Without the Presence of God, humans are like sheep without a shepherd, scattered upon the mountains. The Shepherd’s role is critical to the survival of the sheep. Only the shepherd knows where to find food and water for them. Wolves stay away from the sheep when the shepherd is present. If a sheep becomes lost or leaves the fold, it has no protection against wolves; it will die unless the shepherd searches for it and finds it. Caring for the sheep involves the shepherd inspecting each one every night, looking for disease, parasites, or injury. At night, he lays himself across the sheep pen’s opening, acting as a gate so all who enter must go through him.  The shepherd knows his sheep by name, and the sheep know the voice of the shepherd and only follow him. John’s sixth sign’s discourse contrasts the hirelings with the good shepherd, and YHWH’s sixth name is YHWH-rohi, YHWH is my Shepherd, from Psalm 23.

To shepherd means “to feed or lead to pasture, to tend a flock, used figuratively to indicate the relationship between the prince and his people, to rule; by extension, to associate with” (Strong’s H7462, ra`ah). Sometimes translated as friend or companion, expressing the intimacy of sharing life, food, etc., or at-one-ment with someone cherished and treasured¹. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament states, “This attribute of God is one of the marks of the offices of prophet, priest, and king. David’s claim to the throne is based upon God’s command that he feed the people (2Sa. 5:2). Failure of the officers of Israel to feed the people either physical or spiritual nourishment was deemed a severe transgression (Eze. 24:2 ff)” (TWOT 7462). Upon the King of King’s return, He shepherds His people. Why is shepherding paired with the Day of Atonements?

In the Old and New Testaments, multiple verses refer to Israel’s Shepherd in the old and new covenants. YHWH shepherds the patriarchs and Israel, His sheep. Moses shepherds God’s sheep by leading them out of Egypt on a highway through Yom Suph to the Mountain of God. Yeshua leads His people in a second Exodus on a highway through the waters of judgment to the Mountain of God (Isa. 35:4-10; 51:9-10; 62:8-12; Jer. 23:3-8; Eze. 20:33-38, 41-43; 34:11-16). New Testament writers join the prophetic voices, placing the Shepherd’s strong ruling hand at His coming.

Isa. 40:10-11: Behold, YHWH Elohim shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him;
Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm, carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.

Jer. 31:7-10:  For thus says YHWH:
“Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations. Proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O YHWH, save Your people, the remnant of Israel!’ 8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the ends of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child, and the one who labors with child, together. A great throng shall return there. 9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications, I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way in which they shall not stumble. For I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.
10 “Hear the word of YHWH, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say,’ He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’ [i] mine.

Mat. 2:6: And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are not in any way least or insignificant among the chief cities of Judah; for from you shall come a Ruler (Leader) Who will govern and shepherd My people Israel. [Mic. 5:2] AMP

Heb. 13:20–21: Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

1Pe. 2:25: For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Rev. 7:17: For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

In John’s sixth sign discourse, Yeshua defined the good shepherd in several ways, saying, “I am the door of the sheep. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved and go in and out and find pasture” (Jhn. 10:9). Yeshua enters the sheepfold through the door, not climbing up some other way. He calls His sheep by name, and the sheep hear His voice and follow Him as He leads them in and out to pasture.  So that the sheep may have life and have it more abundantly, the Good Shepherd gives His life for His sheep. Yeshua gives His sheep eternal life, and they will never perish because no one can snatch them out of His or the Father’s hand (Jhn. 10:28-30). Searching for lost sheep, He gathers and unites His sheep as one flock under one shepherd. Gained through atonements, the Shepherd’s Presence with His sheep saves them. Yeshua is our Shepherd (YHWH-rohi) because He overcame our enemies (YHWH-nissi) by His own death, purified us by His blood, and gathered us into His light to worship only Him. The third-sixth signs themes flow and act together.

As the Father has life in Himself, He has granted the Son to have life in Himself and has given Him authority to execute judgment also because He is the Son of Man. Truly, truly He has said, “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (Jhn. 5:24, 26-27, third sign discourse).

Takeaway:
The Good Shepherd provides His flock with pasture and water, constantly watches for illness, and protects them from wolves. He gives them life. Because Yeshua took their judgment on Himself, death, the last enemy, has been overcome. He gathers His people, among them the lame, the blind, and those most vulnerable, gently leading them to walk in the straight way.

Fun Factors:
Aptly fitting John’s shepherding theme in the sixth sign, the sixth name of YHWH is YHWH-rohi (letter sum 306, 2 × 153, (15² + 9²), the same as Gen. 1:2c, “and the Spirit of Elohim”), YHWH is my Shepherd, from Psalm 23:1. Psalm 23 has 219 or 3 × 73 letters in 57 or 3 × 19 words, pointing to the surety (3) of God’s wisdom (73) in His Feast cycles (19). The six-verse sum is 13,777 or 23 × 599, the 9th and 109th prime numbers. Adding 13,777’s digits, 1 + 3 + 7 + 7 + 7 = 25, the 5² of Ezekiel’s new temple made without hands. The product of 13,777’s digits, 1 × 3 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 1029, 3 × 7³, which is 144 + … + 150, the certainty (3) of restoring (15 × 10) humanity (144) to the fulness of His Presence (7³). Adding the divisors of 13,777, 1 + 23 + 599 + 13777 = 14400. The mean of 13777’s four divisors (14400 ÷ 4 = 3600) is the complete circle (360°) times ten, the entire amount returned to Eden. If 13777 is divided into two parts, 13 and 777, and multiplied, the product equals 10101, 7 × 37 × 39, the fulness (7) of the Old Testament (37) and the New Testament (39) Word of God.