Pastor's Pen

Jehovah Rohi – The Lord our Shepherd 

Psalm 23

One of God’s revealed covenant names is Jehovah Rohi translated Jehovah (The Lord) our Rohi (Shepherd).

The Lord will always reveal Himself to us in the way we can best understand Him. The economy of the Jews at this time was agrarian with specialty in husbandry. When the Lord revealed Himself as Jehovah Rohi, the people of Israel were able to understand the heart and the feeling of God toward them.

The word Rohi is from the Hebrew word Rã’á which means to tend.

David, the man after God’s own heart to whom this covenant name was revealed, had a experiential power of the Lord as A Shepherd.

The last of eight boys of Jesse, his job was to tend the flock of his father in the wild bushes of Palestine. A job he did very well.

Speaking to Saul when his ability to confront the despiser (Goliath) of the armies of Israel questioned, he said: “Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock; and I ent after him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by the beard, and smote him, and slew him.” (1 Samuel 17:34 – 35)

David being the only man watching his father’s flock could relate with the Shepherding power of the Lord in the thickets of Palestine.

He knew it was the Lord that kept him all through his sojourn in the wilderness as a shepherd boy.

After David had been anointed by God before his father and brothers and all the travails he went through in life, he concluded that God actually shepherded him through his life’s journey.

It is the desire of God that He could have representative shepherds on the earth. Those who could relate with His chosen with His compassionate heart. And because He could not, he said in Ezekiel 34:11 – 16 that he will:

• Personally search and seek out his sheep.
• Deliver them from all the places where they have been scattered during their cloud and dark days (these are days when things were not working and everything seemed dark).
• Restore His sheep to their lands.
• Feed and refresh them in the high places off the earth.
• Give them rest
• Bring healing to them who have been broken through their trails.
• Heal those who are sick, and 

• Bring judgment upon their enemies.

These plans of God came into fruition when He became man and dwell on earth in the person of Jesus.

Jesus says categorically in John 10:11, 14

11) “I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

14) “I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and known of mine.”

Jesus drew a distinction between Himself and false shepherd (those who fleece the sheep), he called them hirelings. Because they do it for the money, they lacked the ability to be compassionate with the sheep.

Remember that the root word for shepherd in Hebrew is ra’a, which is to tend. Tending involves time, dedication, patience, and sacrifice. The shepherd lives his life with his flock come rain come sunshine. The shepherd lives the life of his sheep.

David experienced this loving care of The Lord and through his experiences we can be rest assured that our good Shepherd will:

1. Ensure that we do not lack – v1

David, through his experience as shepherd, he knew that it was his responsibility to ensure that his flock has enough provisions. So, he knew perfectly well that Jehovah Rohi will see to it that His flock does not lack.

Our New Testament covenant gives us more than meeting our daily needs to giving us life in its fullness (John 10:10).

2. Ensure that we have tenderly green pastures – v2

If we just commit our ways unto Him, He will lead us to tenderly green pasture. 

It is not the pleasure of our God to make us famished as people without a shepherd. That was why in Ezekiel 34, God declared His anger against the failure of his under shepherd in taking care of His sheep (the nation of Israel which is a type of the church) and chose to become the Shepherd: 

“I will seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” (V12). 

He went further about making sure that His sheep is well taken care of:

“I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains…” (v14)

Every sheep in His fold has equal access to His loving kindness.

3. Gives rest (waters of rest) – v2 

The rest comes when we drink from His word. The word of God is also likened to water.

When anyone is thirsty and drinks a cup of water, it gives rest and peace to his/her weariness. We enter into rest when we rest upon His word.

The writer of the book of Hebrews (4:3) says that those in Jesus have entered into rest. 

Yeshua Hamashiach is our rest from the troubles of this life. 

4. Restores souls – v3 

Some have lost the peace in their soul through betrayals and sin. David lost the peace of his soul when he sinned in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah.

Jesus is the soul restorer. Maybe you have been betrayed and hurt in the process, the anointing upon Jesus heals the broken-hearted (Luke 4:18)

5. Guides in the way of righteousness – v3 

Because we are His, He guides us in the right way because His name is also at stake. 

We are called by His name. We are called Christian (little Christ) and by His Holy Spirit in us, He guides us into truth (John 16:13) and when you yield to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, will you do the right things.

                                                              Continued on Devotions page......

.. "acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness" (Titus 1:1).