Jehovah Rohi: The Lord Is My Shepherd. Psalm 23:1

Meaning of Jehovah Rohi in the Bible.

Meaning: “The Lord is my shepherd.” Known as YAHWEH-ROHI (Psalm 23: 1). After David reflected on his relationship as a shepherd with his Sheep, he realized that it was precisely the relationship God had with him, and thus states, “Yahweh-Rohi is my Shepherd; nothing will be missing.” 

Biblical references: Psalm 23: 1-3, Isaiah 53: 6; John 10: 14-18; Hebrews 13:20 and Revelation 7:17.

Comment: Jesus is the good Shepherd who put his life for all people, like his Sheep. The Lord protects, provides, directs, guides and cares for his people. God takes care of us tenderly as a powerful and patient pastor. 

One of the most significant names of GOD

One of the most notable names of GOD is the Scripture, this Name is found in both the old and the new testament and reveals much about the character and nature of our beloved GOD: Jehovah Rohi, The Lord Is My Pastor

First, we see that the Name with which David identifies GOD is also given by our Lord Jesus Christ in John 10.11. Which shows us that he fully equals GOD, shows us that the totality of the deity is entirely in Jesus Christ; he was not only a great man; Christ is GOD.

To say that the Lord is our Pastor refers to the Lord protecting, providing, guiding and caring for his people, God tenderly cares for us as a powerful and patient pastor, Jesus is the good Shepherd who put his life for all humanity.

The Hebrew word ro’eh (ריעֵה, H7462 ), “pastor.” The Name is found about 62 times in the Old Testament. It is used concerning God, the Great Shepherd, who feeds or feeds his sheep Psalm 23: 1-4. ***

This concept of God the Great Shepherd is ancient; in the Bible Jacob is the one who uses it for the first time in Genesis 49:24.

The Bible teaches us that we believers in Christ are sheep of the Lord, The most important thing for their sheep, then, is to trust Him, depend on their excellent grazing, be assured that He will take us to the best places in our lives.

David knew what he was saying because, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he declared that Jehovah was his Shepherd. He was living confusing and conflicting moments, crossing valleys of shadows and death, constantly his enemies besieged him. Where he went there was a spirit of betrayal, and then he had to trust the Shepherd, as an innocent sheep trusts his Shepherd.

David himself was a shepherd before being king of Israel, he was able to face the wolf and the lion for one of his Sheep, therefore, he knew that God would keep him from evil.

That is why I insist that you cannot love, trust, rest in a GOD you DO NOT know, if you know him, as David knew him, first hand, you will trust him always and under any circumstances.

Hebrews 13:20 says that Jesus Christ is the GREAT SHEPHERD of the Sheep by the blood of the covenant, and 1 Peter 5: 4 says that he is the Prince of the shepherds. ***

In the West, the custom is that the Shepherd goes behind the Sheep, but the shepherds of the east go before the Sheep because the sheep know him and know that his Shepherd will guide them to the pleasant pastures and streams of crystalline waters that will calm his thirst and hunger John 10:27

Frequently, in the Hebrew families, the youngest was the one who held the position of Pastor, just like David, who was the youngest of his brothers. 1st Samuel 16:11.

The dress of a young shepherd consisted of a pure cotton tunic and a leather belt around to hold it, wearing a kind of blanket called aba made of camel skin (like that of John the Baptist) served as a raincoat in the rainy seasons and To keep warm at night.

Also, they carried with them a bag of dry skin called Shepherd’s sack, when they left home to take care of the flock their mother put them there bread, dried fruits and some olives. It was within this sack that David kept the creek stones with which he faced Goliath. 1st Samuel 17:40. ***

They carried with them, as we saw in the previous appointment, a stick, no shepherd went out to the field without it because it was beneficial for the protection and care of the Sheep, just as they carried a staff that was a long stick, about two meters. With a hook at one end, it was also to protect them, but more was used to handle or direct them. Psalm 23: 4b.

The rod speaks to us of authority, and the staff of the word of GOD, how God takes care of us, guides us and provides us with protection and the right path is through his word, which authorizes our hearts with authority. Psalm 119: 105. Mark 1:22. **

The Shepherd’s sling

This was a simple thing, being composed of two strands of tendon, rope, or leather, and a leather receptacle to place the stone. Once the stone was laid, it was turned over the head several times, and then unloaded by releasing one of the threads.

In addition to using his sling against animals or thieves, the Shepherd always had it at hand to direct his Sheep. He could throw a stone near the sheep that were going astray or falling behind, to take it back with the rest of the cattle. Or if anyone went in any direction away from the animals, then the stone is thrown with his sling so that it would fall a little in front of the wayward Sheep, that way he would return, today the Prince of the shepherds uses what is at your fingertips to prevent us from going astray. Romans 8.28

It was his shepherd sling that young David used to kill the giant Goliath. 1st Samuel. 17: 40-49.

