Pastors after God’s Own Heart
*Pastors = Shepherds
Please note that in verse in picture (Jeremiah 3:15), just after Declaring the truth that God will give “shepherds After My Own Heart”, God says in the ‘next’ verse (Jeremiah 3:16) that the “ark of Covenant” will be “no” more eventually.
Such “shepherds after His Own Heart” are given the criteria of having & teaching “knowledge with understanding”. No other criteria is mentioned. Please notice that the verse doesn’t say that such ‘pastors after His Own Heart’ will “feed” you with “prayers” or “signs & wonders” or even “good works” (the Bible is accurate to the last criteria mentioned). These things exist but are “not” the criteria for a ‘pastor after God’s Own Heart’. Regarding focusing on “signs and wonders” even when the “crowds were increasing”, this is what the Word of the LORD says:
“As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 11:29, NASB)
Please notice the phrase “as the crowds were increasing” in verse above due to ‘ministry’ focus on ‘signs and wonders’ and Christ is NOT interested in the “increase in number at all” when they are NOT after ‘His Word’ as the subsequent verses clearly describe ‘this Reason’ as “wisdom” (Luke 11:31) and “preaching” (Luke 11:32) as follows:
“The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
“The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 11:31 – 32, NASB)
Yes, God is seeking those people (‘quality above quantity’, not crowds) who are after His “Wisdom & Preaching” of “His Word” instead of ‘signs & wonders’ by ‘Shepherds (Pastors) after His Own Heart’ when these verses are ‘seen together’.
Are such pastors among us?
By the way, here’s an explanation regarding the “Ark of Covenant” part which is mentioned in that verse too (Jeremiah 3:16):
Right now, The ark of covenant is in the heavens. Verse:
“And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.” (Revelation 11:19, NASB)
Eventually even the ark of covenant will cease to exist after it has “Fulfilled” its purposes as Scripture prophesies below too
“It shall be in those days when you are multiplied and increased in the land,” declares the LORD, “they will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ And it will not come to mind, nor will they remember it, nor will they miss it, nor will it be made again.” (Jeremiah 3:16, NASB)
