Ob and In:
1.Structure: In this prophecy for restoration, united as a nation, there will be several elements v.22:
a. people will be united
b. people will be brought back to the land, on the mountain of Israel and they will live there forever v.25
c. A king will rule over them
The element of the land will be repeated in v.25, and the people in v.26. In this "sandwich," the element of the king is in the middle v.23-24 and He is the key for all the restoration.
d. When these things happen, God will restore the sanctuary and the sanctuary will make the nations about the result of restoration v.27-28.
2. The king will be the key factor as seen in the connection between v.22b-23:
22b...and one king will rule over them all. They will never again be two nations and never again be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will not defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, and all their rebellious deeds. I will save them from all their unfaithfulness by which they sinned. I will purify them; they will become my people, and I will become their God.
How could they not defile themselves anymore? How could God save them from their unfaithfulness and they would become God's people and God will become their God?
This king will not be just a king, but also a shepherd and a prince v.24-26.
24a-25 “ ‘My servant David will be king over them; there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my regulations and carefully observe my statutes. 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; they will live in it—they and their children and their grandchildren forever.
As a Shepherd, He will help the people to follow God's regulations, and carefully observe His statues. Therefore they could live in the land God gave them.
v.25b-26 David my servant will be prince over them forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be a perpetual covenant with them. I will establish them, increase their numbers, and place my sanctuary among them forever.
As a prince, He ruled them with a covenant of peace, which means, when the people lived under the covenant they could have peace with God. Because the following lines said, God will be among them forever.
Reflection: The dream of unification and living back to their homeland could not be done by man. Living without sin requires the salvation of God. Without the spiritual transformation Israel would not be possible to be the inheritance of the land forever. However, the key figure, the king is still being rejected by Israel.
How about myself? Do I follow Jesus as my Shepherd? Do I follow God and "carefully observe" His guidance?
Is Jesus my prince and I live under His rulership? Do I have peace with God? If not, how can I glorify God?
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