The Valley of Elah

"And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines." I Samuel 17:2

Sheep and Shepherds Near Waqqas, Jordan

 

Sheep and Shepherd Near Wadi Kelt, Israel

 

Sheep and Shepherd Near Tel Arad, Israel

 

Scattered

If something happens to their shepherd, sheep will scatter. This happened when Jesus was taken away to be tried and crucified. All of His disciples “forsook him, and fled” (Mark 14:50). In fact, just before Jesus was apprehended, He said, “All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered” (Mark 14:27). Only after He was resurrected did His flock gather together again.

  

Micaiah the prophet foretold that Ahab the king would be killed in battle, leaving the Israelites without a leader. He used the analogy of sheep without a shepherd. “I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd” (I Kings 22:17).

When Jesus “saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36).

 

“Scattered abroad” is not the ideal situation for sheep. Quite the opposite. Left on their own, sheep will disconnect from one another and scatter, wandering aimlessly, without direction, away from the safety of the sheepfold.

We must stay connected to Jesus, “the great shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20). That connection is imperative for our survival.   

Sheep Without a Shepherd

Moses asked the Lord to “set a man over the congregation, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd” (Numbers 27:16-17). 

God appointed Joshua to serve as a shepherd to Israel. Moses had been a shepherd to sheep and also a shepherd to people. He knew that the person to succeed him would need to have the characteristics of a shepherd. He did not want the people to be “as sheep which have no shepherd.”

 

Ezekiel 34:5 gives a bleak look at what happens to sheep when they do not have a shepherd. “And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.” Zechariah 10:2 describes people who “were troubled, because there was no shepherd.”

It is a dangerous thing for sheep to be without a shepherd! 

The same is true for us. We are supposed to work and be responsible and do all that grownup stuff. But at our core, we are sheep in need of a Shepherd. 

Lion or Lamb

Some people contrast sheep to lions, with the domineering, predatory attributes of lions being preferred. Someone said, “It’s better to be a lion for a day than a sheep all your life” and another said, “A lion doesn’t concern itself with the opinion of sheep.” Some of the scathing references to sheep are attempts to portray the folly of a nation or group of people who blindly follow leaders who are leading them in the wrong direction.

 

While this is somewhat understandable, a lot of people don’t want to think of themselves as sheep, even though God, who is good and kind, is the One who wants to be their Shepherd. Unlike government leaders who often lead people astray and do not have people’s best interests at heart, God wants the best for us.

Developing sheep-like characteristics in order to deepen our understanding of God does not mean that we put our brains in neutral. It does not mean that we are naïve or blind. What it does mean is that we find contentment in simply trusting our Shepherd. It means that we enjoy security by submitting to Him.

From the viewpoint of atheists, sure, our acquiescence to God is ridiculous. But why should we care about the opinions of people who God calls fools?

For years, I have heard people say that sheep are not intelligent animals. The reality is that, when sheep follow their Shepherd, they are not stupid. They are actually exceeding wise.

God did not liken us to lions. He likened us to sheep. There is a reason why He did this. As long as we follow Him, He will defend us. We do not have to assume the predatory attitude of a lion.

 

You can use your brain to become a surgeon, a nurse, or an engineer. You can achieve great things in life. In ministry, you can excel at music or become an exemplary teacher. You can be motivated and ambitious and still allow God to care for you and lead you. He can help you avoid the dangers and snares of this life.