Thank you. We’re covering this psalm in church but for some reason the speaker didn’t cover the rod and staff. Now I understand why those words are used in combination with comfort. I always thought a rod was used for hitting.
This was very Good! It really helped get the picture of that part of Psalms 23. It was articulate and you actually showed us how those items looked. Thank you very much--- this video was Very Helpful!👌🏾🙌🏾👍🏾✨
Thank you for this wonderful teaching. I have one question...I hear explanations saying that rod is sometimes used to hit the sheep' leg in order to protect them from going astray. The shepherd will carry the lamb until the leg gets healed, and teach them not to get lost again. Of course, that is done by love...but the understanding of the use of the rod really changes our image towards God. I would love to hear your opinion.
Hi Jun! Thank you for your kind comments. With respect to your question, yes, a shepherd will break the leg of a wayward sheep in order to teach it not to go astray. This, however, is not a common practice. It's rare, but it is done from time to time.
The crook was also used to right a sheep as they are top heavy and fall over and cannot pick themselves up You mention that the rod was not used to strike a sheep but a shepherd sometimes had to break a leg of a sheep that continually got into trouble the photo of the lion was a male lion The female lions would have been the hunters
Hi, thanks for this series, which has really been blessing me. Clearly you have spent significant time in the Holy Lands, and I wanted to ask whether you’ve been able to connect with Palestinian Christians during your time there, many of whom can trace their time in the land back to the time of Jesus. During this video You commented on a picture of a shepherd from the early 1900s as taken in Israel which is incorrect, as the modern nation of Israel wasn’t established until 1948. This was more likely a Palestinian shepherd in Palestine. I just hope someone with your influence and commitment to the Lord is seeking fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Palestine as well. Thanks again!
Hi Wendy, thank you for your kind comments. We're thrilled the series has been a blessing to you. And yes, I have some dear friends in the land who are Palestinian Christians. Speaking of which, if you haven't seen "Hope in the Holy Land," I would highly recommend this documentary as it does a great job of depicting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. hopeintheholyland.com With respect to mentioning "Israel," of course, Israel wasn't a modern nation until 1948. Based on our audience, at times, I use "Israel" more generally as many people do not know the background to the modern founding of the nation, and the point is to simply show a picture and not get into all the history. So it's not me taking sides; it's giving people a general frame for what we're engaging. Thanks!
Thanks! I actually lived in Palestine for a while and studied under Gary Burge (who was referenced in one of the videos) - actually a recent short film called “The Gift” I thought was a very accurate, brief capture of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. I understand the simplicity of referring to the area as Israel but I think it results in the loss of clarity that is so important to know, especially for Christians. Anyway, this series has continued to be a blessing to me so I am thankful. I also just want to be faithful to my Palestinian friends and the truth I witnessed of the horrific occupation, and nudge whenever I can. Peace
Hi Melissa, Thanks for your question. It's important to keep in mind the context. In Psalm 23, we're looking at a shepherd guiding and protecting sheep in the midst of danger. In Proverbs 13, the context is of a parent's active love for the child. Unfortunately, most people are familiar with the saying, "Spare the rod, spoil the child," and automatically assume the context is corporal punishment. That saying is a paraphrase of Proverbs 13:24. The context of Proverbs 13:24 is ultimately about active, diligent love. If you look above in the comments, you'll see an exchange I had with Jun Sakakiyama that I think is closely related to your question. In rare circumstances, a shepherd may use the rod to break the sheep's leg to keep it from going astray BUT the shepherd then carries the sheep until the leg heals. This is important to emphasize. Anytime there is discipline, it's performed within the context of love, and that is the ultimate context of Proverbs 13:24. The saying "Spare the rod, spoil the child" doesn't do justice to the full context. Ellen Davis's commentary on Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs is really helpful on this proverb.
