If you've ever done a biblical word search for "Sheep" or "Lamb" you'll find hundreds of verses.
Sheep
were an integral part of Middle Eastern society being used for money,
barter, dowries, festivals, and sacrifices to be eaten together
and discuss why exactly they gave up their BEST yearling ram that year.
As
a way to talk to His people, God used a number of ways to relate; one
of those ways was to use what they knew best -- their sheep.
Are we really like sheep?
I've
been a Christian for roughly 25 years and although I wish I could say I
was a great role model for everyone that knew me there have been many
times that I was anything but. This isn't meant to be a public
confession of any sort but a realization that I'm a sheep just like
other people in this world who's looking for greener pastures, a flock
leader, a shepherd, good health, and perhaps an easy meal or more. I'm
ashamed to say that I've done some "Un"-Christian things but God is
patient and kind. He waits for me to call out for help when I found
myself too deep in the mess I made for myself; just as we often do
while looking at the crazy things our sheep do.
My sheep are
in no way a replacement for God (An Idol) but I really am enjoying them
and relating them to how God must see us and how He so keenly relates
these animals in a way we can understand. Sheep are just plain fun for
me and I think that God is opening doors for my personal understanding
now that I have a few of my own to tend to.
What does God say?
To
show us what He wants, God demonstrates ideas through the bible by
calling us sheep and explaining that He alone is the shepherd.
Psalm 78:52-53 But [God] made his own
people to go forth like sheep, and guided
them in the wilderness like a flock. And
He led them on safely, so that they feared
not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemy.
We
all know that there is right and wrong and that we have a tendency to
do wrong. That 'feeling' is put there by the Holy Spirit to draw us to
God because He cares for us as the shepherd. He's telling us that
we need to change and He always points us in the direction of Jesus for
that change.
God knows we aren't perfect sheep. We
often go places and do things that put ourselves in harms way. But He
loves us, just as we love those sheep who might be rough around the
edges and a bit self reliant. Just as we only want good things for our
sheep so that they'll prosper and grow to be healthy adults, God looks
at us with eternal eyes, wanting us to grow up and prosper spiritually.
How exactly did we stray like sheep?
Just
like our sheep, we have a choice to either follow the crowd, to be the
stubborn ram or ewe, or the be persuaded to follow the loving shepherd
Himself; it's a decision God calls you to make and there is no middle
ground. As the scripture above is so keen to say, we've all gone astray
by our own choice. We don't have anything in our heart that is good
because deep down inside we have a rebellion issue for the ways of God.
The crowd follows after what seems to be the "Crowd" thing to do (Not
God's ways) or we search out those self-gratifying things where God
told us to stay away from. Call it what you want, this is what God
calls "Sin"
Simply put, sin has at it's roots "Pride"
and there isn't a single sin that can't be tracked to the this origin.
The master of Pride was Satan himself who tried to set himself above
God. In turn God expelled him from heaven and is now the adversary of
God; Satan means Adversary.
In our hearts we all want
"our" own way, to do the things we want to do, to say the things we
want to say, to experience the things that we want to touch, and/or to
rule over others in ways that are pleasing to us. This is rebellion
because God loves and LOVE is really seeking those things that are
better for everyone else over our own personal needs and comfort. Pride
and Love are true opposites.
God forgives and desires that we seek after Him.
There
are many examples in the bible that teach us about God's love, but King
David related himself to the sheep he once raised and sung about how he
feels about his sin toward God. he desired that God help him and save
him from his sin.
Psalm 119:176, "I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments."
The bible gives us clues about His own character when He praises David's heart.
1 Samual 13:14. . . The LORD hath sought him a man
after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded
him to be captain over his people, . . .
This
reveals that God wants us to seek after Him and to learn His ways
(commandments). Knowing God's commands doesn't mean that following God
is about rules and regulations, but learning God's ways is a method of
getting to know Him and learning what and why He desires the best from
us. When you begin to look at the Old Testament laws in this light,
then you see that all God ever wanted from us was a real relationship
and for us to do good to one another. He wants us to walk with Him and
to walk with each other in a way that helps us through the mess we made
for ourselves because of the rebellion we have in our hearts.
