Today a friend made comment that she was being a ‘wolf’ by counting differently on the reps during exercise. Another said something about many of us being rebels/wolves. I had to correct, the analogy.
Rebelling is not the wolf. The wolf is evil, a destroyer. The wolf is NOT a lamb, even if he dresses in sheep clothing. A wolf is not a goat, and does not pretend to be.
The one who does differently than the others would more likely be the black sheep. The black sheep is not necessarily bad, but just stands out, does/looks differently than the crowd, but still a sheep. Black sheep could be the one who lives in the desert and wears camel skin for clothes.
The rebellious one who does not belong with the sheep who believes differently, not a part , not willing to follow the shepherd, is a goat. A non beleiver.
The Sheep John 10:4And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
1 Peter 2:2525 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer[ of your souls.
Psalm 100:3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
John 10:27
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Sheep, are believers. Sheep recognize the Shepherd. Sheep follow The Shepherd. Sheep are God’s chosen people.. Believers sin, Believers stop abiding to Jesus. Sheep go astray, sheep get lost, but they are still sheep, they don’t turn into goats. They return to the voice they recognize.
and Goats: Matthew 25:31-4631 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy[a] angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’44 “Then they also will answer Him,[b] saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Goats are wandering with sheep. But goats are not sheep. Goats are rebellious. Goats are stubborn,self reliant, Goats do not need a shepherd. Goats and sheep are similar, but they are not the same. Believers and Non Believers are similar but they are not the same, believers admit they are sinners and need Jesus. Non Believers rebel and will not accept they need salvation.. Goats will be separated from God’s chosen sheep. Goats choose to live eternity without a shepherd.
Then the wolf.….John10: 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Matthew 10:16“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
Luke 10:3Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
Acts 20:29For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
The wolf catches the sheep, scatters the sheep. The wolf is savage. The wolf is deceptive and masquerades as one of the sheep. Wolves are among believers, look and act like believers, for we must be wise to discern them among us. The wolf wants to destroy the sheep, and the goats. The wolf frightens many shepherd’s away, can cause them to loose many sheep.
And yet another to cause sheep misery..Shepherds, themselves gone astray: – could be hireling’s
1 Chronicles 21:17And David said to God, “Was it not I who commanded the people to be numbered? I am the one who has sinned and done evil indeed; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, O LORD my God, be against me and my father’s house, but not against Your people that they should be plagued.”
Jeremiah 50:6“My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray;
John 10:13 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep
Jeremiah 23:1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the LORD.
Ezekiel 34:10Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”
David. the one with a whole heart for God was responsible for the suffering of the people because of his sin. How many times do our decisions our choices cause consequences/suffering for others?
God tells that shepherds, caused his sheep to be lost, to be scattered,to be prey for every beast of the field. These shepherds did not lead, they were selfish, and looking out for their own good.
Interesting thing,believers(sheep)have the ‘potential’ to be shepherds as well as sheep. Moses, David, Abraham all God’s sheep and also shepherds of people. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and our Shepherd. Even Paul, though he started as a wolf, was a sheep and a shepherd of the people.
The shepherds who loose sheep, who are cause for sheep scattering for lack of leading or their own sinfulness, I see as teachers/leaders/elders/preachers of the sheep. They are warned of teaching wrongly; We all are.
James 33 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things
2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
Mark 9:42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.
God takes it very seriously when you take to messing with his sheep.
I am a sheep.I may be a black sheep, though. I am a believer.I hear the voice of The Shepherd. I have wandered away and come running back to my Shepherd. I myself have been a shepherd, a Co-shepherd. As long as I stay ‘co’ with Christ head shepherd, all goes well. But when I decide I can do it, teach it, lead it, without THE Shepherd, I have failed and I will be held accountable.
I'm Not So Petty 