David was a shepherd king. So was Jesus. The OT called kings shepherds. Their duty was not to serve themselves but the people. If they did not, they were under God’s judgment (Ezk 34:1-20). The king was to stand up for the widow, orphan and the other disenfranchised ones. Kings were to see to it that there was justice for all in the kingdom, preventing the rich from taking advantage of the poor. Kings were to create economic situations where all had bread. The Kingdom of God has a Shepherd King. The citizens of the Kingdom share His mission of meeting people’s needs.
“And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.” Ezekiel 34:23 (KJV)
