THE SMITTEN SHEPHERD 475
But let us look more carefully at this remarkable passage: "O sword, awake!" (Jierebh urt) the sword being addressed as a person, and called upon to rouse itself, as it were, from sleep in order to execute Divine justice. 1
But upon whom shall it fall ? Not, in this instance, upon the wicked and the ungodly, but, mystery of mysteries! upon Him who is not only absolutely innocent and holy, but who stands in the nearest and closest relation ship to Jehovah. This would be the most inexplicable thing in God s moral government of the universe were it not for the wonderful counsel of God in the salvation of man revealed in the Scriptures, according to which the Messiah willingly becomes the Lamb of God in order to save a lost world, and is " wounded (lit, pierced through ) for our transgressions, bruised (or crushed ) for our iniquities," and " pours out His soul unto death," in order that sinners might not only be saved from the penalty of their sin, but obtain eternal life.
" Against My Shepherd" Jehovah Himself is " the Shepherd of Israel," but He fulfils all that is implied in this relationship and office mediately, in and through the Messiah. This is fully set forth in Ezek. xxxiv., where, after announcing that He will Himself" seek" and "save," " heal " and " strengthen," " feed " and " satisfy," His now scattered flock, He says : " / will set up one shepherd over them, and He sliall feed them, even my servant David" (whom the Jewish commentators themselves identify with the Messiah, " David s greater Son "). " He shall feed them, and He shall be their Shepherd? God, therefore, calls Him " My Shepherd," for He is not only specially called and appointed by Him to this office, but because He is in the fullest sense His Representative, in and through whom the shepherd relationship between God and His people is realised.
1 Compare for a similar personification of the sword of Jehovah Jer. xlvii. 6, 7. As already explained in a note on chap. xii. 10, the sword is used in a general way as an emblem of death, or as a weapon used for killing, and is not intended to describe the manner of Messiah s death.
