Do you ever wonder why God compares us to sheep in the Bible? Is it that we are cute and cuddly like them, or is there more to the comparison? There has to be a reason why Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepard and us, His sheep.
After much research, I found out why we are like sheep in the Bible. Some of these reasons are funny and heartwarming. And some are just downright shocking that we are so alike.
In fact, it may make you think twice about your life when you read these spiritual lessons from sheep.
Why Does the Bible Compare Us to Sheep? You may wonder how we are like sheep in the Bible and why God chose to use sheep and goats as symbols for how we act. These nine characteristics of sheep in the Bible will give you pause and maybe even make you giggle.
Trending 7 Compelling Reasons Not to Lose Faith in God 1. Sheep have no sense of direction Many people say sheep are stupid. Let’s just say they have no sense of direction–at all. In fact, they will follow whoever is leading them, even if it leads them off a cliff. Remember the question, “If your friend jumps off a cliff, would you do it too?” Well, they actually would.
This is a real news story I found online. In Eastern Turkey, about 1500 unattended sheep fell off a cliff while the shepherds ate breakfast far away from the flock.
The first 400 fell to their death in a ravine, but the remaining 1100 were saved because the first 400 broke the fall. The first 400 sheep were a big, fluffy cushion for the other sheep. It sounds like a good commercial for toilet paper, huh?
Apparently, this is what happened: The sheep in the back couldn’t see past the sheep in front, so they were unaware of what was ahead. The sheep in front couldn’t stop because the sheep in the back were pushing them forward.
Kinda remind you of your teen years? The proverbial blind leading the blind.
I read another funny story about sheep: One farmer said that if you have a bunch of sheep in a barn, stretch a rope across the door before you let them out.
When the sheep come out of the barn, the first few will jump over the rope. If you cut the rope, the remaining sheep will still jump over the “invisible rope” because it’s what the rest of the flock did.
I’m trying not to laugh. I mean, that is pretty stupid. But, oh my goodness, I can see why God compares us to sheep.
How many times do we follow someone who is leading us in the wrong direction or acting foolishly? We see our friends fall off the cliff, and we go right along with them into the ravine.
Or we imitate them because we think it is cool when they are really just doing something stupid. And now, we are doing it too…I can think of a few weird hairstyles in that category.
Can you see why God compares us to sheep in the Bible?
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).
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2. Sheep are defenseless One of the most interesting characteristics of sheep in the Bible is that they can not defend themselves very well.
Have you ever seen sheep growl or show their teeth? Or maybe bark, bite, run fast, shoot quills, or pull out their claws? Perhaps they could spray you with their…uh, fur. Ha!
They do have two things in their arsenal:
When sheep are frightened by noise such as running water, they will run away together (hopefully in the right direction). As a whole group, they have some kind of protection, whereas individually, they are defenseless. Sheep kick. A ewe is especially prone to kicking if she is protecting her young. Other than these two defense mechanisms, sheep are a Snicker’s bar just waiting to be eaten by a wolf if they don’t stick together.
We are much the same way. We can kick a little and run, but we are defenseless mostly. God compares us to sheep in the Bible because we need His protection. We need to stick together as fellow Christians.
What does Jesus say about sheep? Check out this verse: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36 ESV).
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Get your FREE SHEEP COLORING PAGE PDF for your kids while you read this devotional to them. You can color one too after you read!
3. Sheep can’t get up without help Again, I’m trying not to laugh… Sometimes, sheep turn over on their back (like a cockroach or turtle) with their legs flailing in the air. There is an old English shepherd’s term for this. It is called “cast down.”
A “cast” sheep is actually a pitiful sight. It will die if the shepherd does not lift it and put it back on its feet. When in this position, it is completely helpless to the prey around it. Furthermore, it could get left behind when the flock moves on.
How often have we been “cast down” or flailing on our backs?
I can think of a few times when I would have been in serious trouble without intervention from the Good Shepherd.
Thank goodness He loves us enough to help us get right-sided. I know God compares us to sheep in the Bible for good reason. We are a mess without Him.
“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11 ESV).
4. Sheep are emotional and recognize the Shepherd’s voice This is where stupidity ends for shepherds and sheep in the Bible. Sheep have a remarkable instinct for knowing the voice of their shepherd. Because they are emotional animals, they can detect strangers. Amazingly, they will fear a stranger’s voice and flee.
Since sheep are emotional, they can build friendships with other sheep and stick up for each other when in a fight. They can also get anxious or distressed very easily, and they feel sad when their sheep friends are gone (dead).
