And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
He led them safely, so that they did not fear;
But the sea engulfed their enemies.
So He brought them to His holy land,
To this hill country which His right hand had gained.
He also drove out the nations before them
And apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement,
And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.
In this installment on the names of God, we come to one of the best known, due largely to the popularity of the Shepherd Psalm – Psalm 23. Strangely enough, many people quote, “the Lord is my Shepherd,” but wouldn’t be able to give the Hebrew name to it; Jehovah Raah or Rohi. incidentally, Raah and Rohi mean the same thing coming from a Hebrew root word meaning “to feed.” You may be wondering why my main reference does not come from David’s most famous psalm, the answer being that the Spirit brought me to Psalm 78 today, and I trust His guidance.
Our text today refers to the people of Israel, rescued from slavery in Egypt and led them through the wilderness to God’s chosen land for them. It also refers to the wider family of all God’s children of past, present, and future generations. If you remember, God went before the people in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, rather than showing them the way – He went first! It is the same with us; Jehovah Shamma is there before us. He leads us.
God led Israel in safety; He saved them from the Egyptian pursuers as the mighty waters of the Red Sea closed behind them over their enemies. They had nothing to fear. A good shepherd leads his flock away from danger, on a good path, and into good pasture. Our Father God does the same for us today; He leads us safely.
The Almighty led Israel to the land that He had promised; through the wilderness, into a fruitful land for His children to prosper. He does the same for us; He leads us to His chosen place for us.
God does not lead His children to defeat; He leads them to victory over their enemies. He clears the way before them as a shepherd inspects the pasture before his flock is brought onto it. Each day we begin a new adventure as children of God; He leads us, clearing the way for us.
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”
John 10:11
Dear Reader, the best news of all on this topic is that God sent His beloved Son to save and tend His flock. In Him, we are saved from the penalties of sin; a poisonous pasture indeed. Let us follow Him each day as He leads us Homeward to the Father.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
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