THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the SHEEP of My PASTURE! says the LORD Jeremiah 23:1

For twenty days, we have been digging deep into the riches of revelation in the Twenty-third Psalm. This beautiful psalm gives us a glimpse into the unique relationship between the Eternal Shepherd and His human sheep. He is the Shepherd of our souls. We are the sheep of His pasture. Its simple verses remind us of the special bond we enjoy with our Shepherd. There is a unique connection between sheep and Shepherd that just isn't found anywhere else in creation.

The Lord could have compared His people to any other animal but sheep. He could have likened us to brave, bold, and strong bears that require no leader. He could have described us as courageous and fearless lions, ruling in dominion and turning back from no one. He could have compared us to shrewd, wise foxes or to meek, gentle and peaceful doves!

Oddly, the Lord chose to call us His sheep. Sheep are not the brightest of animals. In fact, they have a reputation for being dumb, stupid, and defenceless! SHEEP are characterised by NEED. They require a shepherd to care for them. They require a shepherd to protect them. They require a shepherd to cater for their smallest needs and to lead them to where they need to be. It might sound less than flattering, but the Lord was right on target to have called us sheep! In Jeremiah 23, the stark reality of the unfaithful shepherds of God’s people who destroyed and scattered His sheep became distinct compared with the Shepherd of Israel, the righteous Branch, the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer.23:6).

We sheep being so needy, enter into a distinctive bond with our Shepherd. He gets to know us intimately. He even knows us all by name. He knows the weak and weary ones; He knows the ones who are prone to wander as well as the faithful and loyal ones among us. Despite our stupidity, we, the sheep become familiar with our Shepherd’s voice. We know His sound and His scent. Psalm 95:7 says: “For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today if you will hear His Voice.” Psalm 100:3 confirms the same: “Know you that the LORD He is God: it is He that has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the SHEEP of His Pasture.”