Eschatological Passage of Psalms 23

Eschatological Passage of Psalms 23, The Shepherd Section #2

    When I was growing up between 1967-1990, I had a lot of depression going on in my life. In 1979, I contemplated suicide. During that time frame this Psalm lifted me up. There were days when I had anger and hatred to the world around me. Kelly Stangle committed suicide in Junior High School and after the funeral, I went home and played the piano for 6 solid hours with only one song titled: “You will Never Walk Alone” from the musical “Carousel”. Kelly was a straight -A student in Junior high and a perfectionist at whatever he did. In many ways, he was like me. We both were on the autism spectrum and did not know it at that time. Kelly spent 3 month putting together a plastic model of a ship with no glue marks. He was very proud of his accomplishment and showed it off at school. Three bullies picked on him at school and tore his ship apart and he went home and committed suicide by slitting his wrists. I had many acquaintances but no true friends and he called me the week of the suicide and asked for my help. I did not know who I could turn to.

    After that there was one in High School (hanging) and then another one in College (gun shot to the head). These two were God dream fulfillments.
    All 3 asked for my help but I did not know who I could turn to.

    Now I know who to turn to. The Bible is the best help when it comes to facing issues in life.

And now 4 pages from the Stories Behind the Psalms by Dale Cain. Page 51-55.

     Death! What a strange word, but what a reality. We find these words in I Sam 25:1, “and Samuel died”. What a great spiritual leader Samuel had been, not only for Israel, but also for David. We can speak of age as being a reason for death, but regardless of someone's age, we are never ready to give up a loved one to death. Samuel was 88 years of age; and old man, yes, but David was not ready for his spiritual father to be taken from him.

     The year was 1011 BC. Book says 1027 BC.

David's Psalm at Gath (1Sa 21) Psalm 56; Saul Slays the Priests of Nob 1 Samuel 22; David's Psalms in the Cave (1Sa 22) Psalms 57, 142; David Flees Saul 1 Samuel 23; David's Psalm at Keilah (1Sa 23) Psalm 54; David Spares Saul's Life 1 Samuel 24; Samuel Dies 1 Samuel 25; David Spares Saul a Second Time 1 Samuel 26.

     It will still be two years before David can have any peace and become the king of Judah. Many long days and restless nights lay ahead of him.

     Three very remarkable things happen to David at this point. First, all of Israel went to lament Samuel and bury him at Ramah. David must have felt sorrow for himself as he could not attend since his life was still on the line. Second, David went to Paran, the wilderness, where over 400 years before the children of Israel wandered. Why did David go there? I do not know, unless he wanted to be alone and felt this place would give him that opportunity. Also, he felt deserted, as the children of Israel had also felt when they were in that wilderness. Third, David became very vengeful in his attitude; he developed the root of bitterness.

     In Samuel 25:6-8, David sent some of his men to Nabal, a rich herdsman, to get part of Nabal's profits with which David might feed his men. After all, David had actually protected the area so that Nabal could shear his sheep and make the profits in the first place. But Napal would not hear of it. He would not even acknowledge that he knew who David was. David sent 400 of his men to punish Nabal's wife and kill all the males in the household. But Abigail, Nabal's wife, loaded food on asses and went to meet David. She was a good and beautiful woman. When she met David, she gave him the food. Returning to Nabal, she told him of her encounter with David. He had a heart attack and died ten days later.

     Upon hearing the news of Nabal's death, David took Abigail to be his wife and also took Ahinoam to wife. Michael, his first wife, had been given to another man by Saul.

     When we have bitterness in our heart, we cannot be spiritual. Here David proves this point. He had many discouraging things transpire in his life during the next two years.

     At the close of this period in I Sam. 30, David wrote his next Psalm (Psalm 23), which was probably his greatest. The year was 1010 BCE when Saul was still king, but the days were rapidly passing, drawing near to the end of his reign. Saul had visited the witch of Endor and heard those striking words for the summoned Samuel, “The Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy” (See 1 Sam. 28:1-25). What a startling statement! Can you grasp the thought of God becoming your enemy? How could a man wander from the position of being an anointed king, blessed of God, to the place where God was now his enemy? It is easy for me to look at Saul and to find great fault in his character and sinful disobedience; but alas, dare I criticize another before I have finished my course and run my race? May this be warning for me, lest I find myself in the position of Saul.

