The Lord’s covenant with Israel is rooted in Creation. As the Lord’s rescued people, Israel was always meant to be a picture of a world that lives under the kind and generous rule of its Creator. Crucial, therefore, to the restorations of Israel as a united people was a restored leadership. The Lord would give his people “shepherds after my own heart," rulers who would rule in accordance with his will (Jeremiah 23:1–4; Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:24).1 This is a reference to King David as the standard of leadership that Israel needed (2 Kings 22:2). The Lord would graciously give his people leaders who would listen to the Lord and would therefore be shepherds who would “feed, or pasture, the people with knowledge and understanding.
The fulfillment of this promise begins with Israel’s return from exile in Babylon with leaders such as Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel, and then later Ezra and Nehemiah. Ultimately, it is fulfilled with Jesus as the New Testament associates him with both David and shepherd imagery.2
14 Revenez, enfants rebelles, dit l'Eternel; Car je suis votre maître. Je vous prendrai, un d'une ville, deux d'une famille, Et je vous ramènerai dans Sion.