 Weekly Devotional |
September 29, 2026 · Anne Barkley |
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” |
This week’s message explores one of Scripture’s most enduring pictures of our relationship with God: the Shepherd and His sheep. |
Jesus is our Great Shepherd who gave His life for us, our Good Shepherd who knows, leads, protects, and provides for us, and our Chief Shepherd who will appear in glory. As His sheep, we are called to know His voice, trust His care, follow where He leads, and remain close to His flock. |
The imagery of God as “THE SHEPHERD” is common throughout the Old and New Testaments. |
Therefore, every believer should understand the place of God in our lives as the “Shepherd,” what it means to be a “sheep,” and how to rely solely on God. |
The first mention of a shepherd in the Bible is Abel, who is described as a keeper of sheep in Genesis 4:2. This marks the earliest recorded instance of the occupation in Scripture, preceding the shepherding roles of the patriarchs such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David. |
Psalm 100:3 establishes the relationship between God as the Shepherd and people as His sheep: “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” |
From Genesis to Revelation, this image is used in the Bible. On his deathbed Jacob spoke confidently of “The God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day.” (Genesis 48:15) |
In Hebrews 13:20 we read, “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” |
In John 10, Jesus declares Himself “the Good Shepherd.” And in 1 Peter 5:4 Jesus is identified as the Chief Shepherd that will appear. |
The biblical relationship between a shepherd and his sheep is a profound metaphor for guidance, protection, and intimate care, symbolizing the bond between God and His people as our Shepherd of Love. |
In this dynamic, the shepherd provides food, water, and safety, while the sheep demonstrate complete dependence and trust, following the shepherd’s voice to avoid danger. |
We will examine the importance of this vital relationship as we seek to distinguish the true shepherd’s voice from strangers or false leaders; to obediently follow the shepherd; to experience the protection and provision of the shepherd even through the valley of the shadow of death; to trust the shepherd to lead us to living fountains of water and eternal security. |
Before we can adequately appreciate the role of the Great Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd, we must recognize that everyone born into this world is born a sheep in need of a Shepherd. |
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” |
Jesus knew the nature of people without a shepherd. Matthew wrote that when Jesus “saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36), and we’re helpless too…without Jesus as our Shepherd. |
Sheep are defenseless against predators and vulnerable without the Shepherd. They can’t fight back and they can’t outrun predators. They simply panic. |
They’re afraid of water and can’t swim. Imagine getting all that wool soaked, so they’re really good at doing two things in water…sinking, and drowning. |
If a sheep falls onto its side, it can become turned upside down…and will die if not picked up and placed upright. It can literally starve to death or lay there, being vulnerable to predators. |
And we of His flock can fall down and be on our backs, helpless and vulnerable, but the Shepherd can set us upright again. |
Sheep, not being the most intelligent of animals, have been known to just walk right off a cliff, but the True Shepherd won’t let that happen as long as they are in His fold as He seeks the lost sheep. |
And sheep must be led to green pastures; otherwise, they’d eat the grass down to the roots, destroying the pasture. |
Remember, just as sheep cannot thrive alone, we need both our Shepherd and the flock—our fellow believers—to grow in faith. |
The Shepherd is constantly calling—our role is simply to respond and follow. |
Moreover, a believer needs the “Shepherd” to save them from “hirelings”—false prophets, fake pastors, heretical teachers, apostate apostles, greedy evangelists, etc. |
The Psalmist David, who was a shepherd, was inspired by God to write about the Great Shepherd in Psalm 22; the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23 and the Chief Shepherd in Psalm 24. |
Psalm 22 gives us the picture of the Shepherd who would be willing to die for His sheep and gives a graphic picture of death by crucifixion. |
It begins with the very words that Jesus spoke on the Cross as He was dying, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” |
In verses 6 and 7 we read of His being despised, laughed at, scorned and mocked, saying, “He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” |
Then we read that the bones of His hands, arms, shoulders, and pelvis were out of joint and the action of His heart was affected (v. 14); His strength was exhausted and had extreme thirst (v. 15); His hands and feet were pierced (v. 16); they stared at Him (v. 17); they cast lots for His garments (v. 18). |
All of these were literally fulfilled by Jesus in Matthew 27 and a foretelling of the Roman method of crucifixion upon a Cross. |
Indeed, Jesus Christ, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, shed His innocent blood upon the Cross as our substitutionary sacrifice, paying the penalty of death that we deserved. |
Jesus took our place as the guilty, satisfying God’s justice and offering forgiveness and eternal life to those who believe. |
His sacrifice covers past, present, and future sins for believers according to 1 Corinthians 15:3 and 1 John 1:9 and 1 John 2.2. |
When his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.” |
In John 10, Jesus identifies Himself as both the Door and the Good Shepherd. |
Jesus as the Good Shepherd gave His life for the sheep (v. 11) and is, therefore, “the Door” by which “if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” (v. 9) |
This corresponds to Psalm 22. |