We
all seem to sense when we've gone "astray" and we're no longer doing
what the shepherd wants us to do. And that brings an emptiness that
David is talks about. We've all gone astray and God calls to us, asking
us to turn around (which is what the word "repent" actually means).
Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with
compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered,
as sheep having no shepherd.
Jesus as the Great Shepherd
Jesus
had compassion for all mankind when He saw how hurting and lost they
really were. He's caring and looks to always do what is right for His
flock.
He
came to restore us to his flock and that there are others who will come
and claim to be the shepherds, claiming to know what's right, claiming
other ways to heaven, but they are all liars and thieves and only kill
and destroy the flock. When real trouble comes they will run away and
leave the sheep unguarded. But Jesus, being the real shepherd, will lay
down His life for the sheep, and take up His life again because He is
righteous and laid it down for us willingly.
John 10:1-17 I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter
the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way,
is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the
shepherd of the sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him,
and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name
and leads them out. When he has brought out all of his own, he
goes on ahead of the, and his sheep follow his because they know
his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run
away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.
Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he
was telling them. Therefor Jesus said again, I tell you the truth, I am
the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and
robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate;
whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out,
and find pasture.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that
they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand
is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when He sees a wolf coming,
he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the
flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand
and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know
my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know
the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep
that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will
listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The
reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life
-- only to take it up again.
In
those days sheep pens were made quite differently than we have them
today. These pens were small corrals made of wood or stone with a very
small entrance and without a gate. The shepherd would lay in the
doorway and became the gate, keeping the sheep safe and protected at
night. He was solely responsible for protecting the flock and stood in
the way of predators. He was the one who would protect them at night
and call them to good pastures where they could be safe and multiply.
Jesus speaks of Himself as the shepherd of His flock.
The Passover lamb
was slaughtered for sin; foreshadowing what Christ would do for us.
When
the Jews were held captive in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs
they were treated very harshly and were badly abused and mistreated.
God, hearing the call of His flock, prepared and sent Moses to lead His
people out from bondage.
God through Moses pleaded for
Pharaoh to release the Hebrew nation, each time Pharaoh refused and
each time God sent plagues upon the Egyptians until the last and final
affliction was given; the slaying of the first born of all of Egypt.
On
that night God commanded that each family slaughter an innocent and
pure (unblemished) lamb for every household and spread it's blood on
the doorposts of the home to symbolically cover the home as the angel
of death came to take the first born. God instituted this as a holy
holiday to be remembered and observed every year by the Jews.
Once
Jesus came we finally understood the meaning and reasons for God's
command to celebrate the passover. Jesus was the lamb, which was kept the
family household for three days so that the family would grow to love
the lamb as a pet and become part of the family. As a pure and innocent
animal, the lamb was taken and used as a sacrifice, its blood being
spilled in our place.
Psalm 95:7-8 For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts . .
Jesus'
death was no accident. God fully understood what sacrifice He would
make long before He created us. Because we are rebellious, and because
our God is a just and righteous God we are all condemned to be
separated from Him forever for that rebellion that runs in us.
But
the only way that Justice can be served is for that punishment to be
dealt out, Jesus took that punishment in our place by becoming a man in
every way, by living a perfect and sinless life, and by being obedient
and dying on the cross as the punishment for what we deserved. He took
our place and suffered the wrath we should have been suffered.
The
only thing that we need to do to be forgiven is to humble ourselves and
put aside our pride. We need to accept that Jesus suffered and died for
our sins as the sacrificial lamb was killed to cover the sins of God's
flock. He alone is the Great Shepherd who takes away the sins of the
world.
If you have not received this free gift,
If you have not received this free gift, pray to Jesus the following prayer and follow His voice:
Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner. I am a lost sheep that needs your help. I
want to follow your call and be restored to your flock and freed from
sin. Please help me. I know that you are the only true shepherd and
that it's only through you that I can have life.
If
you've prayed for this, please find a good teaching church, one that
reads through the bible and teaches you exactly what God wants. The
bible is God's word of truth and it tells us how we find new pasture
and a new way of life that is pleasing to Him and is good for us. If
you need help with this, please feel free to use the CONTACT US page and let us know how we can help you walk a life with God as your good shepherd.