Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 23.1-4
1 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the Lord. 3 “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. 4 I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.

Reflection: Bad Shepherds
By John Tillman

Sheep are scattering.

Is there a wolf? Is there a fire, a storm, or some other danger? 

No. The flock is scattered by those who are supposed to gather and keep them. It is attacked by those who are supposed to protect them. It is panicked by those who are supposed to provide peaceful shelter. Wicked, foolish, and false shepherds are scattering and destroying the flock.

Most of the priests and prophets we know the names of, such as Jeremiah, Isaiah, and others were faithful shepherds of the people. They instructed the people with wisdom and spoke the words of God truthfully to the people, whether it was good news or bad. A few of the “bad” shepherds are named such as Amaziah, Pashhur, and a few others. But reading between the lines of the Old Testament, there were far more false shepherds than true ones.

When we meet false shepherds in the Old Testament, they are usually pointing accusing fingers at the prophets we know to be true. Imagine standing there. If we weren’t reading the book with Jeremiah’s name on it, how would we tell who was right? There’s no easy answer.

Jeremiah gives some indicators of bad and good shepherds. Many of these line up with Jesus’ descriptions of good and bad shepherds. Bad shepherds cause terror. Good shepherds provide safety. Bad shepherds scatter. Good shepherds gather. Bad shepherds wound. Good shepherds heal. Bad shepherds destroy (or kill). Good shepherds grow. Bad shepherds neglect. Good shepherds tend.

People are leaving the church—many because of “bad shepherds.”

Pointing a finger and blaming “false shepherds” is common in American Christianity. How do we know who is telling the truth? What are sheep like us supposed to do?

Know that God is against the false shepherds. As upset as we may be about harmful or false shepherds, God’s anger is beyond ours and his punishment on them will be beyond what we can imagine.

Know that the good shepherd is still good, even if under-shepherds fail to be so. Don’t allow the flawed and fallen shepherds to obscure the image of the true and loving Jesus. He is still good.

Don’t allow bad shepherds to disciple you. Bad shepherds are desperate for more sheep. They disciple their sheep to be like them: harsh, angry, fearful, boasting, abusive, divisive, paranoid, and power-hungry.

Follow the good shepherd. Only his way leads home.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
Save me, O God, for the waters have risen up to my neck. — Psalm 69.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 23 (Listen 7:13)
2 Thessalonians 3 (Listen 2:16)

Read more about Urban Legends and Good Shepherds
You may have been wounded by a foolish or wicked shepherd. But you can still be healed by Jesus, the good shepherd.

Read more about Readers’ Choice
Readers’ Choice starts in September, so it’s time to share your favorite posts of the year. Tell us your faves via email, direct message, or the linked form.

https://forms.gle/9vyYwVxa1kZZn7AKA

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 23:5-6
5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
    and do what is just and right in the land.
6 In his days Judah will be saved
    and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.

Reflection: The Righteous Branch
By Jon Polk

That’s it. I’ve had enough.

“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. (Jer. 23:1)

God laments how poorly the kings of Judah have shepherded God’s people. Jeremiah had warned them previously to get their act together, to do what is right by the people, and bring justice to the poor and oppressed (Jer. 22:3-4) because he knew the consequences were dire:

“But if you do not obey these commands, declares the Lord, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.” (Jer. 22:5)

Alas, the string of terrible, self-serving Jewish kings was too much.

Zedekiah ruled over Judah at this particular time. He ascended to the throne when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem, capturing King Jehoiachin and naming Zedekiah as regent. Thus began an epic conflict between Judah and Babylon which lasted the eleven years of Zedekiah’s reign and – spoiler alert – ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of most of the Jews to Babylon.

All is not lost, however, for in one of Jeremiah’s few direct messianic prophecies, there is profound hope! A new King is coming! This King’s name will be The Lord Our Righteous Savior (ironically, Zedekiah’s name means “The Lord is my righteousness”). This King will do what the other kings could not.

This King will reign with wisdom, lead with justice, and rescue his people from captivity. This rescue will be so great that the exodus from Egypt, the pinnacle event in the Old Testament, will pale in comparison. (Jer. 23:7-8)

This King will be a Righteous Branch, an ancient term for the rightful heir of an established dynasty.

Who can forget the infamous Christmas Branch from A Charlie Brown Christmas? Selected by Charlie Brown to be the centerpiece for the annual Christmas Play, his scrawny pine branch “tree” is the laughingstock of the whole Peanuts gang. Dejected, Charlie Brown leaves the production all alone. Led by Linus, the gang eventually follows and, using ornaments and lights from Snoopy’s doghouse, transforms the branch into a wondrous tree.

The branch that had been rejected ultimately brought them all together in unity

The Righteous Branch was also despised and rejected and held in low esteem. (Isaiah 53:3)

This Righteous Messianic Branch, the rightful heir of David’s line, sacrificed his life so that we might be reunited with God, a relational rescue so great that, indeed, the exodus out of Egypt, pales by comparison.


Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. — Psalm 118.23

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 23(Listen -7:13)
2 Thessalonians 3(Listen – 2:16)

Read more about Hope Amidst Destruction
Even among the destruction of what is coming to Judah in Isaiah’s prophecies, there is hope.

Readers’ Choice is Coming!
We want to hear about your favorite posts from the past 12 months. Even if all you have to say is, “It blessed me,” let us know about it.