Connect Isaiah 65:10 with Psalm 23:1-2 regarding God's care for His people. Scripture texts “Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for My people who seek Me.” “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters.” Observing the imagery of care • Both passages picture lush pastureland—safe, quiet, provision-filled places where God settles His people. • Isaiah speaks of “flocks” and “herds”; David speaks personally: “He makes me lie down.” The corporate and individual dimensions of God’s care stand side by side. • The Valley of Achor (“trouble”) is transformed into rest; Psalm 23 shows want turned into abundance. God reverses hardship for those who seek Him. Shared themes of provision and rest • Sufficiency: “I shall not want” parallels “pasture for flocks”—needs fully met. • Restfulness: “lie down in green pastures,” “resting place for herds”—no threat disrupts the security God supplies. • Guidance: In Psalm 23, the Shepherd “leads”; in Isaiah, He determines where the pasture will be. His initiative guarantees the outcome. • Exclusivity to His people: “My people who seek Me” and “my shepherd” show a covenant relationship; outsiders do not share these promised benefits. What these verses reveal about God’s character • He is the Shepherd-King (Ezekiel 34:11-15; John 10:11) whose rule expresses itself in tender oversight. • He transcends geography and circumstance, turning barren or troubling places into flourishing havens (Isaiah 35:1-2). • His promises are literal and dependable; the land imagery points to real restoration for Israel and, by extension, spiritual rest for all who belong to Him (Hebrews 4:9-10). Practical application today • Seek Him: Isaiah ties the promise to “My people who seek Me.” Pursuing the Lord brings us under His pastoral care. • Trust His provision: Whatever “Valley of Achor” we face, He can convert it into a place of repose. • Rest in His leading: We lie down only because the Shepherd has first secured the pasture. Obedience to His voice (John 10:27) positions us to experience the fullness of His care. Cumulative biblical witness • Jeremiah 33:12-13 echoes the same promise of flocks at rest under God’s blessing. • Revelation 7:17 portrays the Lamb shepherding His people to “springs of living water,” completing the pattern begun in Psalm 23 and Isaiah 65. Together these passages weave a consistent testimony: the Lord personally ensures the present and future well-being of all who are His. |
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