Through Nathan the prophet the LORD told David, “I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”
Through Jeremiah the prophet the LORD told the people of Israel, when they were suffering under bad leaders, “Behold, the days are coming when I will set shepherds over them who will care for them… I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land… And this is the name by which he will be called: The Lord is our righteousness.”
Through Gabriel the angel the LORD told Mary, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son… And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever.”
There are several things to note from these prophecies: first, God will establish his King to shepherd his people; second, this King will be known for his righteousness and justice and wisdom; and third, this King will build a house for God, not of rock and timber, but of people.
This King is Jesus, of course. And the house he is building for God is described by Paul, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ…in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Peter adds, “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Jesus, the Righteous King, is also the Good Shepherd who has laid down his life for his sheep. As the Psalmist says, “The LORD is my shepherd… he leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake”. And Mark tells us, “And Jesus , when he came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.”
So, we have a good, compassionate shepherd who, as our king, will lead us into righteousness and build us up into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. This is a great hope and comfort.