     Moreover, Saul also heard those fretful words, “The Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David: because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord” (I Sam 28:17-18). Obedience is such a necessary exercise in our daily Christian walk. God has always emphasized this. Beginning with the old salt covenant that he declared to Adam. A paraphrase of Gen 2:16-17 would read, “Obey me and I will bless you; disobey me and I will punish you”. This command has repeatedly been brought to the attention of man since that time by the use and reference of salt. The salt given with each Levitical sacrifice was a constant reminder (Num 18:19). Even Jesus' reference to salt in His teachings was a reminder of the importance of this covenant. Yet all men, at times slip from the conscious pursuing of God's blessings to the selfish seeking of personal material gain that is outside of God's will.

Now Saul, confronted with this information (which confirms an earlier prophecy in I Sam 15:28), must contemplate the reign of his kingdom going to his personal enemy David. But where is David?

Following his boyhood days tending sheep, David had been in the service of the military and in the service of Saul. He had gained great popularity with the people of Israel, beginning with his slaying of the Philistine Goliath. When Saul began to turn against David, it was not expedient for David to remain in Israel, so after approximately two years, he fled to the Philistine King Achish in Gath. David was 29 years old. He took with him to Gath his two wives, and his 600 men and their families.

     David is now in the unique position of being in service to his lifetime enemies, the Philistines! My, how life changes. Issues and people that we once fought bitterly. We may now support. We begin life with such strong desires and ambitions, but these begin to mellow along the path of life. The methods we adopt during our lifetime may change, but we must have basic foundations of belief on which we firmly stand. In the days that see us turn gray and slow to retirement, we must have a secure foundation to which we always return.

     Although their nations were enemies, King Achish was a friend of David's and trusted David to serve in his army. He gave David and his men a small rural town, Ziklag, in which to live, since they preferred not to live in a large city. It is interesting to note that Ziklag was a border town that had been given to Judah back in Joshua's day (Josh 15:31). It had eventually fallen to the Philistines, but was now again returned to a descendant of the tribe of Judah, David. Later Ziklag became property of the kings of Judah until the captivity.

     All went well for David for a time. He and his men made several raids (I Sam 27:8), thereby increasing King Achish's confidence in them. David was with the Philistines in Ziklag for a period of 16 months (I Sam 27).

     However, David was about to be placed in the position of having his past influence the present, and having his trust in God greatly tried. He and his men traveled to Gath to meet the Philistines who were readying their forces to go against Israel, and again pledged their loyalty to King Achish. However, the other Philistine military leaders did not trust David, as it had only been 3 ½ years since he had slain the giant Philistine soldier, Goliath (I Sam 17). These leaders finally persuaded King Achish to release David, so David and his men traveled three days to return to their homes in Ziklag.

     They had left Ziklag unprotected during their absence, not considering that any mischeif might befall their homes and families. However, while they were away, the Amalekites came, and finding the city unprotected, took the women and children captive, and burned the city, leaving with the spoils of victory. These Amalekites were no strangers to David, nor to Israel. They were descendants of Esau, and had been a “thorn in the flesh” to Israel since the days of Jacob and Esau. It was this same group who attacked Moses and the children of Israel as they fled Egypt. As Moses struck the rock and water gushed forth, the Amalekites, desiring this water, made war against the wilderness travelers (Exodus 17). For this action, we find God stating that He would wipe them from the face of the earth. The last recorded known Amalekite was Haman, whose story is found in the book of Esther.

     These are the people that now invaded David's territory. When David and his men returned home to Ziklag, they found their families gone and the city burned. David's men had probably never experienced a greater loss in all their lives. Not knowing what else to do, they began to place the blame for their circumstances on their leader.

How prone we are today to do this same thing! Rather than drawing together for support when crises come, we tend to look to others to place blame, never wanting to accept any responsibility ourselves. Although we cannot always change our circumstances, we do have a choice in how we feel about things and the attitude we adopt. We can talk ourselves into being happy or sad, and our attitude has more to do with our well-being than we often acknowledge.

