“He shall stand.”

“And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.” (Micah 5:4)

Yes, he who is God in our flesh, our Lord Jesus Christ, crucified, risen, and exalted, stands forever in heaven as our great and good Shepherd to provide for and protect his own. “He stands and feeds in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.” — He receives his poor trembling ones and ministers to the necessities of all his own. This is the Christ I love! This is the Christ to whose arms I fly, and whose loving heart nestles my weary soul. — “He shall stand!”

“Past suffering now, the tender heart

Of Jesus on His Father’s throne,

In all our sorrows bears a part,

And feels them as He felt His own.”

This glorious Prince is ever the Protector of his own. Sooner or later each chosen redeemed sinner is enabled to acknowledge — “The Lord is my Shepherd.” He stands as the Shepherd of his flock, and, according to Jehovah’s “all fulness” of grace and glory in himself, he feeds and supplies every need. In all the glory of his Godhead he stands and feeds his own with untold satisfaction from his glorious attributes, which are all engaged, and blessedly harmonize in their salvation, preservation, nourishment, and glorification.

What can withstand him? Hell, devils, death, and sin all fly before him as he declares his immutable will: — “My people shall be satisfied with my goodness.”

In all the perfections of his Manhood he stands and feeds his poor weak flock with all that he has done for them and with all that he is to them. He stands in the power of his essential righteousness and in the perfection of his accomplished righteousness, and feeds us with the blessed knowledge and understanding of our standing in the presence of God’s infinite excellence arrayed in garments of salvation. Yes, he shall stand on the ground of his eternal redemption, on the ground of his finished salvation, on the ground of his perfect and spotless obedience, on the ground of his unwavering faithfulness, on the ground of his unchangeable, everlasting love, and shall feed in the strength of the Lord, and in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

The word “feed” might be translated “rule.” He shall feed, and he shall rule. — “He must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” What a powerful, potent, and princely Friend this proves our Lord Jesus to be! He watches over, provides for, protects, and rules his flock. By night, when birds, and beasts, and reptiles of prey would assail and devour, our Shepherd-King’s ever-watchful eye is over us for good. Temptation and desertion may be experienced, but he watches and he protects.

Don Fortner

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