The LORD is my shepherd
Psalm 23:1-6
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
The author sings,
“The Lord is my Shepherd” (1a)
In other words, he sings, I am a sheep of the Lord.
Let’s think about the characteristics of sheep. Sheep are mild and gentle animals. But they are stubborn, stupid, short-sighted, coward and easy to fall, and not easy to get up. So sheep cannot survive without a shepherd. Without a shepherd, sheep easily go astray, starve, thirst, fall to the pit, are unable to get up, attacked and eaten by wolfs, fight with & hurt by other sheep. The welfare and destiny of sheep depend on what shepherd they have. We are short-sighted and stupid sheep before God. But the author sings that God is his shepherd. How does God as his shepherd treat him? Look at v2.
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,” (2)
The author of Psalm 23 sings that the Lord makes him lie down in green pastures (2). Sheep need green pastures because the grass is their food. As sheep eat the grass, the grass gets shorter. As time flows, sheep will be getting harder to eat from short grass and become hungry and tired. So shepherd regularly needs to take sheep to new green pastures where the grass is long enough so that sheep can eat them with ease. If the grass is long, it is easy to eat and provide a good cushion to lie down on them.
Higher ground has more grass and freshwater. So shepherd needs to take the sheep to higher land. It is hard for the sheep to follow the shepherd to go higher ground of the mountain. It may be steep. It may be far. But the shepherd knows that there are better grass and water over there.
Sheep are stubborn animals. In the middle of the way to the higher ground, sheep may insist not to go further. When sheep feel thirsty and find the water on the ground, sheep may insist on drinking from it. But sheep do not know it is deadly. Dirty water on the ground has many harmful and deadly bacteria that make sheep seriously sick or dead. So the shepherd forces the sheep not to drink from the dirty water and drag them to the higher ground.
Sheep are short-sighted animals. So the sheep get lost without the guidance of the shepherd. It may walk far away in the wrong direction. So shepherd may walk far to look for the lost sheep here and there, find it and take it back to where it should be. Sheep would be content with what they have nearby. Only the shepherd can see far away and know wonderful green pastures and fresh waters on the hill and guide them there.
Sheep fall and are flipped upside down easily and cannot get up by themselves. Shepherd needs to raise it. Otherwise, sheep cannot get up by themselves and could die in that condition.
Once they arrive at the higher ground of the mountain, the shepherd needs to pour out waters from the river so that the sheep can drink from it. How much water the sheep can drink depends on how much water the shepherd draws out from the river. Now we have Jesus as our shepherd. And we are His sheep. He knows what is best for us. If we continue to follow Jesus, we will see the best plan he has for each of us to come to reality.
See v3.
“he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
He restores my soul (3a). The soul is more difficult to be restored than the physical body. Proverbs 18:14 says
14 A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?
For example, in physical sickness, we can fall back on the will to live; but in depression, even the will to live could be gone.
Before I met Jesus as my shepherd, I was a lost sheep. I despaired, and I thought no one loves me. I didn’t know why I should carry on to live. But my relative sister, who was a good Christian, told me that God loves me. And she said to me that God has a wonderful plan for my life. I met my shepherd, Jesus. Only Jesus saved me from my despair. He gave me the reason to live. He fanned into flame my programming talent at work. Also, Jesus gave me the mission to take care of and feed his sheep (John 21:15-17).
Jesus restores our souls from depression, emotional pain, broken will, and a loss of vitality. It is important to keep a close relationship with Jesus through Bible reading and prayer so that Jesus can use us to restore others’ souls.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake (v3b).
Proverbs 12:28 says
28 In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.
Shepherd’s primary concern is on sheep’s life and wellbeing. Therefore Jesus as our shepherd will keep us on the paths of righteousness where there is life as proverbs 12:28 says. The Bible says righteousness is from the faith in what Jesus has done on the cross for us. By faith, we are justified as righteous men. Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). Therefore we simply need to listen to the shepherd’s voice and follow the shepherd. Then we are on the right paths.
See v4.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Rod and staff are weapons used by the shepherd when wild animals attack his sheep. Rod and staff are extremely powerful when thrown directly, and the wild animal can die immediately in one strike.
See v5.
The shepherd prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Our enemies are those who want us to fail. They hurt and try to destroy us. But our shepherd prepares a feast before us in the presence of them. This is a wonderful and victorious experience.
See v5b.
You anoint my head with oil.
Sheep sometimes are angry at each other and hit each other with their heads. As a result, sheep can be injured and bleed. The shepherd needs to put oil on their head so that their oily heads may not cause injuries because oil makes their heads slippery. So his oil will smooth our relationship with others. His spirit will make you wise and flexible to cope with different people with different characters.
In Hebrew, they pour oils on the head of the person who is appointed as king, priest, or prophet. Anointing the head with oil means being appointed for an important position, which is respectable and influential. So his oil honours you.
See v5c.
My cup overflows.
God blesses us to our full capacity for His blessing.