     What a disappointing moment this must have been for these men, having traveled these days from their dismissal at the camp of Achish, expecting to find rest in their families and homes. The description in I Sam. 30:4 is so graphic. 1Sa 30:4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. All 600 men wept with such emotion that they were exhausted. Picture this if you can. Think about the scene at that moment in the burnt and desolate city of Ziklag. David had also suffered loss, as much as his men, for all his immediate family and all his possessions were gone. The men turned on David in their desire to take vengeance on someone. Throughout the camp the noise was heard, “Let's stone David to death, for he is responsible for our tragedy”. 1Sa 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

    How bitter David must have felt! Not only had he suffered as much loss as these men, but after he had led them, had confidence in them, and had dedicated himself to them, they now turned against him. In addition to all his losses, he had now lost his friends. This must have been the same type of bitterness Job felt during his ordeal. Our dear Savior must have felt this also as he bore the condemnation of the cross, all alone.

     There was no one to whom David could turn except the Lord, “... but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (I Sam 30:6). Circumstances often make us turn to our last hope, our only hope, the Lord God! No one else can understand, no one else can comfort, but the only true rest for our souls, is Elohim. On a personal note from JA: Boy, I wish I had learned this back in 1984 but it would not be until after 2008 that I would begin to learn this. As I copy this chapter to this point, the suicide back in 1983 or 1984 is being replayed out in my mind and I am weeping for the loss of the life of the 3 persons.

    And so it was in this condition that David, all alone, wrote these words:

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD ("Jehovah-Ro'i"= Shepherd) is my shepherd (Psa_79:13, Psa_80:1; Isa_40:11; Jer_23:3-4; Eze_34:11-12, Eze_34:23-24; Mic_5:2, Mic_5:4; Joh_10:11, Joh_10:14, Joh_10:27-30; Heb_13:20; 1Pe_2:25, 1Pe_5:4; Rev_7:17); I shall (Psa_34:9-10, Psa_84:11; Mat_6:33; Luk_12:30-32; Rom_8:32; Php_4:19; Heb_13:5-6) not want (Because "Jehovah will provide" or Jehovah sees, Jehovah-Jireh).

     As I think about this verse I am reminded of the Big Dipper and the little Dipper in the Heavens. Their other names that I know is the big bear and little bear or big sheepfold and little sheepfold.

     In 2008, my income was approximately 1000 to 1500 per month. My debt was 30,000 and by the end of that year, the debt was paid off. In 2011, I inherited a 55,000 dollar hospital bill and by the end of that year, it was paid off. Now my income is 342 per month which ends in January and all my needs are met. When you trust in the Lord and not to your own understanding, He will meet your needs but not your wants or desires. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. (Prov 3:5-6). I have been doing God's will for my life since 1967 and I did not realize it until 2014-2016 when I compiled my 300 page testimony. Note: Who are the 144,000? is a part of that testimony.

     Jehovah means God.

     JEHOVAH-JIREH.—The name given by Abraham (Gen_22:14) to the spot where he offered a ram in place of his son. The name means ‘Jehovah sees,’ and probably also (with reference to Gen_22:8) ‘Jehovah provides.’ The proverb connected in Gen_22:14 with the name clearly relates to the Temple hill, ‘the mount of the Lord.’ But it is not easy to see the exact connexion between the name and the proverb. The most obvious translation is ‘in the mount of Jehovah one appears’ (referring to the festal pilgrimages to Jerusalem), but in that case the connexion can be only verbal. Other possible translations are: (1) ‘In the mount of Jehovah it is seen,’ i.e. provided; this is a possible translation in the context; but it appears to be suggested that the proverb had an existence independently of the tradition of Abraham’s sacrifice; in which case the meaning assigned to the verb is not a natural or obvious one. (2) ‘In the mount of Jehovah, Jehovah is seen.’ The significance of the phrase would then be that, as Jehovah sees the needs of those who come to worship Him, so as a practical result He is seen by them as a helper. Other translations have been suggested which do not, however, alter the general sense. Driver decides that, unless the connexion be regarded as purely verbal, the last suggestion quoted above seems the most satisfactory. In any case, the point lies in the relation between the name which Abraham gave to the place of his sacrifice and some popular proverb dealing with the Temple at Jerusalem. A. W. F. Blunt.
   