We can learn a lot from these animals.
What they lack in direction, they make up for in loyalty, friendship, and voice recognition for the shepherd.
I think there is a breakdown when God compares us to sheep in the Bible. We aren’t so loyal, we don’t always stick up for friends, and we struggle to recognize the Shepherd’s voice.
Perhaps we don’t know His voice because we aren’t communing with Him all day and all night like sheep do with their shepherd. However, we do have the ability to hear the Shepherd’s voice if we will stop and listen. But that is hard for some sheep (us), I think.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27 ).
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5. Sheep are not meant to carry burdens You will never see sheep carrying a pack on their back. Other animals are good for carrying things, but not sheep. They were not meant to carry a heavy load. They would be crushed under such a weighty burden.
This is why God compares us to sheep in the Bible.
We were not meant to carry our burdens. We are to give Him our heavy load so He can carry it for us.
“Cast your burdens on the Lord, and He will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).
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6. Sheep will settle for less When sheep are thirsty, they stop at a dirty puddle right before them instead of going for the clean, still water twenty feet ahead of them.
Sadly, they are content with filth so long as it satisfies them at the moment. Furthermore, they will stink and never even know it. Truthfully, they lack discernment and judgment and, frankly, don’t know what is good for them.
I find we are not much different.
Many times we see a dirty puddle (sin) in front of us and go straight for it because we think that is all there is in life. We believe we are satiated when, in reality, we are poisoned and stink.
Perhaps it (sin) even looks enticing at the time because, after all, it is “water.” We often KNOW it will harm us, yet we still do it because we are stubborn, blinded from the truth, or lack judgment.
God compares us to sheep in the Bible because we don’t always know what is good for us.
The Lord is my Shepherd. I want for nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters (Psalms 23:1-2).
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7. Sheep are valuable The significance of sheep in the Bible is probably more than you ever realized. Sheep were treated as a prized possession in Jesus’ day. You were counted as a wealthy man if you owned large flocks because they provided meat, milk, and wool. And they produced offspring.
Shepherds made many sacrifices to make sure their flocks were protected. They knew it was their livelihood at stake.
How much more precious are we than smelly sheep?
Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us because He loved us so much. He died on a cross so we would live with Him forever.
Now can you see the significance of sheep in the Bible? God views us as priceless.
When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he shouted, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
8. Sheep can not care for themselves when wounded When sheep get a wound or a bite, they can’t care for themselves. Other animals lick a wound until it heals, but not sheep. They need a shepherd to tend to their injuries.
Many times there would be a salve that needed to be put on their leg and possibly binding of the wounds. A good shepherd would look after the wound constantly until it was healed completely.
Oh, how He wants to look after our wounds, treat them with salve, and bind them up. Often, we are brokenhearted and need His healing, but we won’t let Him touch us. This is why God compares us to sheep in the Bible.
“He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds” (Psalms 147:3).
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9. Sheep are innocent In Christianity, sheep symbolize gentleness, purity, and innocence. The lamb, which wasn’t a goat or any other animal, was sacrificed at Passover because it represented the Lamb of God–flawless, pure, and holy.
Interestingly, goats are known for being independent, opinionated, and curious at best—or vulgar, dangerous, and destructive at worst. If you know anything about Satanism, you know they use a goat as their symbol, as it is the opposite of a lamb.
We are to be innocent as lambs. Pure and righteous. Not goats who are independent, strong-willed, and destructive. That’s the difference between sheep and goats in the Bible.
And He’ll “separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:32).
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9 shocking reasons why God compares us to sheep. A white lamb laying down. Breaking the Leg of a Lamb Perhaps you have heard the story about how a shepherd would break the leg of a stubborn lamb to keep it from continuing to wander. After the leg was broken, he would bind the wound and carry the animal around his neck until the leg was mended. In turn, the lamb would learn his lesson and not wander off any longer.
Let me assure you this is not true.
I heard an interview from an actual shepherd, Daryl Stoltz (Prince Edward’s Island), who was a special guest at Jennie Allen’s IF Conference 2023. He said that a shepherd would NEVER break the leg of one of his sheep. The shepherd’s job is to “only restore his animals and have a healthy flock.”
Second, breaking the leg of a lamb would leave it more vulnerable to predators. It would not be able to keep up with the flock as they move, leaving it even more isolated and vulnerable than before. In essence, it would be counterproductive, if not cruel. (Would you break your child’s leg to keep him from running in the street?)
