which our Lord Jesus learned when- He was only a child at His mother’s knee. No wonder, in later years, this One greater than David could right ly attest in His public ministry, “I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” While the 23rd Psalm indeed may be the best-known chapter of the Bible, unfortunately it is often the least understood and definitely the least applied to human hearts and lives. Some scholars believe David wrote these thoughts when he was just a young man and a shepherd himself. It would seem to us, however, that he authored this in his later years. He was continually reminding him self of his former position as a shep herd although he was now a rich king of Israel. He remembered his
S e v e r a l y e a r s a g o , we were visit ing in a small community near Bakersfield, California. We watched the way in which the farmers took care of the abundance of cotton grown there. When the cotton comes in from the field, it is compressed tightly into huge bales so that it can be more readily transported to the refinery and manufacturer. This is a picture of the 23rd Psalm. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we find these mighty and majestic truths compressed into a few words, but covering the entire expanse of the Bible. To change the figure, be fore us is a six-stringed harp. Any chord upon which we play or think issues forth in unsurpassed melody. Notice the placement of the Psalm itself. It’s strategically located be tween the 22nd and the 24th, pro phetic and Messianic in nature and scope. It would be impossible to have the 23rd Psalm, speaking of the Lord as our Shepherd, until first of all we have entered into the fullness of the 22nd Psalm, telling of the death and re su rre c tion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The 24th Psalm on the other hand, speaks of the Lord in all His glory and majesty. In a bird’s eye glimpse, the 22nd Psalm speaks of the cross, the 23rd Psalm of the Shepherd and the crook which He always carries to give us guidance and protection, while the 24th Psalm reminds us of the crown rightly be longing to the Lord who will return in glory. It is our salvation yester day, today and forever; past, present and future. This is the first portion of Scrip ture many of us learned when we started attending Sunday school. Doubtless it was one of the Psalms
Mr. Gary Boren (center), member of the Biola Stewardship Department, looks over the pro gram development for the school with Mr. John Isaac(left). Director of Stewardship,and Mr. Al Sanders, Vice President of Public Rela tions. Stewardship Representatives are trained to asist Christiansin matters pertaining to wills, agreements, estate planni g, and other phases of Christian stewardship.
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