Psa 23:2 He maketh me (causeth me (implying continuance)Isa_30:23; Eze_34:13-14) to lie down (We need making so as to feed, and not trample the pastures down) in green pastures (choice pastures): he leadeth me (causeth me to rest. Hebrew. nahal, to lead flocks; Psa_46:4; Isa_49:9-10; Rev_7:17, Rev_21:6, Rev_22:1, Rev_22:17) beside the still waters (Hebrew "waters of rests/quietness", JEHOVAH-SHALOM= Jehovah is peace or well disposed; Job_34:29; Isa_8:6).

    Shalom means peace, wellness, wholeness, oneness, blissfulnee/joy and 15 more deep layered meanings.

     In 2007, Yeshua came to me in a God dream and told me this: You are my beloved bride who I love. May my Shalom that passes all understanding cover your body, soul, spirit, and mind for all of eternity. In that dream, I saw the holes in His wrists. Seeing is not believing but believing is seeing.

     Rest ties to Gen 2:1-3 and to Feast of Tabernacles (Millennium; Eze_34:13-14) as a Covenant of Peace/Rest. Num_25:12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace. Eze_34:25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. Eze_37:26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. Mal_2:5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

     JEHOVAH-SHALOM.—The name given by Gideon to the altar he erected in Ophrah (Jdg_6:24). The name means ‘J″ is peace’ (i.e. well-disposed), in allusion to J″’s words in Jdg_6:23 ‘Peace be unto thee.’
     The Shepherd knows each one of us by name. When it is time to go into the sheepfold for the night, the Shepherd has each one of us go under his legs into the fold. He calls us by our name. So we stop under his legs and he cleans us up every night. If we get a cut, he cleans our wound and then puts salve (ointments combined by hand) to heal us. 
     

Psa 23:3 He restoreth (bringeth back, as in Psa_19:7-8, Psalms 119; Mal 4:6, Psa_51:10, Psa_51:12, Psa_85:4-7; Job_33:30; Jer_32:37-42; Hos_14:4-9; Mic_7:8-9, Mic_7:18-19; Luk_22:31-32; Rev_3:19; JEHOVAH-ROPKEKA= Jehovah restores), my soul (Hebrew. Nephesh): he leadeth (Hebrew. nahal, to guide, conduct; Psa_5:8, Psa_34:3, Psa_143:8-10; Pro_8:20; Isa_42:16; Jer_31:8) me in the paths of righteousness (righteous paths. JEHOVAH-TZIDKENU=Jehovah is our Righteousness) for his name's (Aleph-Tav; YHVH; Jehovah; Yahoshua; Yehoshua; Yeshua; Iehesous; Jesus; Elohim) sake (Psa_79:9; Eze_20:14; Eph_1:6).

     His laws, His Words restores us and yet, His judgments will bring fire to cleanse us and this world for His Messianic Kingdom that arrives at Sukkot in 2018. His light will light up the Millennium where there will be no darkness, no night. His Law will be in the Millennium.

     JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU (‘J″ is our righteousness,’ or ‘J″ our righteousness,’ Jer_23:6; Jer_33:16).—In both passages (which are in fact the same prophecy repeated) it is the title of the Branch, the perfectly Righteous King, who is to rule over the people on their return from the Captivity.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through (Not into; but "through", and out of it, into resurrection life) the valley of the shadow of death (Psa_44:19; Job_3:5, Job_10:21-22, Job_24:17; Jer_2:6; Luk_1:79), I will (Psa_3:6, Psa_27:1-4, Psa_46:1-3, Psa_118:6, Psa_138:7; Isa_41:10; 1Co_15:55-57) fear no evil (Hebrew. ra’a’): for thou (Psa_14:5, Psa_46:11; Isa_8:9-10, Isa_43:1-2; Zec_8:23; Mat_1:23, Mat_28:20) art with me (JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH); thy rod/club/sceptre (cut asunder; Psa_110:2; Mic_7:14; Zec_11:10, Zec_11:14) and thy staff/cross/tree/crook they comfort (gently lead. Same word as "leadeth" in Psa_23:2) me.