See v6.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
The author of Psalm sings that “goodness and love will follow me”. Sheep are supposed to follow the shepherd. But here, in return, goodness and love follow sheep. This happens where there is a deep and enduring commitment between the two. Jesus continues to provide as the shepherd while we, as sheep, are needy but unable to help ourselves.
Who is your shepherd? Are you living your life without a shepherd? Then you are a sheep without a shepherd. You are vulnerable and lost. Accept Jesus as your shepherd. Jesus said at John 10:11 that
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Jesus laid down his life for us. He died on the cross to forgive our sins. Accept Jesus today and become his sheep. He will guide your life to life in its fullness. Amen.
Reference
“A shepherd looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller
WHAT REALLY MATTERS
Mark 7:14-19
We studied what really defiles them (Mark 7:20-23) and the background event of this teaching (Mark 7:1-13).
The Law teaches not to eat unclean creatures but to eat clean ones (Leviticus 11:1-46). The problem was that the religious leaders focused on the following: To keep this law better, they created more rules to follow (Mark 7:1-13).
People could try to live like the Parasees and the teachers of the law – creating and keeping more rules. Many religious people may belong to this category. But, Jesus loves us and His grace and truth help us free.
Today, let us study WHAT REALLY MATTERS (Mark 7:14-19).
I. Listen to me, everyone, and understand this (Mark 7:14)
Jesus called the crowd to him and said: “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this” (Mark 7:14).
I don’t remember any other occasion that Jesus emphasized saying “Listen …. understand this.”. We may think about why he emphasized this way. When we consider the previous event in Mark 7:1-13, Jesus must want us not to live like them in spiritual blindness and hypocrisy, but to live in wisdom and truth.
II. What really matters (Mark 7:15-19)
See Mark 7:15a.
15a Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them.
This is explained in Mark 7:19a.
19a For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.’
In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19b).
Without this declaration of the truth, they would have no way to understand this truth and welcome the Gentiles who used to eat unclean animals. So we are blessed by the declaration of Christ Jesus, the Savior of the world (relevant message).
Jesus, the Son of God who was full of grace and truth (John 1:14), teaches that the food does not defile the heart of the person who eats it, but the evil that comes from the heart defiles the person (Mark 7:20-23).
Only Jesus saves (Acts 4:12, John 14:6). The salvation starts from our repentance in the heart and its subsequent rebirth by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5). Surely our heart won’t be renewed or forgiven by endlessly keeping more rules. No one can be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law, we become conscious of our sin (Romans 3:20).
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Mere rule creating and mere rule keeping
Mark 7:1-13
The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus (Mark 7:1).
The Law in the Old Testament teaches “uncleanness and cleanness” in Leviticus 11-15 (relevant message).
Based on the law, they even created more rules (the tradition of the elders) to follow (e.g., hand washing) (Mark 7:3-4). They saw the disciples of Jesus did not follow their rules (Mark 7:2), and they criticised (Mark 7:5).
Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy and quoted Isaiah 29:13 (Mark 7:6).
‘ “These people honour me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.”
The religious leaders’ outward appearance of piety was a lie. It was not accompanied by a lifestyle of true “heart” commitment to God. [2]
They were disobeying God’s commands in order to follow their own traditions (Mark 7:8-9, Mark 7:13). Jesus explained this with one example of ‘Corban’ (devoted to God) to disobey the 5th commandment (Honour your father and mother) among their many wrong practices (Mark 7:10-12).
The Mishna, a collection of Jewish traditions in the Talmud, records, “It is a greater offense to teach anything contrary to the voice of the Rabbis than to contradict Scripture itself.” This is a clear example of how the “traditions of the elders” had become more important than the law—God’s Word. [2]
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
[2] Cooper, R. L. (2000). Mark (Vol. 2, p. 119). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Jesus teaches what really defiles them
In the past two weeks, we studied topics related to ‘uncleanness’ (Our guilt of uncleanness Jesus died for, Peter’s vision and its meaning). Mark 7:1-23 is also related to it. Let us study Mark 7:1-23 over the next few weeks. Today, let us briefly study key points only.
The Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, ‘Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?’ (Mark 7:5)
Jesus teaches that a person is not defiled by unwashed hands or unclean food (See Mark 7:19a) but by evil thoughts (such as lust, hatred, covetousness, arrogance, and folly) that come from within, out of a person’s heart (See Mark 7:20-23 for details).
Peter’s vision and its meaning
Acts 10:9-16
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
14 ‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
Message
We studied ‘uncleanness’ and ‘cleanness’ last week. In addition to this, let us learn Peter’s vision to understand the issue better.
I. Peter’s Vision
To understand Acts 10:9-16, Acts 10:1-8 and Acts 10:17-48 should also be read. However, let us start from verse 9 to kick-start the study today.
In Peter’s vision, a voice told him to get up, kill and eat unclean animals (Acts 10:11-13). Peter refused (Acts 10:14). The voice spoke, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ (Acts 10:15).