We can trust Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to behave like Daryl, the shepherd on Price Edward Island. Jesus came to heal the sick, love those who were broken, and bring hope to those who were hopeless.
He laid down His life for His sheep, not break them. We need to follow suit. Breaking people will not heal them. Love and sacrifice are our guides to retraining, coupled with natural consequences for sin.
RELATED: Sheep 101:Break a Leg?
Spiritual Lessons From Sheep Jesus said this about sheep, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them…I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:11-15 ESV). This is one of the most important verses about sheep in the Bible and one of the most famous lessons Jesus speaks about sheep.
Just like sheep, we have no direction without Him, lack protection on every side, and were never meant to carry a heavy load. We can not make it alone without Him.
On the other hand, I find it heartwarming that, as senseless as sheep are, God made them valuable. You would never think they had any redeeming qualities because they are such wanderers, but they do. They are a symbol of great blessing and prosperity.
Oh, that we would take a lesson from sheep and run to the Good Shepherd who will lead us to the spring of living waters and take care of us forever. Furthermore, that we would truly know our value as one who is priceless to the Shepherd.
“For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes”
This is a dear friend of mine and it is her very first book. She blessed me with a copy and I read it in one day! What a powerful testimony to God’s grace and mercy through her struggles. Her transparency and humor is so well written that I couldn’t put it down.
When I was only ten years old, I was living in poverty, trapped in a dysfunctional situation – and so without hope that I attempted suicide. As years passed, nothing changed. With nowhere to turn, I called out to God for help, unsure if He even existed. From that moment on, I saw the hand of God in my life: in my mother’s miraculous rescue from a murder attempt; in my post high school enrollment in a Bible School; and in my marriage to a wonderful man, whom I met when he visited my home church as a guest preacher. I’d gone from spiritual and physical destitution to a wealth of love and blessing! Yet being the wife of a minister wasn’t without difficulties. From becoming a skilled hostess to dealing with the women who were attracted to my husband, I had many challenges to overcome. When my preacher husband, Steve, became sick, I trained as a real estate agent and learned there is as much ministry outside of the pulpit as behind it. And when Steve’s illness worsened, I discovered there could still be unexpected miracles in my life.
For those who are unfamiliar with this story, Randy is my nephew. He went to Cambodia in July and was planning on teaching English to the Cambodian people. He got established with an apartment, a motorcycle for transportation, and was about to begin fulfilling his dream.
Then it happened.
He had a massive stroke Aug. eighth leaving him totally paralyzed on one side; unable to speak, eat, or do anything for himself. He has been hospitalized ever since.
Through family and friends a small part of his hospital bill in Cambodia has been paid and because of the resources running dry my sister was forced to go on Go Fund Me and Give Send Go donation sites asking for help. And dealing with the Embassy, hospital, and bureaucrats has been a nightmare, to put it mildly.
With all our prayers, and the donations and prayers from you all – God has answered our prayers!
RANDY IS ON THE PLANE AS I TYPE HEADING BACK HOME TO CALIFORNIA. Praise be to God and Hallelujah. He has a nurse with him and will soon be arriving in San Francisco today. He will be rushed straight to U.C. Davis Medical Center for his continued care.
There are no words that can express our gratitude to those who have helped through your prayers and donations to make this happen. His journey through this chapter in his life is far from over but with God and loving support he’ll make it.
Once he gets settled I’ll have an address available for those who would like to send him cards of encouragement. Until then – THANK YOU AND MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU.
Speech/physical therapy continue along with cognitive and other necessary tests. He is able to feed himself small bites of food using his one good hand with help. The Therapists are currently working with him to a sitting position on the edge of the bed for a short time. It’s a slow process and will take time. Currently we are checking costs of flights/schedules to return home with a companion that will need to travel with him. Thank you all for your continuing donations in my sons’ needed care and return flight back home. They will go far in his ongoing medical care and costly transportation back home, hopefully soon.
Life is so short and from one day, one moment in time, we never know what can happen. My nephew, Randy, went to Cambodia to teach the people English. He rented an apartment and was doing what he thought will help the people…
and then it happened.
In a split moment in time he had a massive stroke. He cannot speak, he lies paralyzed in a Cambodian hospital bed and praise be to God the feeding tube has now been removed and he is able to be fed a small amount of yogurt and very soft food due to constrictions in his throat. He can do nothing else for himself.