    The only two things carried by the shepherd is the rod and staff; the former for defense, the latter for help. The club for the sheep’s enemies, the crook for the sheep’s defense. A lesson for pastors to-day.
    If the Shepherd is going to do a tithe with his sheep, he holds out his rod and counts his sheep as they pass under the rod. He counts to ten and the 10th one goes to die.

    Yeshua said: Take up your cross and follow me. In Aramaic, the cross means staff.

      The valley reminds me of the vallies in Jerusalem like the valley of Gehenna. Jerusalem sits on 3 hills with 2 vallies and the 3 hills make the letter Shin.

     JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH (‘J″ is there’).—The name to be given to the restored and glorified Jerusalem (Eze_48:35; cf. Isa_60:14-22; Isa_62:2, Rev_21:2 f.). ‘The prophet beheld the Lord forsake His temple (ch. 11), and he beheld Him again enter it (ch. 43); now He abides in it among His people for ever.’
     I remember this one time that I ran away from my Shepherd. I was a very curious sheep and I love to explore on a daily basis all by myself. Sometimes I would go into bramble and cry out because I got stuck. He came to rescue me. I did this on several occasions. 
     One time I went into a pit and he rescued me. He was tired of rescueing me so he broke one of my legs and it hurt badly and I cried terribly. He mended my leg and carried me on his back until my leg had been healed. After that I learned to follow him no matter where we went. 
     I am reminded of foot prints in the sand story. 

Psa 23:5 Thou preparest (settest in order; Psa_22:26, Psa_22:29, Psa_31:19-20, Psa_104:15; Job_36:16; Isa_25:6; Joh_6:53-56; Joh_10:9-10, Joh_16:22) a table (So that I may feast while He fights. JEHOVAH-NISSI=Jehovan is my banner. The figure of the sheep is continued: for the "table" of Psa_23:5 answers to the "pastures" of Psa_23:2) before me in the presence of mine enemies/adversaries: thou anointest (JEHOVAH-MEKADDISHKEM=Jehovah sanctifies (I Cor 1:30); Heb. makest fat, Psa_45:7, Psa_92:10; Amo_6:6; Mat_6:17; 2Co_1:21; 1Jn_2:20, 1Jn_2:27) my head with oil; my cup (the Shepherd’s cup of water for the sheep; Psa_16:5, Psa_116:13; 1Co_10:16) runneth over (Psalms 73:10).

    The mansion is ready for us and the banqueting table is ready for feasting but are you ready to go for time is short and the gathering most likely will be at Chanukkah (John 10=Haggai 2)? If you are not ready to go then you will be left behind to go through the Revelation Judgments in 2018. Deut 24:5; Jhn 6:39, 40,44,54; Isa 34:8; Isa 61:1-2; Isa 63:4; Isa 54; Psalms 117-118; the Flood; Exodus plague 1 to Pentecost and Haggai 2 all point to one year or less for the Trumpet and Bowl Judgments of Revelation. Also remember that Psalms 18 representing 1918 and the Megiddo battle at Sukkot during WWI points us to WWIII Armageddon being in 2018.

     JEHOVAH-NISSI (‘J″ is my banner’).—The name given by Moses to the altar he erected after the defeat of Amalek, Exo_17:15 (E). God is considered the centre or rallying point of the army of Israel, and the name of God as their battle-cry (cf. Psa_20:7 f.). The interpretation of Exo_17:16 is somewhat doubtful. Many critics read nçs (‘banner’) for kçs (= kisseh, ‘throne’), but this appears neither to be necessary nor to yield a suitable sense. The meaning is probably either ‘J″ hath sworn, (EV), or ‘I (Moses) swear’ (with hand uplifted to J″’s throne).

Psa 23:6 Surely goodness (Psa_30:11-12, Psa_36:7-10, Psa_103:17; 2Co_1:10; 2Ti_4:18) and mercy (lovingkindness, or grace, redemption, deliverance) shall follow (follow after, or closely. In Hebrew present put for future) me all the days of my life: and I will (Psa_16:11, Psa_17:15, Psa_73:24-26; 2Co_5:1; Php_1:23) dwell in the house of the LORD for ever (end of ages, length of days; Psalm 21:4).

     My greatest joy is to sit in the Temple and compile articles on the Lord and His word. This not only brings me knowledge, but also joy and immense excitement to share it with others.