In his request to David, Abigail was undoubtedly contrasting two things of the Pastor’s team: the sling and the pastoral sack (Beam of the Hebrew tserór: bag). 1st Samuel. 25:29. David’s enemies would be like sling stones, they being the ones that would be thrown away; instead, David’s soul would be like the provisions of his bag, which would be kept and cared for by the Lord himself. Psalm 91.

Ability to separate the Sheep

When it becomes necessary to separate several flocks of Sheep, one shepherd after another stops and shouts: “Ta júuu! Ta ¡júuu! Or another similar call of their own. The sheep raise their heads, and after a general stir, they begin to each follow their Pastor.

They are entirely familiar with the tone of their Pastor’s voice. Some strangers have used the same call, but their efforts to follow the Sheep always fail. The words of Christ are exact about the life of the eastern shepherds when he said: “The sheep follow him because they know his voice. But the stranger will not follow, they will flee before him: because they do not know the voice of strangers. John. 10: 4, 5.

We, the children of God, hear the truth, not because we are better than others, or because we are more intelligent or because we deserve it, but simply because we are his sheep and his sheep listen to his voice.

The real children of GOD, sooner or later will have the desire to be disciplined, taught, corrected, it is something that is constituted in us from GOD at birth again, and we will embrace the truth with love, and only genuine children of GOD are able to hear the truth: John 8: 31-47.

The shepherds continuously felled with their sheep

When we know of the inseparable relationships that exist between the Shepherd and his Sheep, the figure of the Lord as Pastor of his people acquires a new meaning.

How did shepherds show love and love to their sheep? How does GOD show the love and affection he has for us, his Sheep? ***

1.  Naming the Sheep. Jesus said concerning the Shepherd in his day: “And he calls his sheep by name” John. 10: 3.  

Currently, the eastern Shepherd delights in naming sure of his Sheep, and if his flock is not large, he will name all the Sheep. He knows them by means of specific individual characteristics. He names them that. “Pure White”, “Listed”, “Black”, “Brown Ears.,” Gray Ears “etc. This indicates the tender condition that the Shepherd has for each of his Sheep, in the West it is common to name pets with names Honey specials ( Gringo).

Likewise, the Lord knows us and calls us by our Name as John 10.3 says. Still, it is not only superficial knowledge, the love of GOD for us reaches the most intimate degree:  Psalm 139: 13-16. Matthew 10: 28-31.

1.  He is governing the Sheep. The eastern Shepherd never guides his Sheep as do the western shepherds. I always guide them, often going ahead of them. “And when he has taken out the sheep, he goes before them” John. 10: 4.

This does not mean that the Pastor always goes, as per rule in front of them. Even when he usually takes this position when they travel, he often walks by his side, and sometimes he follows them, especially if the flock walks towards the fold in the afternoon. From the back he can gather the lost, protect them from some attack by the audacity of the ferocious animals if the herd is large the Shepherd will go ahead, and an assistant will go to the rear, our GOD is Almighty, does not need any help to guide us. Isaiah 52:12

The skill of the Shepherd and his relationships towards them can be seen when he leads Sheep along narrow paths. Psalm. 23: 3.

Wheatfields are very rarely fenced-in Palestine sometimes only a narrow path separates between pastures and those fields. Sheep are prevented from eating in the fields where crops grow. Thus, when guiding the sheep on such ways, the Shepherd does not allow any of the animals to enter the prohibited area, because if he does, he will have to pay the damages to the owner of the field. It has been known of a Syrian shepherd who has led his flock of more than one hundred and fifty sheep without any help along a narrow path from some distance, without letting go of any sheep where it is not allowed.

That is what he says when you will lead me along paths of justice, not to let the sheep go wrong, in this case, eat from the wheat fields of the neighbours, if a human shepherd achieves such a feat, do you think GOD will not be able to keep us from falling into sins and temptation bonds? Romans 14.14.

1.  They are restoring the lost Sheep. It is essential not to allow Sheep to go astray from the flock because when they walk by themselves, they are left without any protection.

In such a condition, it is said that they go astray because they have no sense of locality. And if they get lost, they have to go back. The psalmist prayed: “And I wandered like a lost sheep; seek your servant” Psalm. 119: 176.

The prophet Isaiah compares the customs of man to that of the Sheep: “all of us

We go astray like Sheep, Isaiah. 53: 6.

