Shepherd Savior - Zechariah 13:7

“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones. (Zechariah 13:7 NKJV)

The Shepherd Savior was prophesized by Zechariah after the seventy-year Babylonian captivity and during the Medo-Persian empire which was over five hundred years (+) before Jesus Christ was revealed in the flesh to become sin for us, buried for us and resurrected for us.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. (Isaiah 53:5-7) NKJV)

The Shepherd Savior was prophesized by Isaiah seven hundred years (+) before Jesus Christ was revealed in the flesh to become sin for us who knew no sin. In the Old Testament (O.T.), the Holy Spirit revealed to men (Isaiah, Zechariah) about the Shepherd Savior. The arm of the Lord has been revealed on these pages of scripture: “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1 NKJV) We know Isaiah speaks of the Shepherd Savior because in Acts chapter eight it tells Isaiah 53 speaks of Jesus Christ.

“So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” (Acts 8:30-35 NKJV)

Isaiah 53 speaks of Jesus Christ and let us read about the Shepherd Savior. “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:1-12 KJV)

After reading Zechariah and Isaiah, let us fast forward five hundred and seven hundred (+) years on the page of scripture and read about the Shepherd Savior. “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.” (Matthew 26:31-32 KJV) We have the joy today to read prophecy fulfilled. What an honor and privilege the LORD has given us today that we not only read the prophecy but read prophecy fulfilled. God is so good! The Shepherd Savior is documented on the pages of the O.T. and finally, we read in Matthew that He is revealed. The Shepherd Savior revealed in the flesh is so important that it divided time: BC (before Christ) and AD (in the year of the LORD).

When we celebrate CHRISTmas over the next couple of days with friends and family, let us remember the reason the Shepherd Savior was revealed in the flesh. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 KJV) The Shepherd Savior voluntarily brought “as a lamb to the slaughter” so we could receive eternal life and be with our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus did not reveal Himself in the flesh to make us “better men/women,” He revealed Himself in the flesh to become sin for us and die a perfect sacrifice for sin, be buried and resurrect the third day to show the world the Heavenly Father was satisfied with the Shepherd Savior’s sacrifice for sin. “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10 KJV). Jesus Christ death payment for sin pleased the Father and resurrection is proof of satisfied sacrifice. If the Shepherd Savior’s death payment for sin, burial, and resurrection pleased the Father, why can’t people simply trust in the only thing that will save them?

When you gather around with your friends and family, let us remember Jesus’ birth had one purpose and that was for the Shepherd Savior to be revealed in the flesh and be led as a lamb to slaughter and become sin for all of us and resurrect for all of us to show us that the payment for sin is paid in full. The only thing left to do is believe. Do you believe the Father's report of His Son’s sacrifice? “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1 NKJV)

If you have not believed, what is stopping you right now from believing? Believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, burial, and resurrection and receive the greatest gift ever which is eternal life. Eternal life does not start when you die, eternal life starts the very second you believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. Why not trust in Jesus Christ today for salvation. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)

If you know someone who is not saved, forward this message to them and share the greatest gift that one could ever receive.

Lance Edminster

The Good News Voice

Email: thegoodnewsvoice@gmail.com

Once Saved, Always Saved -"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." (John 10:28-30 KJV)