My
Sheep:
Knows My Voice
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand; Jn. 10: 27-28.
Once in
a way, an Ewe, gives birth to a lamb and rejects it! These bummer lambs
hang their head down because of rejection, and were downcast in spirit. This
particular shepherd took care of this lamb, hand -fed, kept it warm, wrapped in
swaddling clothes for a season, and one day it became stronger.
Once the bummer
lamb becomes stronger, the shepherd places it with the other flock, and
there is a closeness between the shepherd and the bummer lamb. This bummer lamb developed a special bond of
love and trust with the shepherd. When rejected by the Ewe, the love it got was
from the shepherd and it begins to know his voice.
It is a
common practice in the farms that the shepherd calls for his flock, at
particular time. Guess who runs to the
shepherd first at the voice of the shepherd? The bummer lamb!
It is not
that the bummer lamb was loved more; but it knows intimately the One who
loves it and his voice! The legs of the bummer lamb may be small, and its voice
very soft, but it runs with joy knowing its life depends on This Shepherd.
I am the door: by me if any man enter in,
he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture; Jn. 10: 9.
Strong's Hebrew: 7716. שֶׂה (seh) -- Lamb, sheep,
goat
שֶׂה denotes a young member of the small-livestock flock—either a lamb or a kid—viewed not primarily for its zoological identity but for its covenantal and pastoral usefulness.[i]
Strong's Greek: 4263. πρόβατον (probaton) -- Sheep -
Bible Hub
4263 próbaton – sheep; (figuratively) someone easily led, one way or the other (like a sheep). [4263 (próbaton) properly refers to any animal that grazes (goes out to pasture), but especially to sheep.][ii]
Strong's Greek: 5456. φωνή (phóné) -- Voice, sound,
tone
noise, sound, voice. Probably akin to phaino through the idea of disclosure; a tone (articulate, bestial or artificial); by implication, an address (for any purpose), saying or language -- noise, sound, voice. …[iii]
“As we have names for horses, dogs, cows, so the Eastern shepherds for their sheep. There is a story of a Scotch traveller who changed clothes with a Jerusalem shepherd and tried to lead the sheep: but the sheep followed the shepherds voice and not his clothes.” (Dods)
In ancient times in Middle East, the shepherds just give a very distinctive call, and the sheep that belongs to that particular shepherd came out and followed their master because they knew his voice. It was amazing to witness that in New Zealand on our visit to a sheep farm that the sheep are experts at discerning the voice of their shepherds!
Throughout the Gospels, we see that Jesus was calling his followers as sheep. For example, Philip, Mary of Magdala, Thomas, and Simon Peter; and on each occasion it is a turning-point in the disciple’s life.
Sheep which belongs to God, not only they know His voice, and they are safe in the Mighty hands of both the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ and God the Father. For the sheep it is so comforting to know that the hands which created the world is holding the genuine believer in His hands!
Good shepherd takes good care of His sheep, and his soul is secure and saved while abiding in Christ alone who is the Real door and the Only True One! If we do not abide continuously in Christ and in His spirit we will be cast forth as branches that wither. If we are grafted into Christ, we will abide in Christ.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly; Jn. 10: 10.
“The Greek word for ‘abundance,’ perissos, has a mathematical meaning and generally denotes a surplus…The abundant life is above all the contented life, in which our contentment is based upon the fact that God is equal to every emergency and is able to supply all our needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.” (Boice)
“More powerful than all the united energies of men
and demons. He who loves God must be happy; and he who fears him need fear
nothing on this side eternity.” (Clarke)
[i]https://www.bing.com/search?FORM=I657DF&PC=I657&q=Hebrew+word+for+sheep
[ii]https://www.bing.com/search?FORM=I657DF&PC=I657&q=Greek+word+for+saheep
[iii]https://www.bing.com/search?FORM=I657DF&PC=I657&q=Greek+word+for+voice
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