Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 4 & 5; 1 Corinthians 15; Ezekiel 13; Psalms 52-54
2 Samuel 5:2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
At Hebron all the tribes of Israel gathered together to make David king. They thought back on the leadership he had provided for them during the days of Saul. Even though Saul was the king, David was the one who led the people out and brought them in. They also acknowledged that through the prophet Samuel, God had said the David would be king. The people were acknowledging David’s leadership. That is what a leader does – he leads people out and brings them in again. For leaders of God’s people, this is always tied to the concept of a shepherd. He is the one who feeds the sheep.
True Biblical leadership is a shepherd. David was one and so was Moses. David lead people based on what he learned shepherding sheep. A shepherd walks before the sheep and talks to them. They hear his voice and follow him. True leaders always lead from the front. They don’t send people to do something for them; they lead people to accomplish a task together. When Moses was going to die, he prayed that God would raise up another leader for Israel. In response to Moses’ prayer, God appointed Joshua to be the shepherd of God’s people.
Numbers 27:17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
When Solomon was going to be the king, he realized that he had grown up in the palace and did not have the experience of being in the sheep folds that his father had. He did have some shepherding experience but nothing like David. Here is his prayer:
1 Kings 3:7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
Leadership is about knowing where to go and how to lead the people to go out and then bring them back in again. We have a great shepherd who leads us all as sheep.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Who are you following? I pray that you are following Jesus. Who are you leading? I pray that you are going before them and leading from the front like David!
In Christ,
Rody
