Sheepish?
Timid, shy?
Sheep-like?
Ps 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Ps. 23:2,3
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Isa. 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way
The terms sheep, lambs, and like words are found more than 500 times throughout the Bible.
Sheep need other Sheep
Sheep are flock animals. They very seldom thrive or survive when they are alone. It is highly recommended that a person acquire at least two of them if you want to have them. Otherwise they will become depressed and disolusioned and will probably perish prematurely.
Beware of what will try to isolate you from other christians.
Sheep have no sense of direction.
Sheep are emotional. They remember faces and voices and they react to them.
Sheep are Followeres
They have no good sense of direction on their own. Just let one of them take the lead and the others will follow.
And they will do it in the same fashion. IL.: You can tie a rope across an entrance (maybe 12 inches high), and then open the gate/door. The first sheep will jump the rope and take off. The next will do the same. You can cut/untie the rope, so there is no obstruction whatsoever, and the remaining sheep will continue to jump through the entrance, following the first sheep, even though there is no reason to do so.
A few years ago, near the Iraq border, a large flock of sheep were grazing. The lead sheep took off and jumped off a cliff. He was followed by the rest. The first 400 sheep died in the fall (about 90 feet drop). The remaining 1100 survived due to the soft downy cushion of the bodies of the first 400. Upon investigation, it was found that the group of shepherds in charge of the flock, all decided to go to breakfast together at the same time. The absence of a shepherd allowed for much destruction.
Sheep Love to Eat
If there is plenty of pasture, they are low-maintenance. They will eat about any kind of forage. They just want a continual supply.
In Australia, someone observed some sheep that figured out how to roll over some cattle guard to find more grass to eat.
A sheep without an appetite will not endure very long.
A christian without a spiritual appetite will not last long either. We need more than just a couple of helpings on Sunday and possible one more on Wednesday evening. Ingest the Word of God every day. It should be a normal habit.
A sheep will settle for less. If there is dirty water in front of them, they will drink it rather that walk 20 feet to a clean source of water. They are content with what satisfies for the moment.
How many people do you know like that? Many a soul has been poisoned in this manner. Make the effort to crucify the desires of the flesh and wait upon God for the best.
The sheep has very little personal defense. They can kick pretty good, but only for a little while. Their majpr defense is to simply run and stick together. If they run the right direction, the sheer energy of running in a group will protect them from many predators.
The Blood of the Lamb
A sheep can get bit by a venemous snake. It does not go frantic, or run around screaming and fuming.
It will lay down and it may be bruised, it may swell some, and there may be some blood. But it will be still and wait. Why?
There is something powerful in its blood that works as an antibody against the venom of the serpent. In a little while, the pain will subside, the swelling will abate, and it will recover fully.
There is power in the Blood of the Lamb and His royal blood now flows through my veins.
Sheep were never meant to carry burdens. The can't handle it.
Matthew 11:28-30 Come....ye heavy laden......I will give you rest.
Cast down- an old english term for a sheep on its back that cannot get back up on its own.
Ps. 42:5,6,11
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
6 ¶ O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
A sheep on its back and helpless is a Pathetic sight.
A sheep on its back is a Perilous sight.
3 Reasons a Sheep may become Cast Down
1. Overreaction of Comfort Seeking (opposed to sacrifice and self-denial)
A sheep will try to find a place in the field with a slight indention. It will move around lying on one side then the other to try to get as comfortable as possible. It may roll over a little too far and end up on its back where it cannot upright itself.
Amos 6:1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion
Be careful of the "soft spots". God knows that we all need rest from time to time, but don't get too cozy. An overreach for leisure and relaxation can take you to a place of becoming cast down spiritually. Remember that the enemy is not resting. He is prowling around seeking weak and defenseless prey.
2. Overabundance of Burden
The wool of a sheep grows continously. If it is not sheared regularly, the weight of the wool becomes heavy and cumbersome. The long wool becomes matted with dirt, mud, briars, and rocks.
Of course, this wears the sheep down and it looks for places to lie down more often. With the extra weight and volume, it is easier to become unbalanced and end up fallen over and cast down.
The wool represents our nature. Left alone, it will continue to grow and become a real problem for us. When we yield to the Shepherd and he removes that old nature (wool), then we are the better for it.
The wool also represents the burdens of life that we accumulate and they weigh us down more and more. Take them to the Great Shepherd and allow Him to trim them away.
3. Overindulgence (too much of a good thing)
We are called to moderation.
A sheep will eat so much that it feels that it cannot keep going.
It may even get bloated and it looks for a place to lie down. Without being careful, it can become cast down.
Prosperity is a two-edged sword. It can alleviate many concerns of life, but it takes away our dependency upon God.
The more we have, the more we indulge. The more we indulge, the more in danger we are of becoming cast down.
A sheep that is cast down, has no more than 24 hours to be rescued. The shepherd must find the sheep and lift it up and place it in the upright position. It may take a few minutes, but the blood will start to flow back into the legs and it can return to regular activity.
Paul admonishes the church:
2 Co. 4: 8,9
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
The Chief Shepherd assures us that He has not forsaken His own. Even when we become cast down, He promises that we will not be destroyed. Our Shepherd is always on duty.
