The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel | Matthew 1:18-2:1-23

When Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd, He is not inventing new imagery. The shepherd metaphor runs throughout the Old Testament. Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd.” David himself was taken “from the sheepfold” to shepherd Israel. Kings and priests were called shepherds because their responsibility was to lead, feed, and protect the people. The word “pastor” simply means shepherd. God consistently describes His people as sheep and their leaders as shepherds. By the time we reach the New Testament, Israel has had many shepherds—but most have failed. The prophets repeatedly rebuked Israel’s leaders for neglecting the flock. Ezekiel 34, in particular, condemns the shepherds of Israel who fed themselves instead of feeding the sheep. And in that same chapter, God makes a promise: He Himself will come and shepherd His people. Read the full post here: https://cotwstl.org/the-lost-sheep-of-the-house-of-israel-matthew-118-21-23/ Do you want to support Church of The Word? https://cotwstl.org/give/ Check out our church here! https://cotwstl.org/ #biblestudy #faith