Jeremiah 23:1-8--The Righteous Branch

Jeremiah 23:1-8
English Standard Version

The Righteous Branch
23 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. 2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.

5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

7 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 8 but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”

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The LORD had entrusted the care of the sheep (the people) to the civil and spiritual leaders who were to be the shepherds of His flock (He is the Good and Great Shepherd, but they were His under-shepherds).  Those charged with the protection of the people have abused and fleeced them for their own benefit.  The LORD is rightfully upset that they are mistreating His flock.  The LORD will scatter the people through the nations but will gather them back together again.  When He brings them back, He will cause them to be fruitful and multiply.   He will also put new shepherds over them who will genuinely care for the sheep and the sheep will not need to fear them like they do now.

The LORD also promised the Good Shepherd would come--the Messiah.  He would be the Son of David.  Though the tree of David's line (the kings) appeared to be dead, this Branch would come to life and would be the true King they had been waiting for.  He will be successful where Judah and Israel had been unsuccessful.  He would secure all the blessings of the covenant for His people.  He would be the righteousness we need to be clothed in because we have none of our own.

It would be just as miraculous a salvation at the Exodus and Passover.  It would be just as miraculous as His returning them from Exile, though they would be saved from the slavery and exile of sin and be brought into the even better Promised Land of the Kingdom of God that is the New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem that is being prepared for them.  Just as surely as the Exodus happened, the return from Exile would happen and the salvation by the hand of Messiah would happen.  To the LORD the past, present and future had all been written and He could speak with certainty and authority that He would do these things for the good of His people and for His own good pleasure and to the praise of His glory.