Matthew 2:6

Matthew 2:6 - “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.”

It was prophesied that Jesus would be a ruler and a shepherd. As we see it now it all makes sense, but I wonder what they thought back then. On one hand you have a ruler; a king. That makes sense, if God was going to come to earth of course He is going to be royalty. After all He is the King of kings.

Then on the other hand we see Him being called a shepherd. Shepherds were a lower class of people and job that was given to the least of men. It was a necessary job, but not one that anybody wanted. How could Jesus come as a shepherd?

This was not, however, the first time we see someone who was a shepherd and a king. When God called David it was when he was tending sheep for his father. Samuel came to Jesse and told him that one of his sons would be king of Israel. Jesse brought all of his other sons to Samuel first. God did not choose any of them. Samuel actually had to ask Jesse if there were any more, and as a last resort he brought David in from the fields. As we know God chose him to be king.

Now in the same lineage we see another shepherd king coming. We see Jesus who is our Shepherd and our King. He is our ruler and commander, but He also watches over us and guides us as a shepherd does for his sheep.