The lost Sheep does NOT refer to a Christian away from the church, it is not an injured brother, away, hurt or slipped, it relates to the state in which we were before BIRTH AGAIN BY THE GRACE OF GOD.

In the church, we are so severely accustomed and so severely taught that unfortunately today there are people who have SHEPHERD-DEPENDENCY.

•  Pastor Pray for me, my head hurts.
•  Pastor Pray for me, my son is sick.
•  Pastor, My son, has an exam, he can pray for him.
•  Pastor, My husband, does not come to church can pray for him.
•  Pastor, The devil, has attacked me a lot, please help me.
•  Pastor Sorry to call you at this time, but my dog ​​is sick, he can pray.
•  Pastor, I tell you that I am very attacked.
•  Pastor fix my life!

They are a type of people who, if they don’t get the required results, as if they were careless children threaten to leave the church, or they do.

God is interested in us understanding that our help, our help, our early help in tribulation comes from Jesus Christ, not from a man, the lack of Christian discipleship has led us to think that all the time we are spiritual babies to whom we must to be continually attending, this coupled with the style of Pentecostal pastoralism (Where we come from) that is based on visiting the congregants exhaustively so that they do not leave the church.

The task of finding a lost sheep was not simple. First, the field was extensive. Secondly, they were easily confused with the environment because the first thing that happened to them was that they got dirty and muddy, in addition to the dangers of Rocky and steep terrain, the beasts of the field offered another additional risk, and as if that was not enough when the Sheep got tired they can no longer dance.

Christ is the Shepherd who never fails to find and rescue a sheep; he is a compelling shepherd, his work on the cross is PERFECT, it does not depend on the Sheep depends solely on Him. Luke 15.5. He says “when he finds it” not “if he finds it” the active call, GOD DOES NOT FAIL.

Once the rescue comes to a work just as surprising as looking for it, now FOR LOVE it carries on its shoulders the weight of at least 30 kilos all the way back to the fold, we rest on the shoulders of Christ until we reach heaven for That is not that salvation is not lost, it is that NO ONE CAN REMOVE US FROM THE MEN OF CHRIST.

Can I fall from the shoulders of Christ?

Will he throw me by accident?

Can we get off his shoulders?

No, we are not holding his neck, he has us by the legs and makes him joyful. Hebrews 12: 2 That is why David said in Psalm 23.3: it will comfort my soul.

1.  The Shepherd plays with the Sheep. The Shepherd is continuously with his Sheep in such a way that his life with them sometimes becomes monotonous. That’s why sometimes he plays with them. He does it by pretending to leave them, and soon they reach him, and surround him completely, jumping happily, the intention was not only to get out of the routine but also to increase the dependence of the sheep on the Shepherd.

Sometimes the people of God think that they abandon it when difficulties come to them. Isaiah 49:14. But in reality, his divine Shepherd says I will not forsake you, nor will I leave you. “Hebrews. 13: 5.

1.  He knows your Sheep intimately. The Shepherd is genuinely interested in each of his Sheep. Some of them may be given favourite names, because of an incident related to them. Usually, he counts them daily in the afternoon when they enter the fold. Still, sometimes the Pastor does not do so because he can perceive the absence of any of his complaints. When the sheep is lost, he feels that something is missing from the entire flock.

A pastor in the district of Lebanon was asked if he counted his Sheep every afternoon. He replied negatively, then asked how he knew then if all his sheep are present.

This was his answer: “Chief, if you put a canvas over my eyes, and bring me any sheep and let me just put my hands on his face, I could tell at the moment if it was mine or not.

When Mr HRP Dickson visited the Arab deserts, he witnessed an event that

He revealed the fantastic knowledge that some shepherds have of their sheep. One afternoon, shortly after dark, an Arab shepherd began calling one by one, by their names at fifty-one mother sheep and was able to separate the lamb from each of them and put it with his mother to feed him. Doing this in broad daylight would be a feat for many shepherds, but he did it in complete darkness, and in the midst of the noise coming from the sheep that called their little lambs, and they were dancing for their mothers.

But no eastern shepherd had a more intimate knowledge of his Sheep than our Great Shepherd has of those who belong to his flock. He said once speaking of himself: “I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep” John. 10:14.

What impact does it have on us as Sheep of the Lord?

GOD, as a loving Pastor, has prior knowledge in the eternity of those of us who are saved: Romans 8.29.

GOD, in his mind, knew EVERYTHING about us. Psalm 139: 1-6 and 13-16.

We cannot hide anything from GOD: Romans 11: 2. 2nd Timothy 2:19. Psalm 69.5.

God chose us despite knowing us.  1st Peter 1.2. 2nd Thessalonians 2.13

That is why the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: I never met them in Matthew 7: 21-23.