My sister, Judy, is a basket case in trying to deal with the expenses of his care. Randy does not have medical insurance which leaves all of his care expenses to his family. If there is no family then he is on his own and there’s no telling what happens then. She lives on the meager Social Security check each month, and some of us know how that is. The senator she spoke to fluffed her off, the Embassy has assigned one lady that is trying to help, and family and a few friends have helped financially as much as they can, but the resources have dwindled. What money they have has gone to pay for his care while they pray to be able to get him back home here to the USA. where he can get the extended care he needs.
We have been told that he when he is able he will need a nurse to accompany him on the flight home and that is very expensive – to the tune of $10,000 – $30,000! ALL money will go to his flight home and whatever bills are left to be paid.
We are asking that you pray for Randy’s healing and guidance, comfort and peace for Judy. The Lord said He takes care of His children and we believe that, but He uses you and I to help.
Please pray for my sister and nephew, and if the Lord lays it on your heart to donate, even a small amount will help, we are truly thankful for your generosity and prayers.
Let’s bring Randy home so he can get the extended care he needs and be with family, not stranded in a foreign country with people he hardly knows.
Please feel free to forward this to any social media sites you may have.
hi “My feelings of being in the wrong body started when I was a toddler. I hated girl toys and I only wanted to play with boys, I had short hair and dressed myself like a boy. I didn’t understand other girls my age so I felt out of place. When someone would mistake me for a boy I would feel so good, much to the chagrin of my older sister who would quickly correct them and exclaim, “that’s my SISTER.” At 4 I worked up the courage to ask my mom, “Does God make mistakes, because I think I was supposed to be born a boy?” My mother replied, “No God doesn’t ever make mistakes, he made you exactly the way you’re supposed to be, a beautiful little girl.” And that was that. I didn’t have any more delusions because my mom cleared it up for me right then and there. Don’t get me wrong I still didn’t like my body and dreaded growing breasts one day, but I didn’t have to question if there was something wrong with me. I was allowed time to grow up, and once I hit puberty I not only felt like I was in the right body, but I became a girly girl! If I was born in our society today I know I would have been “affirmed” by my teachers and started on a cascade of interventions that would have left me infertile, mutilated and without the husband and two beautiful children that I have today. Our kids don’t need to be socially or medically transitioned. They need to be left alone, and they need time to grow up.” ~ Brittany Traynor
“My children are being lied to from the media and must not listen to their lies. Hold onto Me, My children and do not be led astray by those who know Me not. Go to your prayer closets and seek My face for the liar of all time is on the prowl seeking all he can devour. Trust Me, children of the Most High God. You are being fooled into believing all is well. It is not! Lift up your voices, stand boldly before your evil government – they shall be taken down! Watch, listen, and pray. My wrath will be poured out on all who follow My enemy the devil. He hates Me and he hates you. Put on the Full Armor of God to resist him. Listen not to his lies for he is using any means to convince you. Fight the good battle for your reward is in heaven. Go in peace and share My love. It is My peace and love I give you.
Given to me by the Holy Spirit – 7-19-24 1:00 a.m. With the Prayer shawl.
The Lord gives me scripture every night and when He leads me to Revelation 4:1 I know He has something to tell me. When He tells me to get my prayer shawl, I know it is serious. That’s what has happened at 1:15 this morning after the events of President Trump being shot.
“My anger is so close to becoming wrath that I must control My fury. My son, Donald Trump, is My chosen one for this office and the demonic possessed will NOT prevail. I am the I AM and Lucifer has not, and will not win this war. He can try but his battle, his war has already been lost and all who follow him shall pay the price of their ignorance of just Who they are dealing with!
My children pray, lean on Me, do not trust what you will hear from the media in the days to come. They are paid parrots. Close your ears to their lies!
Light your candles, My bride, for your Husband will join you soon. I am the I AM and am fed up with this evil within your world. Take heed you heathens of Satan – you cannot hide! I know your hearts and they are as black as night. Repent for your destiny is the firry pits of hell and you will deserve every ounce of suffering you will get. REPENT NOW!”
Ginny is being bullied through grade school and high school and now finds herself being thrown in the trunk of a car. Fighting for her life she’s tossed into a small room of a warehouse. Will she escape, will someone rescue her, and why has she been kidnapped? Follow Ginny’s edge of your seat story with many twists and turns in Sue’s best selling novel, ON EAGLE’S WINGS.
Sarah finds herself walking with Jesus in heaven after a horrific car accident but He sends her back with an assignment. Will Sarah be able to fulfill the assignment God gave her being wheelchair bound for life? You’ll find out in Sarah’s Return.
Sue's Pen 2 Paper Blog 