Behind this, all through, is the ancient prophecy in Ezekiel 34. There’s a strange thing in that chapter. Sometimes the prophet speaks of God becoming the true shepherd of Israel. But then, later, he speaks of David – in other words, of the Messiah – as the true shepherd, with God being God over shepherd and sheep alike. ‘Well, which is it?’ we want to ask Ezekiel. ‘Is God the shepherd, or is the Messiah the shepherd?’ He doesn