Sheep shepherds care for them in special times of need

The Shepherd’s love for his sheep is manifested when, in extraordinary times of need, he appeals to rare acts of care for the members of his flock.

1.  They are crossing a stream of water. This process is exciting. The Shepherd leads in the water and across the creek. The favourite Sheep that always stay with the Shepherd is thrown violently into the water and soon cross it. Other sheep in the flock enter the water hesitantly and with alarm. Not being near the guide, they can miss the place of the crossing and be carried by the water some distance, but they can probably reach the shore.

The little lambs are pushed into the water by the dogs, and their pitiful bleats are heard when they are thrown into the water. Some may cross, but if anyone is carried by the current, then the Pastor soon jumps into the water and rescues him, taking him on his lap to the shore.

When everyone has already crossed, the little lambs run happily, and the sheep gather around the Shepherd as if to express their gratitude. Our Divine Shepherd has a word of encouragement for all his sheep that must cross streams of affliction: Isaiah. 43: 2

1.  Special care for lambs and sheep with their young. When the time comes for Godson (to put the Sheep its offspring or an alien to raise it), the Shepherd must take great care of his flock.

The task becomes more difficult because it is often necessary to move the herd to new places to find pastures. The sheep that will soon be mothers, as well as those that already have their little lambs, must remain close to the Shepherd when they are on their way. The little lambs that cannot keep up with the rest of the flock are carried in the lap of their clothes, making the belt a bag. Isaiah recounts this activity in his famous passage: Isaiah. 40:11. Not for nothing the newly converted are told they are in their first love — revelation 2.4.

1.  Care of sick or injured Sheep. The Pastor is always watching the members of his flock that need personal attention. Sometimes the lamb suffers from the intense rays of the sun, or some thorny bush may have scratched its body. The most common remedy used in these sheep is grape oil that carries an amount in a ram’s horn.

Perhaps David was thinking of such an experience when he wrote of the Lord: “You anointed my head with oil. Psalm. 23: 5.

1.  They are watching over the flock at night. In times that allow it, the Shepherd always keeps his cattle in the open field. A group of shepherds are provided with simple places to sleep, putting several stones on elliptical wheels, within which, weed for the bed, according to the Bedouin form in the desert. These simple beds are arranged in circles, and roots and sticks are placed in the centre for the fire. With this arrangement, they can monitor their livestock overnight.

It was like that in which the shepherds of Bethlehem took turns watching their flocks in the hills outside Bethlehem when they were visited by the angels announcing the birth of the Savior. Luke. 2: 8

When Jacob took care of Laban’s Sheep, he spent many nights outdoors, taking care of the cattle. “The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.” Genesis. 31:40

If pure, limited human beings care for the flock in such a way? How not to trust our Almighty GOD? Psalm 3: 5. Psalm 4: 8. Psalm 121.

1.  Protection of Sheep from thieves. Sheep need to be taken care of against thieves, not only when they are in the field. But also in the sheepfold (fold).

The thieves of Palestine were not able to open locks, but some of them could climb the walls and enter the fold, where they cut the throats of as many Sheep as they can and then carefully climb them on the wall with ropes. Others in the band receive them and then everyone tries to escape so as not to be apprehended. Christ described such an operation: “The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy. John 10:10.

The Pastor must constantly be on guard for such emergencies and must be ready

to act quickly to protect livestock, to the extent of being able to give their lives if necessary. John 15:13

1.  Protection of Sheep from fierce animals. Currently, they include wolves, panthers, hyenas and jackals. The lion disappeared from the earth since the time of the Crusades. The last bear was dead half a century ago. David, as a young shepherd, experienced or felt the coming of a lion or a bear against his cattle, and with the help of the Lord, he could kill them both. 1st Samuel. 17: 34-37.

The prophet Amos tells us of a shepherd who tries to rescue a sheep from the lion’s mouth: Amos 3:12.

It is known of an experienced Syrian shepherd who followed a hyena to his goblet and made the animal deliver its prey. He won the victory over the beast screaming characteristically, and hitting the rocks with his stout staff, and throwing with his grave, deadly stones.

The Sheep was then carried in its arms to the fold. The faithful Shepherd must be willing to risk his life because of his Sheep, and even give his life for them. Like our good Pastor Jesus, he not only risked his life for us, but he gave himself for us. He said: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep” John. 10:11

The most shocking truth of Jehovah Rohi is that for us to become the Sheep of his meadow, he first had to fulfil what Jesus said, give his life for us on the cross of Calvary, but as a sheep that goes to the slaughterhouse. Isaiah 53. 5-7. ***