2025年12月14日 / グレース・トロント日本語教会
エレミヤ書 23章1-6節
1 「わざわいだ。わたしの牧場の群れを滅ぼし散らしている牧者たち─主のことば。」
2 それゆえ、イスラエルの神、主は、私の民を牧する牧者たちについてこう言われる。「あなたがたはわたしの群れを散らし、これを追い散らして顧みなかった。見よ、わたしはあなたがたの悪しき行いを罰する─主のことば─。
3 しかしわたしは、わたしの群れの残りの者を、わたしが追い散らしたすべての地から集め、元の牧場に帰らせる。彼らは多くの子を生んで増える。
4 わたしは彼らの上に牧者たちを立てて、彼らを牧させる。彼らは二度と恐れることなく、おびえることなく、失われることもない─主のことば。
5 見よ、その時代が来る。─主のことば─そのとき、わたしはダビデに一つの正しい若枝を起こす。彼は王となって治め、栄えて、この地に公正と義を行う。
6 彼の時代にユダは救われ、イスラエルは安らかに住む。『主は私たちの義』。それが、彼の呼ばれる名である。
December 14, 2025 / Grace Toronto Japanese Church
Jeremiah 23:1-6
1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord.2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. 5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’
OPENING
Have you heard of the Romanov dynasty in Russia? They ruled Russia for over 300 years 1613–1917. Peter the Great 1672–1725 was one of the most famous emperors of this royal family. He built the city St. Petersburg and named it after himself.
When there was a communist revolution in 1917, the Russian emperor was Nicholas II. He had 4 daughters and 1 son (the long-awaited heir)—Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia—and one son, Alexei. Russian Bolsheviks arrested the emperor and his entire family during the 1917 Russian Revolution. And shockingly, they killed the entire imperial family the next year in 1918.
Today, there are Romanov descendants living in the US and in Europe. Most of them don’t even speak Russian. All of them are Romanov relatives, and the Romanov dynasty came to an end. It’s no more. The Romanov dynasty is over.
On Sunday, January 22, 1905, unarmed Russian workers marched to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to present a petition to Tsar Nicholas II. Imperial forces opened fire on the crowd, killing an estimated 100-200 people and wounding many more. This event was a critical turning point that shattered the people’s faith in the Tsar and is considered one of the key causes of the 1905 Revolution. And finally, 1917 Revolution, the entire dynasty collapsed. (This part is from Wikipedia)
CONTEXT
King David’s dynasty in Judah was coming to an end, too. Judah had 20 kings, and King #16 was King Josiah. He was a relatively good king. But he was killed in action at Megiddo by Egyptian king Neco. His son Jehoahaz became king, but he only reigned for 3 months. The Egyptian king Neco dethroned him and made another son of Josiah Eliakim (Jehoakim) a new king. Now Egypt was gone. New empire Babylon invaded Judah 3 times. The first invasion was during the reign of Jehoakim. Jehoakim’s son Jehoiachin became new king. He was only 18 years old when he became king, and he only ruled for 3 months. Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar invaded again. King Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon in captivity. Prophet Ezekiel was also taken to Babylon during this time. Nebuchadnezzar installed a new king, the final king of David’s dynasty: King Zedekiah (He was Jehoiachin’s uncle (i.e. Josiah’s 3rd son)). He was in power for 11 years. Later he betrayed Nebuchadnezzar. Finally in 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar made his third and final invasion and completely destroyed Judah. King Zedekiah was taken to Babylon and died there.
It was a very difficult time: King David’s dynasty came to an end. It’s no more. David’s dynasty was over.
Prophet Jeremiah lived through this difficult time. He prophesied through the last 5 kings of Judah: from King Josiah until Judah fell by Babylon in 586 BC. It was a painful time. Prophet Jeremiah is called the “weeping prophet.” We know why. When he was called by God, he was given a task “to declare the coming judgment of God” upon Judah. Do you see why he was called the weeping prophet? His message was difficult to hear. He kept declaring to Judah that Judah was to be destroyed. So, why did Judah collapse? Jeremiah 23:1-2 says why:
TEXT
1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord.2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord.
God is rebuking the kings (the shepherds). God says they didn’t take good care of God’s people. The kings scattered the sheep of God’s pasture. The kings scattered God’s flock and drove them away. The kings did not attend to them. And God declares that it was their evil deeds. And God says he will attend to those wicked kings for their evil deeds.
e.g. In Khinalugh, almost every man was a shepherd. I spent one full day with a shepherd. About 300 sheep in our flock. Two of us left early in the morning (PHOTO: mountain photos): (1) bread, (2) cheese, (3) fruit, and (4) tea. What I learned: (a) staying together is really important (your flock shouldn’t be scattered); (b) without a shepherd, the flock will be in big trouble (e.g. cliffs, getting lost, wolves and other wild animals); (c) the flock (sort of) recognizes the shepherd and follows him; (d) the shepherd really cares for each and every one of the flock.
Therefore, God often describes himself as our shepherd and us as his flock: Ps 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. Brothers and sisters, you are God’s flock: the sheep of my pasture, my people, my flock.
Again, what I learned from that experience: one of the most important tasks of a shepherd: TO GATHER YOR FLOCK AND KEEP THEM TOGETHER IN SAFETY. “The bad shepherds scattered the flock, but Yahweh will gather them again” (Faithlife). The evil kings of Judah didn’t gather the people of God in worship but scattered them by worshiping idols.
And God cares for his people. God cares for his flock, his pasture, his people: 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.
But first, Babylon is coming. God declares judgment. You will be taken into captivity in Babylon. Yes, it’s happening because of the evil of the kings and the people. They served Baal. They worshipped idols. They ran away from God. They will be punished by Babylon.
However, God says: I will gather my people again. And I will bring them back here in Judah. And I will raise up a true king: 5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
This is a shocking message for two reasons.
- The Davidic dynasty is coming to an end. King Zedekiah is to be taken into captivity and die in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar will destroy Jerusalem and the temple. There will be no more Judah, no more Jerusalem, no more kings, no more temple. It’s over.
- Why David’s line? Most of the 20 kings were wicked and evil. They served idols. They were corrupt. But why does God declare: I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king.
God is sending this new king through king David’s family line NOT BECAUSE the Davidic dynasty is great BUT ONLY because God is a faithful promise keeper: 2 Sam 7:16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. When God was promising this to King David, God already had his plan to send the true king through David’s line.
And unlike those evil kings, this new king (a righteous Branch) shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
All other king’s ruling principles were corruption, deception, rebellion, and greed. But this new king’s ruling principle would be justice and righteousness in the land. Finally, this future king from the Davidic dynasty will live up to God. And then 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
APPLICATIONS
God promised to send a true king
Jeremiah’s message was surprising because (1) the Davidic dynasty was collapsing and Judah was being destroyed by Babylon, and (2) the Davidic dynasty didn’t even have many good kings. Most of the 20 kings were wicked and evil.
So, in the darkest time, God gave them hope: God was saying to them: I will keep my eternal promise: 5 I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king.
You are safe in this king
And when the king comes, PPT-6 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
Wow, do you see this? The name of this future king will be: The Lord is our righteousness.
- This coming king is the Lord. He is God himself.
- And he is our righteousness. This future king will satisfy the justice of God. And by putting your faith in him, his righteousness will become yours. God will appoint this future king to be your righteousness. So, you will call upon the name of this future king.
And you will be safe if you are in this king.
CLOSING
Jeremiah was called the “weeping prophet.” But in the midst of his tears, there is hope. Why? God was going to send the true King and Messiah. He would become our righteousness. And we would be saved in and through him.