Last Sunday, we had a video chat session with my oldest son and some of our grandchildren for our Come Follow Me study. When talking about the separation of nations at the end of Matthew 25, and the sheep on the right side and the goats on the left, one of my grandchildren asked about the significance of the goat and sheep. None of us had a real profound answer, but being the farm girl, I offered what I knew. I was raised on a dairy farm, but my brother worked at a neighboring sheep ranch for a while. Somewhere in my memory I seemed to know that sheep follow the shepherd and goats typically don't. That seemed to satisfy the question and certainly the reference to "The Shepherd" was understood. I've thought about that since. My metaphorical mind wanted a little more and seemed like there should be more. I read a few things about the difference in the 2 animals that opened my mind to more symbolism and caused a bit of personal introspection. I'll share what I read, but before I get to that, read a few verses in Matthew 25, just to refresh your memory.
31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
The text goes on and you could pull out your scriptures to read the rest if you like. But I'd like to just spell out some differences in the goat and the sheep here. In Jewish and Hebrew history, they were both essential, both could be used for sacrifices as long as "unblemished" and both had important uses. They could mingle together in the herd and often did and still do. Perhaps the only reference to separating the 2 was because it was something easy for the Jewish people at that time to understand. But I love how the parables and Christ's teachings take on meaning to us now in ways that we can understand too. So put on your metaphorical mind and see what lessons pop into your head as I lay out some things I read.
As I mentioned above, the goat typically does not follow the shepherd, but the neutered male, the wether as it's called, can be trained and sometimes does follow. But aside from this, they are much more independent and curious than the sheep and even if trained to follow, they don't need the shepherd. They are also described as obstinate. Sheep not only follow the shepherd, but need or depend on the shepherd for direction and guidance. They are also described as submissive. The independence of the goat sometimes causes problems in the herd. The goat is more aggressive. The sheep more docile and gentle, causing no problems in the herd. The word docile, in Webster's dictionary, is described as "readily trained or taught". Because of this gentleness and lack of aggression, they depend on the shepherd not only for comfort, but for protection.
The eating habits are of interest. The sheep are grazers and they graze a lot. In fact as I recall seeing herds of sheep, what I remember is their heads down to the ground, eating. It's as if they can't get enough and are constantly nurturing themselves. Interestingly, when they eat, they only eat what is on top of the ground, leaving the root to grow again and feed other sheep or themselves on another day. Because they munch on the grasses that are low to the ground, they are constantly exposed to parasites and other diseases associated with the manure also on the ground. However, because of the constant exposure to these things, they have a much higher immunity to the parasites and diseases and aren't effected much by them. You might say they are stronger because of it. The goat is not a grazer but a browser, a little here and little there, jumping around back and forth from one source to another. They typically don't eat the ground food, at least not their preference. They will eat leaves, shrubs, vines, weeds often found at the tops of plants, off the ground, higher up. Because of this, they are not exposed to the ground parasites that the sheep are exposed to. When the goats are forced to eat from the ground, due to a lack of the preferable "higher up" food, they are effected more dramatically by the parasites and diseases. They will also eat everything when eating from the ground, including the root, leaving nothing for later growth and later food and nourishment. Of additional interest, goats will eat garbage too. They are not picky eaters.
Tail position was of interest to me too. The tail of a goat is held up high, vertically. The tail of the sheep hangs down low. As I mentioned above, the sheep is typically a docile animal, but the male sheep can become aggressive when needed. When he is aggressive, he keeps low, with his head low and butts with his head in a powerful forward motion. The goat, in his aggressive state, raises up on his hind legs and attacks in a downward motion. Goats naturally have horns and use them to establish dominance. They often "pick fights". Most breeds of sheep do not have horns. Goats like high places and often head "upwards". They can follow in the herd, but prefer to lead and if given a chance will wonder off or even revert back to their wilder conditions. Sheep are steady and stable.
So is there more to learn from the separation of the sheep and goats here. For me, I think there is.... pride and hotiness vs humility and teach ability; selfishness vs unselfishness; wandering nature vs steadfastness; being taken down by the effects of trial vs gaining strength from those trials, and building our own spiritual immunity; only need The Shepherd when convenient vs total full-time dependence on The Shepherd; gaining spiritual nourishment in a browsing fashion vs a constant grazing upon the word. I find the significance of the neutered male, being able to be taught to follow, a bit interesting. Perhaps putting off the natural man?? Sorry, but I warned you that I have a metaphorical mind. But seriously, is that not telling us that even the goat can learn and change?
Yes, perhaps I've stretched this a bit far and perhaps none of this was what was intended by Christ when he taught this principle to his disciples. But these things are what popped into my head as I read about the goat and sheep and isn't that the way we learn from the spirit. Isn't that what a parable is all about, layers of learning for those that have ears to hear? Sheep and goats can live and mingle in the same herd, just like we live and mingle with those all around us. But there will be a separation in the end. Oh, did I forget to mention the smell? The male goat has a terrible offensive odor (except the neutered male), but I'm told if around them long enough, you won't notice the smell quite as much. Hmmm, maybe a parable in that too. I'd be interested to know what, if anything was in this for you to learn. It could be entirely different than what I gained.
One last thing..... a gentleman wrote about visiting Scotland and staying in a chalet. His host had sheep that were out on the hillside, mingling with sheep from other nearby farms. The host opened his back door and called them by using a Gaelic word which means "little sheep". This man said it was more like a sound than a word, but when this sound was made, his sheep came running and the other sheep from the other farms kept grazing and did not even lift their heads. The next day the man tried to imitate the sound and call the sheep in, but they wouldn't respond to him, only to his host, their master. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" John 10:27
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