2a), food (v.2b), drink (v.2c), restoration (v.3a), and direction (v.3b), we here continue.

But before doing so, let us observe a significant change in the direction of the conversation between verses 1-3 and 4-6. In the former, the sheep speaks to a peer; in the latter he speaks to his Shepherd. We may imagine the sheep in verses 1-3 speaking through the fence of his fold to a disciple of a false shepherd on the other side, hungry, thirsty, in need of restoration, and wandering aimlessly to destruction. Christ's sheep says, "Look at the pitiful condition you are in! What a worthless shepherd you have! Behold how my Shepherd supplies all my wants!" He then looks to his Shepherd and continues his discourse in gratitude and praise:

VI. I shall not lack victory in death (v.4a): "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me." This "death" is not spiritual death, the state of separation of the soul from God into which all are born as the consequence of Adam's sin (Genesis 3:17; Romans 5:12ff); Christ's sheep were delivered from it in their regeneration (Ephesians 2:1). Neither is it the second death, the eternal separation of the wicked from God in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14); Christ's sheep will never enter into it because their Shepherd has given to them eternal life so that they will never perish (John 10:28). Rather, this is physical death, the inescapable end of earthly existence and the termination of life on earth appointed for all men (Hebrews 9:27). It also is the most feared event for men, partly because it involves venturing into unknown territory darker than midnight and fraught with perils, and doing so without light, chart or compass.

Death is a "valley", the deepest and darkest of all. The "valley of death" is the exact opposite of a mountaintop experience.

Although this valley of death is the most feared place in the minds of most men, Christ's sheep look toward it and confess, "I will fear no evil." In fact, they boast, "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:55). They may say so because "thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (v.57). And Christ their Shepherd declares, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes." (Hosea 13:14). And as a honeybee can sting but once and then dies, so has death stung Christ in the place and stead of His people, and then died to never sting them again. Furthermore, the sheep confess that in the valley of death "I will not fear the evil one!" - Satan. Christ has already destroyed Satan and his works (1 John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:1-3; Matthew 12:28f). And as death is now stingless with regard to Christ's sheep, so is Satan toothless and clawless to them.

Christ's sheep in the valley of death fear no evil also because "You are with me." Unlike other men, Christ's sheep do not enter death unattended. And He who attends them has already passed through this valley, and knows how to avoid every danger therein, and comforts them with every step they take. And if I should fear the sting of death in this place, He shows to me its stinger in His pierced hand, and assures me that its venom is now depleted and its inflictor now defeated.

Christ's sheep will therefore "walk through the valley of the shadow of death". Death for them is but a shadow, having no substance – and a shadow never hurt anyone! And where there is a shadow, there is a light – this one being the light of glory at the end of the valley! They will leisurely walk through this shadow, in sweet communion with their Shepherd – whereas the wicked are "driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world" (Job 18:18). And they will successfully walk through this shadow, ever certain of reaching their final destination – for Christ will even in death "shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters" (Revelation 7:17).

VII. I shall not lack comfort (v.4b): "Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" – not only in the valley of death, but also in this present life.

The shepherd's "rod" was a piece of wood, often from a tree limb or a young sapling. It was used for many purposes. The rod was an instrument for counting and examining the sheep, as in the expression "pass under the rod" (Ezekiel 20:37); Christ's sheep are comforted in observing His concern for them as they pass under His rod and hear Him call their names. The rod was an instrument for chastening the sheep (Job 9:34); Christ's sheep are comforted in knowing He loves them enough to do so (Hebrews 12:6f; Proverbs 13:24). The rod was a symbol of authority (Psalm 110:2); Christ's sheep are comforted in knowing He has authority over all things (Matthew 28:18). The rod could be a missile thrown by the shepherd to kill snakes and other small enemies of the sheep; Christ's sheep are comforted in knowing that with His rod He has destroyed the serpent Satan. But the rod of Christ is not for the comfort of His enemies; rather, He will with it "break them" and "dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel" (Psalm 2:9).

The shepherd's "staff" was a long slender stick, often with a crook or hook on one end. It also was used for many purposes. The staff was an instrument for leaning (Hebrews 11:21; the Hebrew word translated "staff" denotes something to lean on); Christ's sheep are comforted by the sight of their Shepherd leaning on His staff as He watches over them, keeping a sharp eye for any predator. The staff was an instrument for gathering, as the shepherd could use the crook on its end to draw a sheep to himself for closer examination; Christ's sheep are comforted when He with His staff gathers them to Himself for closer fellowship. The staff was an instrument for saving, as the shepherd could with it pull a sheep from ensnaring thorny brambles; Christ's sheep are comforted when He does so for them. But the staff of Christ is not for the comfort of His enemies, but rather to them a "staff of punishment" with which He will beat them (Isaiah 30:32).

VIII. I shall not lack ease in adversity (v.5a): "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." When one is besieged by enemies, he hurriedly snatches and eats the rations handed to him. Not so with the sheep of Christ! My Shepherd will erect for me a "table", and then take the time to "prepare" for me a meal to grace it, then let me dine "in the presence of my enemies" – while they look on with envy.

IX. I shall not lack happiness (v.5b): "You anoint my head with oil." It was customary in ancient times, especially in hot arid climates, to do so in order to restore moisture and sheen to the skin and hair, and to impart to them a pleasant fragrance, and as a common courtesy (as in Luke 7:36-38, 44ff). Before Christ lets His sheep sit at the table He has prepared for them in the presence of their enemies, He refreshes them by anointing them with "the oil of gladness" (Psalm 45:7; Hebrews 1:9).

X. I shall not lack super-abundance for all needs (v.5c): "my cup runs over." Note first that Christ Himself is the content of His sheep's cup (Psalm 16:5): "O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup." Now note that no earthly cup can contain what Christ is and gives to His sheep: not only does Christ fill my cup, but He also makes it to overflow. Christ assures His sheep not only that "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9), but also that whatever the need may be "grace abounded much more" (Romans 5:20). "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).

XI. I shall not lack His presence in this life (v.6a): "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Since Christ is ever before me (vv.2, 3), beside me (v.4), around me (Psalm 34:7), underneath me (Deuteronomy 33:27), even within me (Colossians 1:27), how could anything but His goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life?

XII. I shall not lack His presence through eternity (v.6b): "And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Christ the shepherd previously assured me that His presence will be with me "all the days of my life". He then assured me that His presence will be with me "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death". He here assures me that I will live in His presence for all eternity. Death does not mark an end for the blessings of Christ to His sheep; rather, death marks the transition from the downstairs servant's quarters to the Master's penthouse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~