shepherd

For most of this year, I’ve been teaching a Sunday School class on the book of Revelation. I suppose we’re taking it slow, but this Sunday, we’ll be dealing with what we could say is the high point: the return of Jesus Christ. The apostle John describes this event in Revelation 19:11-16: 

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. ¹²His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but He Himself. ¹³He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. ¹⁴The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.

What a picture of judgment! Jesus is riding a white horse, which symbolizes a conquering warrior. His fiery eyes indicate pure vision; no sin will escape His attention. He has armies attending Him, and they’re ready for battle. Christ even has a sword, but this is no ordinary one, because it proceeds from His mouth. This represents His Word, and it’s an image that John mentions elsewhere in Revelation.

• “In His right hand He held seven stars, and coming out of His mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” – Revelation 1:16
• “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” – Revelation 2:16
• “The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.” – Revelation 19:21

But Jesus has more than a sword; He also wields “an iron scepter.” He’s coming back to rule.

In the context of war imagery, Christ’s rulership might seem destructive, and in a sense, it is. The leaders and systems of this world are going to fall before Jesus; their governance is coming to an end.

What the Lord replaces them with is benevolent governance.

We find this idea within the quotation contained in verse 15. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” That sentence derives from Psalm 2:9, which in the NIV looks like this: “You will break them with a rod of iron; You will dash them to pieces like pottery.” The Greek version of the Old Testament softens this verse. Here’s how the New English Translation of the Septuagint renders the verse: “You shall shepherd them with an iron rod; like a potter’s vessel You will shatter them.” According to the NIV, Jesus is going to break and dash the nations. And according to the NETS, He’s going to shepherd and shatter them. Milder, but mixed.

Why does John quote this verse from Psalm 2? What’s he trying to get across to us?

The verb translated “rule” is poimaino, which occurs 11 times in the Green New Testament. It has to do with shepherding. For example, when Jesus told Peter to “take care of My sheep” (John 21:16), this is the verb that was used. The Lord was telling Peter to shepherd the flock, not dominate them.

And in Revelation 7:17,  John declares that “the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘He will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” Since the phrase, “will be their shepherd,” has the verb poimaino, we should translate it as “will shepherd them.” Again, the verb communicates care, not harsh control. 

But three times in Revelation, John quotes the phrase from Psalm 2:9 about Jesus with an iron scepter. The verses are Revelation 2:27, 12:5, and 19:15. In some way, a particular instrument exemplifies Christ’s rule. What I learned is that the Greek word for “scepter” (rabdos) can mean a staff, rod, or scepter.

Does John contemplate Christ’s future governance as shepherding? Will He guide the nations with His staff, the way a shepherd leads sheep?

I ask these questions because this issue led me to two passages in John’s gospel. The first one describes the Lord serving as a shepherd.

“I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me– ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father–and I lay down My life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” – John 10:14-16

Jesus told the Jews He was going to die for His followers. The cross was no surprise; He knew it was coming. But to save us, it was worth it to Him. And Jesus removed the limitations on who qualified. The flock He sought was larger than those in Judea could imagine. It included the Gentiles. Anyone loyal to Jesus would be welcome.

The second passage in John’s gospel reinforces this point.

“He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵²and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.” – John 11:51-52

Unaware he was doing so, the high priest Caiaphas prophesied the death of Christ for God’s people. Not just those in Judea, but anyone anywhere who believed in the gospel. At the time, there were Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire who would open their hearts to the love of Jesus.

But the gospel wasn’t only for Jews. The Gentiles of the Roman Empire received salvation through the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection. And down through the ages, the numbers continue to expand. His church grows, more souls get right with God, more people dedicate themselves to Jesus Christ.

And God unites us all in His Son.

When Jesus returns to put down the evil governance of this world, He will shepherd His people with His staff. A shepherd uses a staff to guide his sheep but also to protect them. In most cases, a shepherd’s staff was made of wood, but Christ’s is different. It’s made of iron. This tells us His authority is unchallengeable; His staff can’t be broken. God’s kingdom is going to come to us; His will is going to be done. It can’t be stopped; Jesus the good shepherd is going to win!

Christ is coming back!