READING FOR JANUARY 15, 2026: MICAH 5, JOHN 10, PSALM 143 MICAH 5 This chapter is seen by some as key to understanding the entire end times on a detailed level. It seems there is application to these future events but remember how the details of God’s fulfilling of prophecy are sometimes so surprising, the case of John the Baptist being the return of Elijah and the double fulfillments for example. Let’s proceed with caution.
Someone, ambiguously named “they,” laid or will lay siege to Jerusalem. This refers to a then- current and/or future enemy of Jerusalem. This enemy will do violence to “the judge of Israel,” a significant national authority figure. Possible candidates for this enemy include Assyria, Babylon, Rome, even the antichrist or some combin- ation. The ruler could mean a king of Israel, king of Judah, Jesus or again a combination. In verse 2, though, Jesus is clearly referenced: “So they [chief priest and teachers of the law] said to him [Herod], ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: “'But you, Bethlehem, [in] the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel'"(Matt.2:5-6).
We learn more about this one-of-a-kind Ruler and Shepherd of Israel in the following verses:
- He will rule God’s people, meaning the nation of Israel and/or the church (vs 2).
- Although He emerges in our view in Bethlehem at a particular time, He existed from all eternity (vs. 2).
- In verse 3, He will allow His people (Israel and/or believers?) to be exiled (Babylon, A.D. 70, current church age, and/or antichrist’s period of activity?) until he returns to shepherd His flock (return from Babylonian exile, salvation of Jews, second coming, and/or tribulation?). Also consider Rev. 12:5-6: “So the woman (Israel?) gave birth to a son, a male child, who is going to rule over all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, and she fled into the wilderness where a place had been prepared for her by God, so she could be taken care of for 1,260 days".
- Verse 12 says He will “execute vengeance in anger and wrath on those who disobey Him.” Also see Rev. 19:15: “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.”
Although the details may not be clear, we know Jesus will 1) rescue those who trust in Him, 2) reign over all the earth, and 3) judge those who reject Him. WE CAN ACT ACCORDINGLY NOW! JOHN 10 There is a passage in Ezekiel 34 where God issues a rebuke to those who were supposed to be leading Israel, caring for their well-being and guiding them in righteous living, but who were serving their own interests instead. Following the rebuke is a beautiful passage where God prophesies a coming day when Israel will once again have a good shepherd – one who will look after the sheep, searching out the lost, rescuing those in danger, binding up the injured, strengthening the weak, etc. (You can read this in Ezekiel 34:1-24.)
The puzzling thing about this passage is that first Ezekiel names that coming good shepherd as God himself, but later in the same passage he names David (meaning the coming Messiah/King from the lineage of David) as the good shepherd. Which is it? Is God the shepherd or is the Messiah the shepherd? Ezekiel doesn’t clarify. He only speaks of it as a certainly coming reality.
Now, as we come to this chapter, it makes sense; it all fits together in Jesus. As the chapter opens, Jesus is
continuing his critique of the Pharisees from the end of chapter 9, where he called them blind and now indicates that they are serving as self-serving “hired hands,” with their own interests in mind rather than the well-being of the sheep. And then he asserts himself as the good shepherd. He is claiming to be the one
READING FOR JANUARY 15, 2026 CONTINUED: JOHN 10, PSALM 143 spoken of by Ezekiel all those centuries ago. Ah! So the Messiah is the true king of Israel. But then he makes
this outrageous claim: I and the Father are one. (v 30) And now the prophesy makes sense: In Jesus, and in Jesus alone, the Messiah/King from the line of David and God himself is Israel’s true Shepherd.
A few quick thoughts about this chapter:
- We have two “I am” statements of Jesus: I am the gate for the sheep and I am the good shepherd.
- In Hebrew Scriptures, the ideal king is described as a shepherd (likely because of the shepherd David who became a king after God’s own heart). In their culture, the relationship of care and trust between shepherd and sheep, was the image of a good kingship. Think of the image we have today of leaders and rulers. When we serve in a leadership capacity in any realm of our life, how might we learn from the shepherd image? Take time to read Ezekiel 34 and Psalm 23 and meditate on this question.
- Even as Jesus spoke of being the good shepherd, he began hinting at – for the first time in John – where this vocation would lead him: The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; I lay down my life for the sheep. The image of a good shepherd is a peaceful one to us, with images of the shepherd walking with the lost little lamb in his arms as he tenderly brings him back to the fold. Though this is true, Jesus’ claim at the time was much more provocative than that. It was a claim of power, of rule, of authority and went toe to toe with all other claims of such. Jesus was not naïve to where his claim would lead. He was fully aware of the path ahead, but as the true and righteous shepherd of his people he was prepared to lay down his life to save them.
- Note also that Jesus has “other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” Jesus didn’t set out only to deliver the present flock (Israel); he was going to bring into the fold other sheep. (Us!) The God of Israel was never interested in only Israel. His relationship with Israel was always for the sake of the whole world. Let’s pause and thank God for his good and beautiful plan to deliver us and ask Him how he might help us to look beyond our own “fold” of YMC and bring in others not yet part of his flock.
- Finally, when you find yourself in need of God’s care, remember this passage and the earlier Hebrew writings in Ezekiel 34 and Psalm 23. Meditate on these Scriptures; read them regularly; remember that you are in the care of the true and the very good Shepherd.
PSALM 143 This Psalm uses the Hebraic poetic device of parallelism: each verse first making a statement then repeating it using similar wording. As opposed to the Lord’s Prayer that begins with affirming God’s holi- ness, this prayer asks for a response based upon God’s attributes of faithfulness and righteousness. How wise to affirm God’s attributes in our prayers. Just by verbalizing them it changes our outlook. In verse 2, David brings up our unrighteousness before such a righteous God. Paul later powerfully builds upon this truth: “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:11). In verse 3, David doesn’t describe a particular physical danger, but rather persecution by an enemy against his soul. Consider how much more eternally dangerous an attack on our soul can be than one against our bodies. Thus, David commits to setting his mind on God’s past faithfulness to stave off this attack. We have a much better past event to consider: “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). Notice how David evokes the cities of refuge concept (Joshua 20) by seeking spiritual refuge from his enemies: “Save me, Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You” (vs. 9). David concludes by committing to obey God’s will (i.e., the Bible), to follow the Spirit’s leading, and to submit to God’s Lordship.
