Why are we called sheep?

 Of all the 138 animals mentioned in the bible, I wondered the other day why our Creator would liken us to ordinary, defenseless little sheep, instead of some other animal. In doing some research, I came to the conclusion that God's Word is perfect.

 

 As I unfold these facts about sheep, keep in mind how accurate and deliberate the Word of God is - every comparison and every symbolism, perfect in its meaning and seamless in intent. When you put all of the pieces together, we see how God's use of sheep in the bible is absolutely there for good reason; for His perfect reasons. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are the sheep. 

Let's begin here: sheep will not pasture or graze unless other sheep are visibly present. They are the most naturally herding animal known to exist, and they are the easiest to herd, being communal by design. They are a completely defenseless animal; individually, and the single defense they have is flocking together in a large group for protection. The only real protection they have from their most dominant and feared predator the wolf, is the shepherd himself.

Understand this as well, without a shepherd, sheep will follow the first sheep that moves away from the flock, whether it is a good idea or not. This instinct to follow and flock is so strong that in 2006, 400 sheep died after falling over a ravine in Turkey, as they were following a stray, and in 2017 209 sheep died at the borser of France and Spain in the same manner when being spooked by a bear. In both cases, no shepherd was present. Sheep do not like to walk in or through water, or move through any narrow openings - they must be compelled and motivated to do so. Any sheep that is isolated from the flock will begin to show signs of illness and agitation naturally. A shepherd can easily identify the individual sheep within the herd that are the most vulnerable and ill in health by this trait:  It will be the last one to enter into the pen, or the first one to stray. Weird? Not really. Like I said - Our God is perfectlt deliberate.

Here are a few more facts that biologists have discovered about sheep that are uncannily similar:  Sheep avoid the darkness and shadows, and are naturally drawn to light. They will be still when it is dark, and will only move when it is dark outside, when hearing the voice of their shepherd. Shepherds must use a quiet and calm tone when guiding the flock, as loud and sudden noises cause a stress releasing hormone that makes them difficult to manage. When sheep become sick, they are also easy to spot - the sick sheep are the ones straying from the flock the farthest and eating the least. The healthiest sheep?  These are the ones that eat the most. The paralells now are vast and

Finally, ask yourself why even have shepherds for sheep, and not cattle or pigs or chickens?  This is where it gets heavy:  No sheep in pasture will be healthy and graze properly without a shepherd present...they require this guardianship in order to stay together, and they must stay together in order to eat properly.  You see, sheep are the ONLY animal known to existence that by nature and design need a leader that is not of their own kind in order to be. Sheep were created, to have a shepherd. No shepherd...no sheep. We don't need sheep. Sheep need us.

I find this all comforting, knowing how accurate and relevant it is that our Lord sees us as sheep.  His sheep. This is exactly what we are to Him.  We cannot live, eat or flock together, without our Lord - the Good Shepherd (John 10:14)  He existed before we were created, and we were created, for Him.  Without our shepherd we cannot rightly live. With The Shepherd in our life guiding us, we come together hearing His calm and reassuring voice that guides us in the dark. We follow our Shepherd because we know His voice. (John 10:3-5)  When a lost sheep is returned to the flock, the sheep comes back to good health once again. (Matthew 18:12)

 Above all, let us dwell upon where our Shepherd is leading us. John 10:7 and 9 tells us: "...Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep...whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture." 

Our lives before Christ may have found us with the spirit of a lion and the tongue of a serpent.  I am thankful by the grace and power of my Lord Jesus Christ - that I have been blessed with the life of a sheep, by the heart of The Lamb.