Apocalypse Revealed # 383
383. "For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them." (7:17) This symbolically means that the Lord alone will teach them.
The Lamb in the midst of the throne symbolizes the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity in the inmost of heaven and thus in everything connected with it (no. 44). The throne is heaven (no. 14), and the Lamb is the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity (nos. 269, 291). And He who is in the inmost of heaven and thus in everything connected with it is the only one who shepherds all people, that is, who teaches them.
If a question is raised as to how He alone can shepherd all, be it known that it is because He is God, and because He is present in the whole of heaven like the soul in its body; for heaven, arising from Him, is like a single person.
To shepherd means to teach because in the Word the church is called a flock, and the people in the church are called sheep and lambs. Therefore to shepherd means, symbolically, to teach, and the shepherd one who teaches, and this in many places, as for example:
On that day your flocks will graze in a broad meadow. (Isaiah 33:23)
He will feed His flock like a shepherd. (Isaiah 40:11)
They shall graze along the roads, and have their pasture on all the hillsides. (Isaiah 49:9)
(Israel) shall graze on Carmel and Bashan. (Jeremiah 50:19)
...I will seek out My sheep... I will feed them in good pasture, and... in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. (Ezekiel 34:12-14)
You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, it is a small thing that you are among the thousands of Judah. Out of you shall come forth to Me One who will be Ruler in Israel... He shall stand and graze in the strength of Jehovah... (Micah 5:2, 4)
Feed Your people... Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead... (Micah 7:14)
The remnant of Israel... shall graze and lie down... (Zephaniah 3:13)
Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in pastures of tender grass. (Psalms 23:1-2)
(The Lord) chose David... to shepherd Jacob... and Israel... and he shepherded them... (Psalms 78:70-72)
Jesus said to Peter, "Feed My lambs." And a second and third time He said, "Feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17)
Isaiah 33
1
Woe to you who destroy, but you weren't destroyed; and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have made an end of betrayal, you will be betrayed.
2
Yahweh, be gracious to us. We have waited for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
3
At the noise of the thunder, the peoples have fled. When you lift yourself up, the nations are scattered.
4
Your spoil will be gathered as the caterpillar gathers. Men will leap on it as locusts leap.
5
Yahweh is exalted, for he dwells on high. He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
6
There will be stability in your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of Yahweh is your treasure.
7
Behold, their valiant ones cry outside; the ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.
8
The highways are desolate. The traveling man ceases. The covenant is broken. He has despised the cities. He doesn't respect man.
9
The land mourns and languishes. Lebanon is confounded and withers away. Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel are stripped bare.
10
"Now I will arise," says Yahweh; "Now I will lift myself up. Now I will be exalted.
11
You will conceive chaff. You will bring forth stubble. Your breath is a fire that will devour you.
12
The peoples will be like the burning of lime, like thorns that are cut down and burned in the fire.
13
Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and, you who are near, acknowledge my might."
14
The sinners in Zion are afraid. Trembling has seized the godless ones. Who among us can live with the devouring fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?
15
He who walks righteously, and speaks blamelessly; He who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing to take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil--
16
he will dwell on high. His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks. His bread will be supplied. His waters will be sure.
17
Your eyes will see the king in his beauty. They will see a distant land.
18
Your heart will meditate on the terror. Where is he who counted? Where is he who weighed? Where is he who counted the towers?
19
You will no longer see the fierce people, a people of a deep speech that you can't comprehend, with a strange language that you can't understand.
20
Look at Zion, the city of our appointed festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tent that won't be removed. Its stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.
21
But there Yahweh will be with us in majesty, a place of broad rivers and streams, in which no galley with oars will go, neither will any gallant ship pass by there.
22
For Yahweh is our judge. Yahweh is our lawgiver. Yahweh is our king. He will save us.
23
Your rigging is untied. They couldn't strengthen the foot of their mast. They couldn't spread the sail. Then the prey of a great spoil was divided. The lame took the prey.
24
The inhabitant won't say, "I am sick." The people who dwell therein will be forgiven their iniquity.