After entering the Door, we will be able to hear His voice as the Holy Spirit guides us. (vv. 3–5) |
The Good Shepherd gives us abundant life. (v. 10) |
The Good Shepherd knows us personally and writes our name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 13:8 and 21:27) |
Jesus further confirms the ownership of His sheep: |
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” |
David in his renowned Psalm 23 reminds us of the faithful love and care of our Good Shepherd, making it personal to each of us: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” |
It is a personal relationship that we must enter with the Good Shepherd who provides our every need. |
He leads us to a place of abundance of still waters that refreshes and satisfies us. (v. 2) |
He restores our soul—our mind, will and emotions—He converts the soul by His truth and wisdom and leads us in His paths of righteousness. (v. 3) |
Verse 4 is a promise that each of us His sheep must claim and rest in moment by moment: “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 comfort me.” |
Truly these are the times of the shadow of death as we daily hear of death—on our streets and in the air; in other nations; devastating floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes; sicknesses and diseases; inflation; food shortages and contamination; etc. |
The Good Shepherd knows every difficulty or ease of each segment of our journey and promises never to leave us and to see us through. |
We must focus our attention on the path just ahead of us and on the One who never leaves our side. |
The Good Shepherd not only delivers us from evil and defeats the enemy with His rod and staff, He prepares a table of victory and celebration for us in the presence of our enemies. (v. 5) |
That would be a Divine Reversal! |
Then the Good Shepherd, who is the ultimate Anointed One (Messiah), anoints His sheep with His abiding anointing of the Holy Spirit, ministering healing to us and empowering us with spiritual discernment, the ability to understand divine truth and share it with others. (1 John 2:20) |
The last verse assures us that the Good Shepherd will always have our backs as goodness and mercy follows us all the days of our lives as He prepares us to enter the great door to our eternal home with Him forever! |
The closing book of the Bible tells us, “for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.” (Revelation 7:17) |
The assurance of our eternal home with the Shepherd leads to our study of Jesus Christ as the Chief Shepherd, a title primarily derived from 1 Peter 5 as Peter instructs church leaders to shepherd God’s flock among them, to watch over it willingly before God, and to be examples to the flock. |
In verse 4 we read, “When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” |
This verse reminds us of the Chief Shepherd’s role as the ultimate owner, ruler, and judge of the spiritual flock. |
In that chapter Peter goes on to warn all believers to clothe ourselves with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (v. 5) |
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may lift you up at the appropriate time.” (v. 6) |
Peter reminds us to cast all our worries on the Shepherd, for He cares for us! (v. 7) |
Then we are given a warning relating to the appearing of the Chief Shepherd. |
“Stay alert! Watch out! Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, searching for someone to devour…After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace—who has called you into His eternal glory in Messiah—will Himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. All power to Him forever! Amen.” (vv. 8, 10, 11) |
This brings us to Psalm 24 when the King of Glory—the Chief Shepherd—rewards the sheep! |
David declares that the earth is the LORD’S and all that fills it—the world and those dwelling on it. |
He presents the question: “Who may stand in His holy place?” |
He makes it clear—it is those who have clean hands and a pure heart who have been sealed by the blood of the New Covenant of the Great Shepherd and follow the Good Shepherd. |
We see the reward: “He will receive a blessing from the LORD, righteousness from God his salvation. Such is the generation seeking Him, seeking Your face…” (vv. 5–6) |
1. The declaration of the title, “The earth is the LORD’S” (vv. 1–2) |
2. Who shall rule the earth? (vv. 3–6)—it is a question of worthiness, and no one is worthy but the Lamb. “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” |
3. The King of Glory takes the throne of earth. (vv. 7–10) |
This is the promise of the 1000-year reign of Christ—the Great Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd! |
Then we as the sheep of His pasture will share in Christ’s authority as His flock acting as priest-kings who mediate God’s blessing and exercise judgment with Him! |
Consider your relationship with the Good Shepherd by asking yourself: |
1. Am I regularly spending quiet time listening for God’s voice? |
2. Am I daily reading and studying Scripture? |
3. Am I obediently following the Shepherd? |
4. Am I staying connected to the flock? |
5. What burdens am I carrying that need to be cast upon the Lord and trusting Him to carry me through? |
The Shepherd and His Sheep |
Genesis 4:2 · Genesis 48:15 · Psalm 100:3 · Isaiah 53:6 · Matthew 9:36 · Hebrews 13:20 |
Psalm 22 · Matthew 27 · 1 Corinthians 15:3 · 1 John 1:9 · 1 John 2:2 · 1 Peter 2:24–25 |
Psalm 23 · John 10:3–5, 9–11, 27–30 · Revelation 7:17 · Revelation 13:8 · Revelation 21:27 |
Psalm 24 · 1 Peter 5:4–11 |
1 John 2:20 · 1 Peter 5:7 · Revelation 7:17 |
Preserving Betty Jo Hardy’s devotional legacy and continuing the ministry through Anne Barkley. |
| From The Throne Ministry | A weekly devotional ministry continuing the legacy of Betty Jo Hardy through Anne Barkley. | You are receiving this devotional because you subscribed to From the Throne or previously requested to receive these messages. | |
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