Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Psalm 89:1-8 and Jeremiah 23:1-8

In the books of the Old Testament Prophets, promises were sometimes given which had an immediate application in Israel’s history, but which also served as a sign of what God would eventually bring to pass through the Messiah. Jeremiah 23:5-6 is one such prophecy. Read in the context of the rest of the chapter, the first readers would have understood this to be a promise of their return from exile and of God raising up a human leader – someone like their post-exilic royal leader, Zerubbabel (See Ezra 2-5, Haggai 1-2 and Zechariah 4).

But Zerubbabel’s role in history was merely a foreshadowing of the great King who was to come. This King would be called “the Lord our Righteous Saviour”. He would be the true fulfilment of God’s promises to David, so beautifully summarised in Psalm 89:4 “I will establish your line for ever
    and make your throne firm through all generations.”

This is our Lord! This is Jesus! The true and eternal Good Shepherd who will gather God’s people from every nation under heaven into His new and beautiful Kingdom, which begins in time and space, but which continues forever. Like exiles returning home, or prodigals from a faraway land, lost and fallen sinners will be brought home to the Family of God by the Good Shepherd. In this life, He will rule over us and sustain us, feeding us and making us fruitful. But, in an act of glorious grace, that homecoming and that life of fruitfulness will not end with death but will continue eternally, for His throne will be secure for ever!

Lord Jesus, help me to trust You today and to follow wherever Your voice leads me. Establish me in Your Kingdom, and establish Your Kingdom in me. Amen.