II. The Meaning of the Vision
In the Law, the Jews are not to eat unclean creatures but to eat clean ones (Leviticus 11:1-46).
First, the above vision does NOT abolish the Law written in Leviticus 11:1-46.
This vision was shown to Peter to let the Gentiles saved. The meaning of the vision is shown in Peter’s statement in Acts 10:28.
28 He said to them: ‘You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.
So, this vision is not asking us to eat unclean animals. The vision is asking us not to call anyone impure or unclean.
The Law does NOT say whether a person would become unclean if he/she touches live animals unclean to eat.
But the Law says a person becomes unclean till evening if he/she touches or picks up the carcass of any of them (Leviticus 11:26-28).
The Gentiles eat them in their ignorance. However, we should not consider them unclean because of their food (Acts 10:28, Romans 14:14, Mark 7:14-23).
‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ (Acts 10:15).
Therefore, we should evangelise them regardless of their food as God enables this.
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Our guilt of uncleanness Jesus died for
Leviticus 5:2-3 2 ‘ “If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground) and they are unaware that they have become unclean, but then they come to realise their guilt; 3 or if they touch human uncleanness (anything that would make them unclean) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realise their guilt;
Leviticus 5:6 6 As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for them for their sin.
(Message)
I. Uncleanness (Leviticus 11-15)
“Cleanness and uncleanness” is written in Leviticus 11:1-46 (food, carcass), Leviticus 12:1-8 (childbirth), Leviticus 13:1-59, Leviticus 14:1-57 (skin diseases, moulds), Leviticus 15:1-33 (unusual bodily discharge, emission of semen (men), flow of blood (women)). Uncleanness lasts till evening or more depending on the type of uncleanness.
II. Uncleanness that can cut them off from the holy community if without two purification rites (Numbers 19:11-21)
Numbers 19:11-21 is about uncleanness by touching a human corpse, a human bone, or a grave. Such uncleanness lasts seven days (Numbers 19:16). Note the difference: the uncleanness by touching the carcasses of unclean animals lasts till evening (Leviticus 11:24-25). They must also purify themselves with the water of purification on the third day and on the seventh day (Numbers 19:12-13). Failure to do this purification results in being cut off from the holy community (Numbers 19:20). The water of purification can be made by using of ashes of red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke (Numbers 19:1-10).
III. Uncleanness is transmittable
Anything that an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening.’ (Numbers 19:22, Leviticus 5:2-3)
IV. Our guilt of uncleanness
Bearing the above in mind, let us read Leviticus 5:1-6, which lets us know
(a) Uncleanness has to do with guilt (Leviticus 5:2-3, Leviticus 5:6).
(b) Uncleanness is transmittable and spreads (Leviticus 5:2-3, Numbers 19:22). Thus, guilt increases.
(c) Guilt by uncleanness requires confession of the sin (“they must confess in what way they have sinned” (Leviticus 5:5)).
(d) As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring a sin offering to the Lord (Leviticus 5:6).
V. Conclusion
Why is the above important to mention? Many people may not know that living their lives without knowing ‘uncleanness’ would be full of guilt before God.
Why do you need the sacrifice of Jesus (See (d))? When you first believe Jesus, what sin would you acknowledge? Not sure? Now you just learned the concept of the sin related to uncleanness in the above, which you can admit.
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition, Le 15:31). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Zaphenath-Paneah
Exodus 41:45a Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah.
I. Background
Joseph was one of twelve sons of Jacob (Genesis 35:22b, Genesis 35:24). His brothers sold him to merchants for some silver due to their jealousy (Genesis 37:27-28). The merchants sold in Egypt Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard (Genesis 37:36). Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him after he refused to sleep with her, and Potiphar imprisoned him due to her lie (Genesis 39:1-23). The cupbearer and the baker of Pharaoh who offended him were imprisoned and had dreams. Joseph interpreted their dreams. The cupbearer was restored to his position, but the baker was impaled, according to the interpretation (Genesis 40:1-23). When Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret, the cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him. So, Joseph got the opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. The dream was about coming seven years of great abundance and seven years of severe famine to follow after that. Joseph advised Pharaoh to collect all the food during the good years and use it during the famine. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of Egypt (Genesis 41:1-57).
As a result, Joseph saved Egypt and other countries during the severe famine.
II. Jesus Christ
The religious leaders were jealous of Jesus (Matthew 27:18). Jesus Christ was sold for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). He was innocent but sentenced to die on the cross (Matthew 27:26). Jesus was raised back to life (Matthew 28:5-6) and became the Saviour of the world (Hebrews 5:8-9).
III. Zaphenath-Paneah
Finally, let us study the name of Joseph that Pharaoh gave. See Genesis 41:45a.
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah.
This name is translated to be ’revealer of secrets’, ‘the man to whom secrets are revealed’, ‘saviour of the world’, ‘salvation of the age’, or ‘the god speaks [and] he lives’ [2].
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition, Ge 41:45). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
